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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Laugh out loud funny. A good page turner. Don't be put off by the film, as always the book is better!
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Me, looking up from book: Does 'todmorden' really mean 'death murder'?
German professor: 'Todmordern'? Well, yes. (pause) What are you reading?
I was reading Yes Man, as it happens.
Wallace's challenge was simple: say 'yes' more. Or...more accurately, only say yes. Say yes whenever someone asked him to go out for a drink, say yes when someone at work asked him to take on a project or sit in on a meeting, say yes when someone suggested that he should go to Singapore, say yes when his romantic interest jokingly suggested that he buy her a plane ticket so she could come visit...and also say yes to every fundraiser on the street, say yes to every request for spare change, say yes when a man asks if Wallace is looking at the man's girlfriend and yes when the man asks if he wants a punch in the face.
Wallace plays the dunce through a lot of the book, treating email spam as though he takes it seriously (but also being careful not to get in over his head). I do wonder how many of the conversations with his friends are exaggerated—they seem rather more worried than seems warranted about exactly how far he'd take it. And, truly, Wallace has a pretty literal take: it's not so much that he's trying to grab every opportunity as it is that he says yes to everything...regardless of phrasing. Sooo 'Do you mind?' questions lead to 'yes' too.
This was entertaining, but I was also struck by the perspective here. Like...for a lot of women, I think, there might be less value in a 'yes' project and more value in a 'no' project: no, I will not do all of these things that are not my responsibility and that I will not be credited for etc. etc. (I generalise, but. Well. It's worth noting that Wallace did not, for example, face catcalling on the street.) Or: his 'yes' project could have been more like that of Marc, the Spanish man he meets, which is to say more fluid. I don't think he was really the one to tell a serious story about this, but I'm curious to know what somebody else's experience of this—the more mindful version—might have been.
German professor: 'Todmordern'? Well, yes. (pause) What are you reading?
I was reading Yes Man, as it happens.
Wallace's challenge was simple: say 'yes' more. Or...more accurately, only say yes. Say yes whenever someone asked him to go out for a drink, say yes when someone at work asked him to take on a project or sit in on a meeting, say yes when someone suggested that he should go to Singapore, say yes when his romantic interest jokingly suggested that he buy her a plane ticket so she could come visit...and also say yes to every fundraiser on the street, say yes to every request for spare change, say yes when a man asks if Wallace is looking at the man's girlfriend and yes when the man asks if he wants a punch in the face.
Wallace plays the dunce through a lot of the book, treating email spam as though he takes it seriously (but also being careful not to get in over his head). I do wonder how many of the conversations with his friends are exaggerated—they seem rather more worried than seems warranted about exactly how far he'd take it. And, truly, Wallace has a pretty literal take: it's not so much that he's trying to grab every opportunity as it is that he says yes to everything...regardless of phrasing. Sooo 'Do you mind?' questions lead to 'yes' too.
This was entertaining, but I was also struck by the perspective here. Like...for a lot of women, I think, there might be less value in a 'yes' project and more value in a 'no' project: no, I will not do all of these things that are not my responsibility and that I will not be credited for etc. etc. (I generalise, but. Well. It's worth noting that Wallace did not, for example, face catcalling on the street.) Or: his 'yes' project could have been more like that of Marc, the Spanish man he meets, which is to say more fluid. I don't think he was really the one to tell a serious story about this, but I'm curious to know what somebody else's experience of this—the more mindful version—might have been.
This book is freaking amazing and I am so glad that it found it's way to me.
Okay so I picked up this book as a really beaten one in a bookstore for only two dollars, I remember hearing about the movie but I didn't know that there was a book and what exactly is the book and movie about, so since I haven't seen a movie I will only be reviewing the book and not compare it to said movie (even though there's not much to compare since they are really different). Anyhow to answer the author's questions: Yes I picked it up because of Jim Carrey on the front page but at the same time not really, I picked it up because the premise seemed really interesting to me. Would I win the challenge if i went the exact same path as author? Definitely not, I would've lost at the part when he is offered mindbomb which is essentially a really messed up drug that makes you see thing that are not there, he ends up with a huge portrait of himself with a tiny non-existing dog on his shoulder, that's how messed up it is. But I really, really liked this book, everything from the humor in it to the story in general, I loved the ending, I loved the ending plot twist and I loved every single bit of this book, but my favourite has to be him losing glasses than going to a shop to pick up a new pair and the lady behind the counter asking him if he is a prior glasses wearer despite him wearing a pair on him - that part cracked me up the most.
I've seen mixed reviews from movie so I am either not going to watch it either going to wait a bit before I do, I do not want to ruin this book for myself because it was amazing. It has to be my favourite book that I've ever read and it's certainly my favourite biography that I've read. If you are in a point of life when you are down and you need laughter and optimism, please pick this up, it certainly helped me feel better about myself and going out there a little bit more, making tiny steps but there are still steps indeed. I really, really recommend this book if you want to read a true story about adventure and where you can get by saying yes to everything you are asked about (even though it means gate crashing your ex's date and telling a random bulky dude that you are indeed looking at his girlfriend on the dance floor and nearly starting a fight).
Okay so I picked up this book as a really beaten one in a bookstore for only two dollars, I remember hearing about the movie but I didn't know that there was a book and what exactly is the book and movie about, so since I haven't seen a movie I will only be reviewing the book and not compare it to said movie (even though there's not much to compare since they are really different). Anyhow to answer the author's questions: Yes I picked it up because of Jim Carrey on the front page but at the same time not really, I picked it up because the premise seemed really interesting to me. Would I win the challenge if i went the exact same path as author? Definitely not, I would've lost at the part when he is offered mindbomb which is essentially a really messed up drug that makes you see thing that are not there, he ends up with a huge portrait of himself with a tiny non-existing dog on his shoulder, that's how messed up it is. But I really, really liked this book, everything from the humor in it to the story in general, I loved the ending, I loved the ending plot twist and I loved every single bit of this book, but my favourite has to be him losing glasses than going to a shop to pick up a new pair and the lady behind the counter asking him if he is a prior glasses wearer despite him wearing a pair on him - that part cracked me up the most.
I've seen mixed reviews from movie so I am either not going to watch it either going to wait a bit before I do, I do not want to ruin this book for myself because it was amazing. It has to be my favourite book that I've ever read and it's certainly my favourite biography that I've read. If you are in a point of life when you are down and you need laughter and optimism, please pick this up, it certainly helped me feel better about myself and going out there a little bit more, making tiny steps but there are still steps indeed. I really, really recommend this book if you want to read a true story about adventure and where you can get by saying yes to everything you are asked about (even though it means gate crashing your ex's date and telling a random bulky dude that you are indeed looking at his girlfriend on the dance floor and nearly starting a fight).
The first thing to say is that I'm someone with a relatively hypoplastic sense of humor. Very little makes me laugh out loud, and I usually find the idea of comedy kind of intimidating, because I never know if I'm finding it as funny enough. But even for someone as humor-stunted as myself, Yes Man is quite funny. Ever wonder what would happen if you said yes to the random pan-handlers, and spam e-mailers and signature-collectors and advertisements and dozens of other offers we're bombarded by? The idea is so simple, and Wallace has a beautifully dry sense of humor.
The other promise -- that I would find Yes Man insightful or thought-provoking -- didn't pan out, though. As a woman trying to make my academic career work I get the opposite advice, all the time: "Learn to say no." And Wallace did nothing to convince me that I shouldn't be working harder on not stretching myself too thin. Would it be fun to spontaneously go to Singapore? Yes. Can most people handle the major work, family and financial consequences to more spontaneity? Probably not. I had a lot of second-hand anxiety about Danny's financial straits when reading...maybe for independently wealthy mid-twenty somethings emulating this experiment is possible, but for the rest of us, taking out and using dozens of credit cards is more nightmarish than a life lesson.
Finally, the first half had an affected naivete that was neither interesting, nor convincing. We all know Nigerian princes offering millions of dollars is a scam. Say "yes" if you feel you have to, but it's tedious when you pretend to believe that there is anything real to the situation.
Overall, I found the book light and fun, but I was happy it was him and not me.
The other promise -- that I would find Yes Man insightful or thought-provoking -- didn't pan out, though. As a woman trying to make my academic career work I get the opposite advice, all the time: "Learn to say no." And Wallace did nothing to convince me that I shouldn't be working harder on not stretching myself too thin. Would it be fun to spontaneously go to Singapore? Yes. Can most people handle the major work, family and financial consequences to more spontaneity? Probably not. I had a lot of second-hand anxiety about Danny's financial straits when reading...maybe for independently wealthy mid-twenty somethings emulating this experiment is possible, but for the rest of us, taking out and using dozens of credit cards is more nightmarish than a life lesson.
Finally, the first half had an affected naivete that was neither interesting, nor convincing. We all know Nigerian princes offering millions of dollars is a scam. Say "yes" if you feel you have to, but it's tedious when you pretend to believe that there is anything real to the situation.
Overall, I found the book light and fun, but I was happy it was him and not me.
Don't think about that stupid Jim Carrey movie. It's based of this book, but really had very few similarities.
I thought this was an easy, funny read and it honestly inspired me to say "yes" more.
I thought this was an easy, funny read and it honestly inspired me to say "yes" more.
I enjoyed the story, but the kindle version of this book was awful. Lots of misspellings and punctuation issues. I'm sure that the actual book is fine, but someone needs to correct the kindle version ASAP.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Absolutely delightful!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced