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Super You: Release Your Inner Superhero
Superheroes don’t start from glorious beginnings. Their origins are almost always marked by traumatic events that leave them helpless and scared. Batman witnessed his parents’ murder. Superman was sent away from his dying planet with no one to guide him as he grew up. Orphaned Catwoman was forced to steal food to survive on the streets of Gotham.
What makes these superheroes super is their determination to not be defined by helplessness. They embrace their origins, their flaws, and their mistakes, and strive every day to become the best versions of themselves – for the benefit of themselves and others.
Super You is a fun, friendly, and unabashedly geeky guide to becoming the superhero of your own extraordinary life. Author Emily Gordon examines comic book tropes to find lessons that anyone can apply toward overcoming tragic events and adversity in their own lives. With activities in every chapter to help identify each person’s superpowers, special tools, personal kryptonite – and weapons against it – Super You is the perfect sidekick for every growing hero, empowering everyday people to transform into the most kick-ass versions of themselves.
What makes these superheroes super is their determination to not be defined by helplessness. They embrace their origins, their flaws, and their mistakes, and strive every day to become the best versions of themselves – for the benefit of themselves and others.
Super You is a fun, friendly, and unabashedly geeky guide to becoming the superhero of your own extraordinary life. Author Emily Gordon examines comic book tropes to find lessons that anyone can apply toward overcoming tragic events and adversity in their own lives. With activities in every chapter to help identify each person’s superpowers, special tools, personal kryptonite – and weapons against it – Super You is the perfect sidekick for every growing hero, empowering everyday people to transform into the most kick-ass versions of themselves.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2015
126 people are currently reading
1680 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 13, 2016
I mean what's not to love about Emily V. Gordon, first of all?! I really enjoyed this book and appreciated the push to become a super "me." I already felt pretty super, but there were still "aha moments" and chapters that gave me the opportunity to sit down and figure out stuff I needed to work on. I especially loved the tips on friendships and relationships. Also I may have teared up while reading the "Thank Yous" section when she said Kumail was her everything. Thank you EVG!!!
February 18, 2016
Best self-help book I've ever read! I'd give it ten stars if I could. <3
September 30, 2015
This book is an incredibly powerful read. Emily Gordon walks a fine line of personalizing the stories so they resonate, but always keeping the focus on the reader's process and the reader's reflection on the material. There's a healthy amount of individuality to her writing and absolutely no ego.
Self-Help books can be tough to read. They can be cloying or patronizing. The worst ones are both. What comes through from "Super You" is empathy and understanding. Emily Gordon's caring for her fellow humans is on every page. Her compassion is on every page. Her genuine wish for a world of wonderful and healthy people is on every page. Her main goal is to get her readers to live their lives with intention, to become the best versions of themselves through self-actualization, and claiming power over their lives, their experiences, and their view of themselves and the world they navigate.
"Super You" was written with staggering intention. Less than a week old, my copy already has tear stains on some of the pages that show just how deeply this book affected me. The plans and goals she lays out in "Super You" are attainable and able to be mastered, if you're willing to put in the work. The book is a wonderful tool, and a testament to the beauty of Emily Gordon's humanity.
Find this book. It meant the world to me, and I believe it will mean the same to you.
Self-Help books can be tough to read. They can be cloying or patronizing. The worst ones are both. What comes through from "Super You" is empathy and understanding. Emily Gordon's caring for her fellow humans is on every page. Her compassion is on every page. Her genuine wish for a world of wonderful and healthy people is on every page. Her main goal is to get her readers to live their lives with intention, to become the best versions of themselves through self-actualization, and claiming power over their lives, their experiences, and their view of themselves and the world they navigate.
"Super You" was written with staggering intention. Less than a week old, my copy already has tear stains on some of the pages that show just how deeply this book affected me. The plans and goals she lays out in "Super You" are attainable and able to be mastered, if you're willing to put in the work. The book is a wonderful tool, and a testament to the beauty of Emily Gordon's humanity.
Find this book. It meant the world to me, and I believe it will mean the same to you.
May 26, 2018
When I heard Emily Gordon had written a book, I knew I wanted to read it, without stopping to think what kind of read it would be. I had never tried self-help books but, coincidentally, I was at a very dark period of my life, and I thought whatever good that came from this book wouldn’t hurt. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted a self-held book by anyone else.
Indeed, many of the things Emily writes about spoke volumes to me, but I think I could have committed a bit more. At first I did work on the exercises on a notebook, but some were too hard or painful, so most of the time I just did them in my mind. I hope to have more courage later on to do them properly. During my read I came back to certain chapters, and I know I’ll come back to this book sooner than later. Besides the exercises, I’d also keep a track of the reassuring things she says throughout, like how you should not regret your past choices because they were you doing your best with what was available. That’s powerful.
Even without following the exercises thoroughly (which make me feel like cheating), I did learn a lot, and heard things I really needed to hear. I truly recommend this to anyone going through deep self-esteem issues. It may not solve everything, but it will at least give you a little bit of peace.
Beyond the superhero examples, what I appreciate the most is having Emily talk about her own past experiences helped a lot. Having the author (Emily or not) distance themselves from the issues being discussed wouldn’t have been helpful at all.
Indeed, many of the things Emily writes about spoke volumes to me, but I think I could have committed a bit more. At first I did work on the exercises on a notebook, but some were too hard or painful, so most of the time I just did them in my mind. I hope to have more courage later on to do them properly. During my read I came back to certain chapters, and I know I’ll come back to this book sooner than later. Besides the exercises, I’d also keep a track of the reassuring things she says throughout, like how you should not regret your past choices because they were you doing your best with what was available. That’s powerful.
Even without following the exercises thoroughly (which make me feel like cheating), I did learn a lot, and heard things I really needed to hear. I truly recommend this to anyone going through deep self-esteem issues. It may not solve everything, but it will at least give you a little bit of peace.
Beyond the superhero examples, what I appreciate the most is having Emily talk about her own past experiences helped a lot. Having the author (Emily or not) distance themselves from the issues being discussed wouldn’t have been helpful at all.
November 6, 2017
Apparently I'm on a self-help kick this week, thanks to my automatic loans coming off of my holds list. This one was Super Cute. I love Emily (The Big Sick fans - she's that Emily) and loved spending time with her voice through this audiobook. Again, nothing truly revolutionary for a longtime self-therapizer, but I think this would be a winning self-improvement guide for someone who is new to the genre or thinks it's stupid. She is neither cloying nor clinical like the authors of these types of books tend to be. Instead she's warm, funny, relatable (she talks a lot about her own personal issues, which was novel and effective), and occasionally saucy. The two concepts that will stick with me are the creation/editing/retelling of your own "origin story" and the "pain funeral" to deal with past traumas that take up too much mental and emotional space for too long. It's similar to Anne Lamott's concept of a "God box," which I love and have found helpful.
October 29, 2019
I feel almost bad giving this three stars and not more than that. Unfortunately I didn't connect with the repeated concept of comparing yourself with super heroes, while I understood the idea I just didn't feel the genuine aspect of this thought. It could have been explained in other ways that help with a broader audience. Overall content was helpful with self image and understanding that it all starts with loving yourself before things like relationships will be fulfilling.
April 21, 2020
I really liked Gordon’s book. Gordon presents a guide to young woman about being your best self through super hero references and her personal experience. Gordon provides great insight but in a fun and approachable way. After having listened to podcasts with Gordon it felt like she was a friend sharing her wisdom with me and I appreciated her vulnerability. This book would make a great gift!
March 10, 2018
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and coming back to it plenty myself!
February 21, 2021
An excellent self-help guide. I would recommend this to anyone who feels like they could use a little boost in their self-esteem. Emily is a smart, warm, and funny guide through the journey of being the best you.
May 16, 2018
I didn’t think I needed this book, but I needed this book. I already loved Emily for her real life role in The Big Sick, but the personal anecdotes and uncommon superhero facts in Super You make me love her even more. This book is relatable no matter where you are in life, and is a lovely and entertaining guide to personal introspection. You don’t need to be in an identity crisis to learn something from Emily’s therapist tips, Super You exercises, and advice from her personal experiences.
One of the last lines in this book reads: “I hope you stay occupied with yourself, in the loveliest of ways, until you are old and gray and still kicking ass.” And I that is the best way to summarize the experience from reading this book.
One of the last lines in this book reads: “I hope you stay occupied with yourself, in the loveliest of ways, until you are old and gray and still kicking ass.” And I that is the best way to summarize the experience from reading this book.
August 17, 2016
I don't feel comfortable giving this book a certain number of stars because it's really about what you put into it. The author, Emily Gordon, a former therapist-turned-comedy-show-host, uses the analogy of making yourself an everyday superhero into a version of self-help. It's clever, if sometimes coming off as a little cheesy. There's a bit of memoir in here, too.
Emily encourages you from the start to really go all in with this book, and if you do, that's probably how to get the most out of it. There's tons of great advice -- from how to reframe destructive thinking to dealing with social anxiety to finding motivation -- but, like all advice, it's not worth a thing unless you listen to it and/or act on it.
Emily encourages you from the start to really go all in with this book, and if you do, that's probably how to get the most out of it. There's tons of great advice -- from how to reframe destructive thinking to dealing with social anxiety to finding motivation -- but, like all advice, it's not worth a thing unless you listen to it and/or act on it.
November 14, 2016
I was skeptical of the super hero analogy of this book as I'm not really into super heroes, and I still think it was an unnecessary aspect of what is a general "self-actualization" / self-esteem / motivation / kick in the pants type of book. Either way, the book itself was quick, snappy, and had a lot of really good exercises to do and implement. I found it much more useful and helpful than I thought I would, and do recommend that if you want to read it, get a notebook and pencil as she suggests and take part in answering the questions, doing the exercises, etc.
In the end there's no book that will really change your life, but it has solid advice that can make a difference if you go to the trouble of doing the work and implementing changes.
In the end there's no book that will really change your life, but it has solid advice that can make a difference if you go to the trouble of doing the work and implementing changes.
November 10, 2015
(3.5/5) I'll be straightforward by saying that I went into this book intending to read it as just a book, not as a self-help guide (my bad). Still, from what I read, Gordon makes some great suggestions on how to improve your daily life, while appropriately peppering it with various geek references to make the whole thing more palatable for the casual reader. Someday I'll go forth and actually really pay attention/take some of the advice that the book gives (alas, this is not currently that day).
January 11, 2016
This one's on me, I didn't really look at what the book was before I picked it up, I just like the author from her TV stuff and hearing her on podcasts. It's basically that 'Adulting' book but with more nerd references.
May 13, 2016
I've been fascinated by Emily since she appeared on You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes and enjoyed listening to this mix of memoir, pop culture and self-help. I didn't use it as a workbook like she suggests, but it included lots of good self-care tidbits that I'll likely forget.
Read
January 5, 2016I read this book because I've been a fan of Emily Gordon for a while now. It was a little too corny for me at times. But I can say it was funny and I thought it had some good advice.
January 24, 2017
Geared for younger folks. Love the super hero context. Would be a great book to give someone out of high school.
May 2, 2017
I listened to this as an audiobook, but after a few chapters, I ordered a hard copy from Amazon. I kept wanting to go back and revisit chapters, flip though the pages, and fill out my Super You Handbook. I can't wait until it arrives.
This is a book I have needed all my life. I don't have a therapist, but I need one. This book is a fantastic tool for those of us who can't make it to therapy just yet (I'm working on it, promise!). I've already noticed a switch in how I approach stressful & anxiety-inducing experiences, especially with my job.
I am so glad I have this as an audiobook. I'm a wine sales rep, so drive a lot for work. It is awesome to have a super supportive pep talk taking me from account to account and giving me the courage & confidence to keep going, even when it's tough.
Listening to EVG narrate this book helped in its powerful effectiveness. I loved being able to hear her joy and pain throughout, and it definitely added a beautiful personal nature to the experience. I suspect this will be a book I revisit regularly, and I highly recommend it to everyone.
This is a book I have needed all my life. I don't have a therapist, but I need one. This book is a fantastic tool for those of us who can't make it to therapy just yet (I'm working on it, promise!). I've already noticed a switch in how I approach stressful & anxiety-inducing experiences, especially with my job.
I am so glad I have this as an audiobook. I'm a wine sales rep, so drive a lot for work. It is awesome to have a super supportive pep talk taking me from account to account and giving me the courage & confidence to keep going, even when it's tough.
Listening to EVG narrate this book helped in its powerful effectiveness. I loved being able to hear her joy and pain throughout, and it definitely added a beautiful personal nature to the experience. I suspect this will be a book I revisit regularly, and I highly recommend it to everyone.
June 11, 2019
I started this book a week and a half before leaving for a two-week vacation, and as I was reading this library ebook in my computer's browser the book did not come on vacation with me. When I came back home I wasn't in the same head-space, and decided to let this book go. I had completed the tasks/answered the questions set out in the first 2 (or was it 3?) chapters, and these few activities themselves were helpful, no matter that I didn't finish the book. The part where one investigates their own values was particularly eye-opening, and I think very helpful in removing some of the negative judgements I'd been holding onto about my own life. It was also therapeutic to write out clearly (and without over thinking it) answers to some of the questions about WHY I'm feeling the need for this book and what changes I hope to see. I suspect that the book would offer me even more useful guidance if I were to continue reading it, but I'm feeling content to ruminate on what I've got from it so far; I can always check it out again from the library if I need more help.
June 19, 2019
Lovely book filled with practical advice to improve various aspects of your life. One of the easier self help books to digest.
Favorite advice:
- creating a Super You isn’t about eradicating all weaknesses; it’s about learning to recognize them for what they are, part of you, and finding ways to work with them.
- you may not be good at small talk at parties, who cares? We can’t live our lives focusing on the things we don’t have, because that’s how to make an empty life.
- accept what makes you...you.
- healthy eating is about the role food plays in your life, and keeping foods role sustaining and social rather than comforting and soothing.
-let your emotions communicate with you rather than yell at you. Sit with yourself until they quiet down a bit, enough that you can understand them.
-it’s your job to focus on you, because that’s all you can focus on.
Favorite advice:
- creating a Super You isn’t about eradicating all weaknesses; it’s about learning to recognize them for what they are, part of you, and finding ways to work with them.
- you may not be good at small talk at parties, who cares? We can’t live our lives focusing on the things we don’t have, because that’s how to make an empty life.
- accept what makes you...you.
- healthy eating is about the role food plays in your life, and keeping foods role sustaining and social rather than comforting and soothing.
-let your emotions communicate with you rather than yell at you. Sit with yourself until they quiet down a bit, enough that you can understand them.
-it’s your job to focus on you, because that’s all you can focus on.
December 6, 2018
The superhero metaphors I think were probably more for a different crowd, but the ideas still fit. I couldn't tell you how well I integrated any of what I read into my day to day life, but it was a great way to start asking questions like, "how well do the defense mechanisms I created in childhood to protect myself continue to serve me in positive ways, and how many are holding me back"? I think this book would be perfect for someone looking to change who doesn't quite feel comfortable reading a "self-help book". And if you're interested in the author, you should check out the movie "The Big Sick", which covers an important time in her life (and offers context to the work itself).
March 24, 2019
This book was great, though not great for me. The target audience of this book is best suited for teens and ya. I’m past those years, was looking for something different, and so didn’t get as much out of the book as I was hoping. I do wish I’d read it when I was younger and I highly recommend it for anyone who is soul searching, recovering from trauma, or looking to figure out what they want to do with their life.
November 1, 2021
An interesting way to try to solve one's life problems through the metaphor or a superhero fighting off villains. The approach seems novel, and suited to today's media environment filled with Marvel and DC superheroes.
While I had hoped it would be about unleashing supernatural potential, it was more about therapy for current issues, and would be better suited to people going through longer term issues, particularly females in their teens to 20s.
While I had hoped it would be about unleashing supernatural potential, it was more about therapy for current issues, and would be better suited to people going through longer term issues, particularly females in their teens to 20s.
July 31, 2017
a light-hearted but heartfelt self-help guide to young and old alike, emily gordon's experiences and background inform this zealous and buoyant blueprint and toolset for discovering your best self. the superhero stuff is a little clunky, but it's easy to digest and i imagine it's a framework that will appeal to many. recommended if you're feeling blue!
August 6, 2017
Loved it.
I tried reading this along side my brother but I think he bowed out. I soldiered on and was greatly rewarded with fun stories and passages that inspired positive introspection.
I really enjoyed this one story that I can't recall. Guess I have to reread it. I'll get Dennis to read it with me this time.
I tried reading this along side my brother but I think he bowed out. I soldiered on and was greatly rewarded with fun stories and passages that inspired positive introspection.
I really enjoyed this one story that I can't recall. Guess I have to reread it. I'll get Dennis to read it with me this time.
June 22, 2018
I've been a fan of Emily's for a while and immediately picked up this book. It always takes me a while to read books I buy but I'm so glad I did. She is such a good writer and really understands people. This was a self-help book that didn't always feel like one and I definitely will actually do the exercises at a later point because I do need to release my inner superhero.
November 20, 2018
I'm not really a self help book kind of person so I don't know if can properly review this one. On the whole, I liked it. There were a few things I could really translate into my life. I'm not going to say it changed my way of living or anything but if you read the synopsis and think you might benefit from it, I say give it a shot
February 2, 2020
To me, this book was perfect (to borrow from the sappiest of movies). Seriously, Emily V Gordon has written an excellent book of ways to become the best version of yourself. The writing is sharp and never boring, and the superhero themes make the subject matter fun and easy to relate to. Highly recommend.
September 6, 2022
I am slowly making my way through my “want to read” list on here. I think I added this to my list in 2014? Either way, this isn’t quite my vibe now, but it’s well-written and I love Emily V Gordon.
There was a takeaway that I appreciated here: there are two types of ways people handle emotions. Like Vision, and like Hulk. I appreciated that.
There was a takeaway that I appreciated here: there are two types of ways people handle emotions. Like Vision, and like Hulk. I appreciated that.
December 2, 2017
Whatevs, sometimes I read self-help books. This is lighthearted and casual, but has a lot of good exercises for introspection, reframing, and templates for common problems. The superhero theme is a bit much sometimes, but a hook is a hook.
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