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The Harm in Asking: My Clumsy Encounters with the Human Race by Sara Barron
Welcome to the perverse and hilarious mind of Sara Barron. In The Harm in Asking, she boldly addresses the bizarre indignities of everyday from invisible pets to mobster roommates. From a hatred of mayonnaise to an unrequited love of k.d. lang. From the ruinous side effect of broccoli to the sheer delight of a male catalogue model. In a voice that is incisive and entirely her own, Barron proves herself the master of the awkward, and achieves something wonderful and a book that is both strange and funny.
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First published July 9, 2013
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About the author
Sara Barron
2 books73 followersSara Barron’s work has appeared in Vanity Fair; on Showtime’s This American Life, NPR’s Weekend Edition, and Today; and at the HBO Comedy Festival. She is a frequent host of The Moth: True Stories Told Live events. For more, visit www.sarabarron.com. Facebook: fb.me/sarabarron1000000. Twitter: twitter.com/sarabarron
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
May 9, 2020
oh, sara barron, you do make me laugh.
what pleases me so much about her style of humor is that it feels natural. it doesn't feel like she is trying very hard to be clever or that she is in any way self-satisfied. and that's not to say that she isn't clever, but she has that natural propensity, so important to good humor writing, to just let loose and not give a shit about what she looks like while doing it. this is incredibly ironic considering how frequently in this book she talks about feeling exposed and under scrutiny, how much she craves attention, and how if she is the person walked in on in a public restroom, she is the one who apologizes. but this timidity and desire for love and attention doesn't stop her from admitting all the embarrassing things she is thinking, and all the ways in which she has come up short, socially, in her life. in fact, the chapter entitled The Boogie Rhythm serves as a perfect illustration of this ability to let loose.
sara barron is a farter.
her constant, potent farting is mirrored in her humor-delivery. sorry, first date, friends, family - this is me and this is what my body does. sorry, readers - this is all of me.
and as she elucidates:
and so do i. and as an extension of that, i also appreciate someone who lets it all hang out, for our giggling pleasure.
this is a collection of confessional essays about her social awkwardness, her "dorkiness," the imaginary friends she created to fawn over her when she was little (but only while on the toilet, post-shit) to her imaginary dog as an adult, her childhood habit of mounting objects and humping them, her undying love of jewel and tori amos, her unfortunate dalliances with drugs and alcohol, her sexual mishaps, and her misguided attempt at getting a tattoo.
it's precious.
the entire chapter How Long Till My Soul Gets It Right? is one of my favorite things ever written down. i was hoping it would be online somewhere as an excerpt from the book, but as of this moment, it is not. so i guess it is one of those times when i am going to have to get all levar burton on you and say "but don't take my word for it - read the book!"
moar laffs, please...
.........................................................................................................................................................................
okay, so what i have learned (so far) from this book is that me and sara barron were at nyu AT THE SAME TIME!!
what the hell? i could have been the one squiring her to parties (and they would be a damn sight better than an nyu sorority party, that's for sure). i would gladly have assisted her in her quest to find out if she was a lesbian! i would definitely have talked her out of that terrible tattoo idea before she realized it herself, nearly too late. i would have laughed with her about farts. i would have sang along to tori amos with her.
so many missed opportunities, sara barron! for us both!
AND!! we may have been living in park slope at the same time, too!! this is unacceptable!
come to my blog!
what pleases me so much about her style of humor is that it feels natural. it doesn't feel like she is trying very hard to be clever or that she is in any way self-satisfied. and that's not to say that she isn't clever, but she has that natural propensity, so important to good humor writing, to just let loose and not give a shit about what she looks like while doing it. this is incredibly ironic considering how frequently in this book she talks about feeling exposed and under scrutiny, how much she craves attention, and how if she is the person walked in on in a public restroom, she is the one who apologizes. but this timidity and desire for love and attention doesn't stop her from admitting all the embarrassing things she is thinking, and all the ways in which she has come up short, socially, in her life. in fact, the chapter entitled The Boogie Rhythm serves as a perfect illustration of this ability to let loose.
sara barron is a farter.
I have always been a problematic farter. My need to fart is constant, and has given me the lifelong sense that I live on borrowed time. How long until I fart again? How long till that next bomb goes off? It's a sense of impending doom, and it's with me every second that I'm not alone.
her constant, potent farting is mirrored in her humor-delivery. sorry, first date, friends, family - this is me and this is what my body does. sorry, readers - this is all of me.
and as she elucidates:
There are two schools of thought when it comes to flatulence.
"Farts are funny," says the first, propagating the belief that although farts are gross and immature, they are nonetheless amusing.
"Farts are awful," says the second. "They're the easy and pathetic jokes of those with nothing else to say."
It wouldn't stand me in good stead to pretend I don't lock horns daily with issues of originality, with the issue of being disgusting. I acknowledge those components. It's just, I still think farts are funny.
and so do i. and as an extension of that, i also appreciate someone who lets it all hang out, for our giggling pleasure.
this is a collection of confessional essays about her social awkwardness, her "dorkiness," the imaginary friends she created to fawn over her when she was little (but only while on the toilet, post-shit) to her imaginary dog as an adult, her childhood habit of mounting objects and humping them, her undying love of jewel and tori amos, her unfortunate dalliances with drugs and alcohol, her sexual mishaps, and her misguided attempt at getting a tattoo.
I considered the Chinese symbol for "Alone," as well as the Palestinian flag. However, nothing so eccentric seemed to suit me. So I tried thinking in terms of something more basic. Something more steeped in tradition.
That is when the answer finally came.
When it hit me, I knew instinctively that it was right.
My tattoo would be… a butterfly. But not just any butterfly.
My butterfly would sit…atop…a heart.
It was pretty strange, actually, that I hadn't thought of it before. Because, well, a butterfly atop a heart communicated the very essence of what I myself was trying to project: sweet, sexy, daring. I thought, Tattoos say "sexy." Butterflies and hearts say "sweet." Therefore, a butterfly atop a heart says that I am super-sexy. And also that I'm sweet!
it's precious.
the entire chapter How Long Till My Soul Gets It Right? is one of my favorite things ever written down. i was hoping it would be online somewhere as an excerpt from the book, but as of this moment, it is not. so i guess it is one of those times when i am going to have to get all levar burton on you and say "but don't take my word for it - read the book!"
moar laffs, please...
.........................................................................................................................................................................
okay, so what i have learned (so far) from this book is that me and sara barron were at nyu AT THE SAME TIME!!
what the hell? i could have been the one squiring her to parties (and they would be a damn sight better than an nyu sorority party, that's for sure). i would gladly have assisted her in her quest to find out if she was a lesbian! i would definitely have talked her out of that terrible tattoo idea before she realized it herself, nearly too late. i would have laughed with her about farts. i would have sang along to tori amos with her.
so many missed opportunities, sara barron! for us both!
AND!! we may have been living in park slope at the same time, too!! this is unacceptable!
come to my blog!
March 10, 2014
ARC for review.
Sara Barron is funny and clever, but I don't know that we "get" each other. Here's the thing - she thinks farting is hysterically funny and she hates pets. She mentions these facts several times and I think it's really the key to her humor. I love pets and do not think farting is at all funny. So while I can appreciate her, I don't know that she's for me, and she might agree.
That said, a couple of gems: her mother's motto, "'My Son Has Asthma.'" (74)
"I'd convinced myself that wanting an audience was proof enough that I deserved one." (2250) - oh, hello, half the people I'm friends with on Facebook.
"Chronic lateness is indicative of self-absorption." (2400) Preach.
After a terrible accident that kept her in the hospital for weeks, "as any daughter of any Jewish mother will tell you: There is always a destructive modicum of joy involved in weight loss." (4150) Who among us hasn't succumbed to the "I'm one stomach virus away from my ideal weight" mentality?
Therefore, very solid and will likely have a devoted audience. Especially fart aficionados. And they are legion.
Sara Barron is funny and clever, but I don't know that we "get" each other. Here's the thing - she thinks farting is hysterically funny and she hates pets. She mentions these facts several times and I think it's really the key to her humor. I love pets and do not think farting is at all funny. So while I can appreciate her, I don't know that she's for me, and she might agree.
That said, a couple of gems: her mother's motto, "'My Son Has Asthma.'" (74)
"I'd convinced myself that wanting an audience was proof enough that I deserved one." (2250) - oh, hello, half the people I'm friends with on Facebook.
"Chronic lateness is indicative of self-absorption." (2400) Preach.
After a terrible accident that kept her in the hospital for weeks, "as any daughter of any Jewish mother will tell you: There is always a destructive modicum of joy involved in weight loss." (4150) Who among us hasn't succumbed to the "I'm one stomach virus away from my ideal weight" mentality?
Therefore, very solid and will likely have a devoted audience. Especially fart aficionados. And they are legion.
February 2, 2014
**I received an advance copy of this book as part of a "Ready It First" giveaway.**
Imagine an episode of HBO's girls in which Lena Dunham's character is a little bit older and with few (if any) redeeming qualities and a completely unrelatable level of self-absorption.
That's this book.
I like memoirs. I like memoirs from 20-to-30-somethings who are trying to figure things out. But I like for them to actually figure things out, instead of just complaining about everything without actually doing anything to improve their lots in life. Sara Barron seems to think that her life is interesting enough to warrant sympathy when she doesn't have a boyfriend or can't get her parents to pay her rent. Spoiler alert: she's not that interesting and I didn't find any sympathy.
Imagine an episode of HBO's girls in which Lena Dunham's character is a little bit older and with few (if any) redeeming qualities and a completely unrelatable level of self-absorption.
That's this book.
I like memoirs. I like memoirs from 20-to-30-somethings who are trying to figure things out. But I like for them to actually figure things out, instead of just complaining about everything without actually doing anything to improve their lots in life. Sara Barron seems to think that her life is interesting enough to warrant sympathy when she doesn't have a boyfriend or can't get her parents to pay her rent. Spoiler alert: she's not that interesting and I didn't find any sympathy.
February 28, 2014
If you are someone who blushes easily, this is not a book to be read on public transit. First of all, there will be the uncontrollable bursts of laughter, and secondly, there are the wickedly funny chapter headings. Sara Barron is not a woman afraid to work a little blue.
Highly recommended for people who like to laugh.
Highly recommended for people who like to laugh.
March 25, 2014
Simply put, loved it! After devouring Sara Barron's first book of humor essays, I was excited to receive an advance copy of her forthcoming follow up 'The Harm in Asking'. As expected, Sara dives in with candidness and openness about the things we all think, and sometimes do, but rarely discuss. Holding nothing back, she allows the full picture of her life experiences to unfold and takes the reader on yet another colorful ride through childhood and into adulthood. Sara's point of view is unique while still extremely relatable. From dysfunctional family dynamics to fumbling through awkward relations with friends, boys, students, and other strange humans, her descriptions are colorful and lively, showcasing Sara's ability to master the details and harness "finding the funny" in a myriad of situations. Like having a funny ass gal pal in your pocket, 'The Harm in Asking' kept me laughing and in good company from start to finish. Must-read.
May 28, 2014
I never read anything by Sara Barton before, however I read she was in league with David Sedaris. Mr. Sedaris should be extremely offended (or laughing his head off) This book just plain stunk. If talking about every disgusting thing you have ever done than this is the book for you. It is not funny, just totally stupid and pointless. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
February 2, 2014
Picking up the ARC of this book from work today I thought "oh good something to entertain me tonight". No. I didn't get even fifty pages into this book before I gave up. I don't tend to give up on books but this was just....It's advertised as this hilariously funny book, comparable to Sedaris. It's not. I didn't giggle. I didn't chuckle. I didn't smile. Not even a twitch of my mouth. I was just annoyed. It just...was not funny. And the stories I read didn't feel like stories. Just rambling conversation about her stories growing up. Unfunny stories about her growing up.
March 25, 2014
I loved this book! I laughed so much it actually made my face hurt.
I loved how honest she is about what she likes and she isn't afraid to say it out loud. She has some great insight on self-acceptance as well.
My favourite part has to be her trip to France (in the student exchange programme)-that was classic.
This was my first book by Sara Barron- but hopefully not the last.
(this is an arc I was provided through netgalley for an honest review)
I loved how honest she is about what she likes and she isn't afraid to say it out loud. She has some great insight on self-acceptance as well.
My favourite part has to be her trip to France (in the student exchange programme)-that was classic.
This was my first book by Sara Barron- but hopefully not the last.
(this is an arc I was provided through netgalley for an honest review)
February 10, 2014
Received an advance reader copy of 'The Harm in Asking', and laughed a lot. Love how honest Sara Barron is, and the awful situations she gets herself into. I found myself flitting between laughing and wanting to curl up in a ball - like watching Larry David in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'. Really enjoyed it - will add her other book too.
December 29, 2014
The first two chapters were funny, mostly because they were childhood/teenage stories. After that, most recounted adult experiences didn't make for neither funny or cute stories anymore. They were just personal failures or unfortunate events. Nothing you could really learn from.
November 16, 2017
After reading a number of David Sedaris books (which I love, by the way), I came across what seemed to be a similar-typed book--short, perverse and hilarious essays about life written by a woman named Sara Barron.
Unfortunately, what I got, instead, were not humorous but largely chapters full of bitter and pathetic whining, surrounded by daydreams of what her life *should* have been like rather than what her life really *was* like. She even states it in one of her chapters that she often finds herself "bemoaning whatever drama presently surrounds [her]".
She also included quite a bit of TMI--and while some might have found her chapters about her continual masturbation and her clinical farting problem humorous, I did not. Her life mostly seemed to revolve around eating and self-pity, along with endless complaints about being fat but feeling as though she should have been born skinny rather than attempting to do anything about her size, or learning to accept it.
I read the book to the end, hoping at some point I would find at least one interesting chapter or story, but I didn't find a single one.
Unfortunately, what I got, instead, were not humorous but largely chapters full of bitter and pathetic whining, surrounded by daydreams of what her life *should* have been like rather than what her life really *was* like. She even states it in one of her chapters that she often finds herself "bemoaning whatever drama presently surrounds [her]".
She also included quite a bit of TMI--and while some might have found her chapters about her continual masturbation and her clinical farting problem humorous, I did not. Her life mostly seemed to revolve around eating and self-pity, along with endless complaints about being fat but feeling as though she should have been born skinny rather than attempting to do anything about her size, or learning to accept it.
I read the book to the end, hoping at some point I would find at least one interesting chapter or story, but I didn't find a single one.
April 29, 2018
2 1/2 STARS
This book is genuinely funny and made me laugh out loud on some occasions. I’m just unfamiliar with Sara Barron and her brand, so I was kind of baffled by her not ever giving space to her redeeming qualities and positive traits. So at the end of the day, this one is funny, but forgettable.
This book is genuinely funny and made me laugh out loud on some occasions. I’m just unfamiliar with Sara Barron and her brand, so I was kind of baffled by her not ever giving space to her redeeming qualities and positive traits. So at the end of the day, this one is funny, but forgettable.
April 5, 2019
There were parts that had me seriously chuckling (Salon Selectives!) but other parts were repetitive and dragged a bit (Okay, you fart a lot. We get it). Plus, the ending totally fell flat. I turned the page expecting another chapter and found acknowledgments instead. How did her editor totally miss that there was no end to her book?
March 23, 2024
As enjoyable as her first collection, which I think is hard to pull off. This type of collection is definitely a specific flavor of memoir that seems like it is of a particular time, but Sara Barron does it well. I’d read anything else she wrote, for sure. Her writing is clear and easy and fun to read.
July 28, 2019
I'm sorry, but I got about halfway through and just gave up on this. I guess I am not the right reader for this type of 'humor'. I found some of it juvenile and gross. Something you might expect from teenage boys. Plus, how self-involved and whiny can one person be?
June 12, 2017
I thought it would never end. Mostly unfunny ramblings of a self absorbed nitwit.
January 12, 2018
Hilarious and relatable
Written as short stories so easy to read before going to bed. Love the funny situations she catches herself in.
Written as short stories so easy to read before going to bed. Love the funny situations she catches herself in.
July 30, 2018
I just plain like Sara Barron. I wish she had more books out there! I devoured this one and it kept me laughing the whole time.
January 2, 2019
I think I might enjoy reading Sara Barron's articles, but her full-length book just wasn't for me.
January 7, 2020
Rather childish and irritating humorous (?) essays. It could appeal to those who enjoy fart jokes and vulgar put downs.
April 12, 2020
Laughed out loud the entire time I was reading this
August 31, 2020
Sara Barron is a hoot and a half. Please read this book and try not to laugh on a plane as I did. It will make you look far more sane than I.
September 22, 2020
Entertaining but lacking substance. Too much fart content.
December 30, 2020
Some parts were funny. Others were trying too hard to be funny. Farts are funny to me but liking and constantly talking about farting? Boring. Not that funny. But I didn't fully hate this read so take some stars, Sara Barron.
January 12, 2024
Parts of this book are funny and parts are just too cringy.
May 28, 2025
I thought this was a lot of fun and will read more from her. I enjoy her writing style.
April 4, 2022
It was cute and pretty funny. Looking forward to more from her!
April 8, 2014
NOTE: This review is based on my reading of an Uncorrected Proof / Advanced Reader's Copy of "The Harm in Asking" and I was given this book several weeks before it became available to the public.
The narrator has an exceptional and distinguished voice throughout, and you can clearly hear each of the characters through their dialogue, especially the author's mother. As you progress through the book, you're forced to endure Sara Barron's ongoing encounters with failure but you learn to adapt to the harshness of these experiences because of how delightfully she overcomes these continuously accumulating difficulties.
The stories within each of these chapters are very well presented, their structure is simplistic and easy to follow but not to the point where it makes you feel as if you're reading something excessively juvenile or beneath the level of your intelligence. The author made no sacrifices to her writing style and storytelling ability in order to make this book more outright and accessible.
Each chapter is its own separate story that you can read without having to know what happened before and what might happen next, but there are certain elements within each section that get carried over and are spread throughout, so please be sure you read the whole book to appreciate everything the author has to say about herself, her family, her limited circle of close friends, and the numerous (but limited) people she's had personal / intimate relations with during the course of these pages.
The humor is universal even though the individual subjects are deeply personal. The tone is completely informal; it feels as if your best friend is sitting across from you while conveying these uncommon experiences. The dialogue is so realistic that it is sometimes painful to hear, so when you're perusing these humorous conversations you'll find that there's always a good amount of tragedy embedded within the comedy.
If you're like me, I'm sure you will laugh several times as you progress through each segment, or at the very least you'll find yourself smiling like a crazy fool who just overheard the punchline to a private joke. There are a few moments of obscenity in this book but it's never completely despicable or overwhelmingly vulgar. The author's phobias are rooted in reality, not inherent mania or an unnaturally developed psychosis.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed reading informative and entertaining personal essays, humor themed non-fiction, or the painful development of a fallible main character from their youth to adulthood. Please make sure you get to the chapter where she takes a job teaching a writing group, and definitely enjoy the final chapter when she breaks her ankle after crashing her bike into a car.
My favorite chapter was "Can You Help a Person Who Is Sick to Wash Her Back?" since it describes how horrible it is to have a roommate whom you can't stand living with, and even though there are several chapters that tell this type of story, I found this particular one to be the most easy to relate with.
The narrator has an exceptional and distinguished voice throughout, and you can clearly hear each of the characters through their dialogue, especially the author's mother. As you progress through the book, you're forced to endure Sara Barron's ongoing encounters with failure but you learn to adapt to the harshness of these experiences because of how delightfully she overcomes these continuously accumulating difficulties.
The stories within each of these chapters are very well presented, their structure is simplistic and easy to follow but not to the point where it makes you feel as if you're reading something excessively juvenile or beneath the level of your intelligence. The author made no sacrifices to her writing style and storytelling ability in order to make this book more outright and accessible.
Each chapter is its own separate story that you can read without having to know what happened before and what might happen next, but there are certain elements within each section that get carried over and are spread throughout, so please be sure you read the whole book to appreciate everything the author has to say about herself, her family, her limited circle of close friends, and the numerous (but limited) people she's had personal / intimate relations with during the course of these pages.
The humor is universal even though the individual subjects are deeply personal. The tone is completely informal; it feels as if your best friend is sitting across from you while conveying these uncommon experiences. The dialogue is so realistic that it is sometimes painful to hear, so when you're perusing these humorous conversations you'll find that there's always a good amount of tragedy embedded within the comedy.
If you're like me, I'm sure you will laugh several times as you progress through each segment, or at the very least you'll find yourself smiling like a crazy fool who just overheard the punchline to a private joke. There are a few moments of obscenity in this book but it's never completely despicable or overwhelmingly vulgar. The author's phobias are rooted in reality, not inherent mania or an unnaturally developed psychosis.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed reading informative and entertaining personal essays, humor themed non-fiction, or the painful development of a fallible main character from their youth to adulthood. Please make sure you get to the chapter where she takes a job teaching a writing group, and definitely enjoy the final chapter when she breaks her ankle after crashing her bike into a car.
My favorite chapter was "Can You Help a Person Who Is Sick to Wash Her Back?" since it describes how horrible it is to have a roommate whom you can't stand living with, and even though there are several chapters that tell this type of story, I found this particular one to be the most easy to relate with.
May 30, 2014
So this is a new one for me. I’m not quite sure why I picked it up as I’ve never even heard of Sara Barron. I quite like Stand Up as comedy genre but not quite sure how I appreciate it being translated into the written format. I’m definitely not prudish because while I was reading through this I often thought that I’d probably be falling around the place laughing at a comedy club if I heard this on live stage. Reading it, however, might have given me food for thought - I’m clearly a heartless ba*tard who, as my aunt reminded my mom when I was a child, enjoys laughing at other people’s misfortunes. Nothing is sacred (and I mean nothing). We’re not talking David Sedaris or Laurie Notaro sacrilegious here (where family members cringe at being mentioned) but some downright embarrassing material (resulting in family members, up to fourth cousin level, changing their names and moving two time zones west).
some dialogue, however, reads brilliantly - I had to highlight one incident. She’s in school and while the family can’t afford a family vacation to somewhere exotic (like her fellow school mates) she’s trying to impress Avital (friend) with her knowledge of all fun things/exotic. Apparently she’s just heard about a bubble party that had taken place in a club in Cancun !
‘At the age of sixteen, I was not yet aware that a bubble party was a rave-like experience at which suds were poured on partygoers, who, more often than not, were outfitted in lingerie. I thought a bubble party was what happens when you and a chosen companion stomp around on bubble wrap to pop the bubbles.
“I love bubble parties” I said. “My brother Sam and I had one at home!”
“Just the two of you?”
“Yes.”
“In your house?”
“Yes. Since we couldn’t get down to the ‘Cun.”
“That’s really weird. I mean, like…...wait: Did you just say ‘the ‘Cun’?”
I actually laughed so hard reading this I cried.
Otherwise, just about every taboo topic was covered (though there seemed to have been repeated references and stories regarding bathroom habits and farting)! This last topic just seemed to, however, highlight that the intended audience was ‘guys’. Drunk ‘guys’. Drunk college ‘guys’. It was just contrived and sophomoric in places. I can’t say it was shocking as much as a little immature.
Apparently there was an earlier book (People are Unappealing *Even Me*). I’m undecided as to whether I’ll be buying it anytime soon!
some dialogue, however, reads brilliantly - I had to highlight one incident. She’s in school and while the family can’t afford a family vacation to somewhere exotic (like her fellow school mates) she’s trying to impress Avital (friend) with her knowledge of all fun things/exotic. Apparently she’s just heard about a bubble party that had taken place in a club in Cancun !
‘At the age of sixteen, I was not yet aware that a bubble party was a rave-like experience at which suds were poured on partygoers, who, more often than not, were outfitted in lingerie. I thought a bubble party was what happens when you and a chosen companion stomp around on bubble wrap to pop the bubbles.
“I love bubble parties” I said. “My brother Sam and I had one at home!”
“Just the two of you?”
“Yes.”
“In your house?”
“Yes. Since we couldn’t get down to the ‘Cun.”
“That’s really weird. I mean, like…...wait: Did you just say ‘the ‘Cun’?”
I actually laughed so hard reading this I cried.
Otherwise, just about every taboo topic was covered (though there seemed to have been repeated references and stories regarding bathroom habits and farting)! This last topic just seemed to, however, highlight that the intended audience was ‘guys’. Drunk ‘guys’. Drunk college ‘guys’. It was just contrived and sophomoric in places. I can’t say it was shocking as much as a little immature.
Apparently there was an earlier book (People are Unappealing *Even Me*). I’m undecided as to whether I’ll be buying it anytime soon!
March 12, 2014
I received an advance copy of this book.
The Harm in Asking was a complete pleasure to read from start to finish. I couldn't have whipped through it quicker and I found myself reading slower and slower in the final chapters so I could eke out my time with it as long as possible.
The book tells the stories of Sara's most uncomfortable and strange encounters with people she's met over the course of her life. The book begins in her formative years (a page that particularly sticks in my mind is when she became a feminist as a teenager, starting a club with the motto "Feminism Forever, Sexism For Never") all the way to a recent accident that rendered her so helpless, her father had to move in and clean her bedpan. The bulk of the book explores the very uncertain time of the author's twenties; my favourite moment of this is when she describes her first and only lesbian experience and she is met with the two words: "that's plenty". The brilliantly rich and textured anecdotes are told honestly and simply, with well-rounded, hilarious characters and dialogue so well observed that it could sit confidently in a sitcom.
Nothing is too embarrassing for the author to shy away from - be it a brief history of her life with flatulence or her masturbation-to-Tilda-Swinton sessions, but none of it is gratuitous as it is all told with a beautifully clear voice. Even when admitting to terrible behaviour or thoughts, the author's voice is incredibly charming and likable. Her anecdotes are validated by a hilarious, almost child-like fixation of forensic details and are told with earnest conviction.
More than just a memoir, Sara uses her experiences to try and make sense of life. Sometimes conclusions are drawn and lessons are learnt, but sometimes there really are just none - the book is so wonderfully human that sometimes it's just a funny story.
Being let inside Sara Barron's most intimate thoughts is a voyeuristic treat. Being given access to the darkly comic underside of her brain where all her most honest worries, observations and memories lie is nothing but reassuring. And ultimately, through all the clumsiness, through all the fuck-ups, through broken bones and bad roommates, this book is wonderfully hopeful.
The Harm in Asking was a complete pleasure to read from start to finish. I couldn't have whipped through it quicker and I found myself reading slower and slower in the final chapters so I could eke out my time with it as long as possible.
The book tells the stories of Sara's most uncomfortable and strange encounters with people she's met over the course of her life. The book begins in her formative years (a page that particularly sticks in my mind is when she became a feminist as a teenager, starting a club with the motto "Feminism Forever, Sexism For Never") all the way to a recent accident that rendered her so helpless, her father had to move in and clean her bedpan. The bulk of the book explores the very uncertain time of the author's twenties; my favourite moment of this is when she describes her first and only lesbian experience and she is met with the two words: "that's plenty". The brilliantly rich and textured anecdotes are told honestly and simply, with well-rounded, hilarious characters and dialogue so well observed that it could sit confidently in a sitcom.
Nothing is too embarrassing for the author to shy away from - be it a brief history of her life with flatulence or her masturbation-to-Tilda-Swinton sessions, but none of it is gratuitous as it is all told with a beautifully clear voice. Even when admitting to terrible behaviour or thoughts, the author's voice is incredibly charming and likable. Her anecdotes are validated by a hilarious, almost child-like fixation of forensic details and are told with earnest conviction.
More than just a memoir, Sara uses her experiences to try and make sense of life. Sometimes conclusions are drawn and lessons are learnt, but sometimes there really are just none - the book is so wonderfully human that sometimes it's just a funny story.
Being let inside Sara Barron's most intimate thoughts is a voyeuristic treat. Being given access to the darkly comic underside of her brain where all her most honest worries, observations and memories lie is nothing but reassuring. And ultimately, through all the clumsiness, through all the fuck-ups, through broken bones and bad roommates, this book is wonderfully hopeful.
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