The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life – The Ultimate Satirical Field Manual for Becoming an Artist or Disappointing Your Parents

by Eugene Mirman

No one understands the complexities of modern life better than Eugene Mirman--claims Eugene Mirman—and anyone seeking guidance from a man who has lived through everything (except the Great Depression, the Spanish-American War, and Jerry Lee Lewis's sex scandal) won't resist this charmingly hysterical guidebook.

Become ultra-popular in high school (without "putting out" -- whatever that is) Discover somewhere between four and two thousand ways to overcome social anxiety (closer to four) Start a band, become an artist, or disappoint your parents by getting on a reality television show!

Genres: Humor, Comedy, Nonfiction, Essays, Self Help, Memoir

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

Eugene Mirman is a New York City based comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared in his own half-hour special on Comedy Central, in a recurring role on HBO's Flight of the Conchords, on Conan O'Brien and Carson Daly, MTV, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Home Movies, Lucy, Daughter of the Devil and in the new Adult Swim live action series Delocated. He's released two comedy albums: The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman (voted Best of 2004 by Time Out and The Onion) and En Garde, Society! Mirman tours the US regularly with countless comedians and has also appeared with bands such as Yo La Tengo, Modest Mouse, The Shins, Cake, and Tegan and Sara."

Reviews

[Nicholas Karpuk · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book has to be about something.

I know it seems elementary, but I've read books by stand up comedians that seems to forget this. They hire a ghost writer, feed them a huge swath of jokes, and the writer then expands them into a more structured narrative so they can put it in a small paperback with a large font and add a new revenue stream.

Mirman's attempt seems a little less calculated. He often writes humorous advice columns that have appeared on his website and various magazines. Funny, but inessential, these bits never really stuck with me. His stand up partially works because of his stellar delivery and humorous wording. This isn't enough to sustain a novel.

I read the first half of this book, and it kept feeling like it could turn good at any moment, but constantly ducked away from any connection to the reader.

The issue may be that the book is too ironic for its own good. Mirman is rarely frank enough for you to connect with the ideas, and entire chapters lack any real sense of purpose.

It's a book about life, after all. I know it's supposed to be mocking those motivational books, but those books are usually awful, and I was hoping for humor. If he had picked a topic with more meat on it, he might have stood a chance of overcoming his other issues and writing a good book.

I don't feel bad for buying this book, I like the idea of supporting Eugene Mirman a little extra. Here's hoping his next literary effort reaches a higher.

[d4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I have read a number of self-help books. This one will help anyone's self. Reading this book is like having a tiny Eugene riding on your shoulder and whispering his advice in your ear. I agree with Eugene on all aspects of this book except taking acid at an office party. I am never doing that again. Buy this book." - Zach Galifianakis.

"I laughed out loud reading this. I was reading it in public. Three cute girls at a nearby table laughed at me. I swear one of them mouthed the words, 'fat loser' to her friends. I now hate Eugene Mirman." - Patton Oswalt.

"Do you need tips on how to live? I mean besides the breathing and eating part? Then this book is for you! Includes self-help tips for Jewish robots from the future (I'm guessing)!!!!!" - David Cross.

"This book is good, and not just because it was free. Knowing what I know now about the quality, I would have paid at least nine thousand dollars." - David Willis, cocreator Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Before reading: Eugene Mirman is one of my favorite comedians. I'm so looking forward to this that I actually spent money on it--full cover price. I hope this book gives me the Will to become employed so maybe I could even buy a second copy.

After reading: Eugene Mirman is no longer one of my favorite comedians. Just kidding. The book didn't disappoint. If you're a fan of Mirman's standup and style, then his book is highly recommended.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen Eugene do stand-up several times, and he's pretty funny, though not my favorite comic of all time. His style of humor is relaxed, sometimes self-deprecating, often ironic and ... confused? It's not uncommon for him to say something and then immediately ask "wait, what?" -- the book pretty much follows the same template, combining amusing observations with off-the-wall statements that may not even make sense to the author, let alone the reader. It suffers slightly from the inability to display video, which is a big part of Mirman's live act, but some of the illustrations and timelines are pretty great.

It's an up-and-down book. There are sections that I thought were kind of lacking, but also multiple points during each chapter that made me laugh out loud. While I never had any trouble putting the book down, I never had any trouble picking it back up, either. It's fun and funny, easily accessible, and a very quick read that will probably make you laugh a few times per chapter. It won't go down as history's greatest comedic work, but if you're into comedy books or in particular if you're a fan of Mirman's work, it's worth picking up.

[Melissa Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very light reading, modeled after flashy self-help books, full of Mirman's pithy humor. Great for reading when you are stuck in a very unpleasant place or at least tedious errands, like while stuck in line at the DMV or while eating lunch at your soul-sucking job, trying to lift your spirits so you don't finalize that fucking draft of a suicide note you keep on Google Drive so you can print it at your convenience in case your boss gives you that same fucking talk about productivity again... It's a good book.

[Dynagrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some really funny parts but a bit uneven. I get the impression Mirman wrote it in a single night after mainlining coffee and sugar.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would've been better if it had done less setting up the premise and more, you know, being funny.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life is Mirman's parody of a self-help book. There really isn't more summary to give, because after opening the cover, the book is just a series of jokes. At first, I found the book funny. I was reading it on the treadmill at the gym and drew a number of stares while laughing aloud as I worked my way through the Preface, Preface II, Introduction, Extra Introduction, and then More Extra Introduction. Funny, right? But somewhere into the third chapter, the book started to wear on me. At first, I had some trouble figuring out why. I mean, I like his humor, and the humor wasn't changing, so why did I stop finding it so funny?

And here's what I discovered: what makes the long series of Introductions funny is also what ends up making the book tedious and repetitive. He wears it out. I mean, wouldn't just a Preface, followed by a Preface II, and (maybe) then followed by an Introduction have been sufficiently funny? Why drag what works in 2-3 steps out into 5 steps? Less is more, right? The same with his habit of quoting himself. Like any self-help book, important points and quotations are pulled out into text boxes, outlined and emphasized in bold text. Example (from the Preface):

"Life is like a bus: you get on, you get off."
-Eugene Mirman, from his forthcoming philoso-novel,
Okay Life Similes

Funny. He's quoting himself, from a fictitious unpublished work, at the introduction to his own preface. But by chapter three, he has quoted himself in nearly every text box. Funny once; not funny 20 times. In fact, he's made the classic comic device of repetition work against himself. Since it's the unusual and the unexpected that makes us laugh (like when someone trips and falls instead of walking normally), the joke stops being funny when we know what's coming. When we see that text box down the page, we realize what he's going to do, and instead of delighting in his originality, we start to think "Here we go. He's quoting another fictitious source of his own authorship again. Been there, done that."

For those of you in the market for a good self-help parody, I recommend the much more successful Everything is Wrong with You: A Modern Woman's Guide to Finding Self-Confidence through Self-Loathing by Wendy Molyneux. But that's not to say that The Will to Whatevs is a failure. On the contrary, it was very successful in representing Mirman's tone of voice and comic style. But it was also unfocused and rambling, which is why I quit reading it. I got the point. I didn't need to read more. Proof that even a self-help parody can use a good editor.

[Steve Isaak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will is an offbeat, sometimes bizarre and dark, and consistently funny book - just like Mirman's stand-up comedy routines and his work on television (e.g., as "Gene" on the animated show Bob's Burgers ).

If you're not a fan of Mirman's output, know that he regularly riffs on subjects like politics, pop culture, religion and sex with fearless abandon - while he's nowhere near as focused and raw as Doug Stanhope, Bill Hicks or comedians of that ilk, he is still willing to go beyond the norm-pale for a (sometimes) dark punchline.

Worth checking out, this.

(This review originally appeared on the Reading & Writing By Pub Light site.)

[Stef · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoy Mirman's stand-up special and his work on "Bob's Burgers," but I unfortunately did not enjoy this book; it's too all-over-the-place for my taste. I didn't even realize when the book content even really started (after far, far too many prefaces and introductions [I've never been one for the "Family Guy"-style of jokes that overstay their welcome, or prefaces and introductions to begin with]). Suddenly the "School" chapter had begun and I didn't even know what I was reading anymore. I don't know what this book is trying to be (funny? autobiographical? self-help? all of the above) and I don't know if even Mirman does.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eugene Mirman wrote his book in an experimental fashion. For my tastes, the experiment failed. It bucks convention *so* much that it becomes impossible to actually follow it. I would get halfway through a long, overwrought sentence and find myself aggravated by how hard the author was trying to be quirky. And my reaction surprised me, because I've generally liked Mirman's standup and interviews. My suggestion is to read a solid chapter before committing to purchase, even if you're a fan as I am.

[Tiffany Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is hilarious and reads like one of Mirman's sets. The missing 5th star really boils down to the concept; as a life-guide to virtually any topic to be found in the self-help shelves the satire succeeds. The problem is that after about halfway through, it becomes more difficult to hold the reader's attention. Regardless, the humor runs throughout... so the best approach is to either devour it in one or two sittings or read sparingly, a chapter at a time. ****

[E. Merrill Brouder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was defiantly funny and actually had a few nuggets of half-decent advice scattered through it. I defiantly don't recommend it to people who are not familiar with Eugene Mirman's stand-up comedy, as it will ether be too confusing, too crude or too bizarre to appreciate if you've never heard him speaking his material out loud. Ultimately, if you are looking to spend money on comedy you should buy one of his albums, not this book.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some elements of this book are very funny. Some less so. Still, the less successful jokes at least remain true to Eugene Mirman's unique comic voice. Even the book's haphazard organization suits his style of comedy. He gets three stars for the funny material (about 3/5 of the book, appropriately) and a bonus star for tenacity. And for signing my copy.

[Badinia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book is like living inside the head of a crazy monkey, which is obviously a good thing. Eugene's wit and wisdom will lighten anyone's load, and also he mentions the Soft Boys in it, so I love it forever.
It was very thoughtful of him to publish straight to paperback, so I can read it on the terlet. It's funny. It's poorly edited. There are illustrations by his ladyfriend.

[Ricky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eugene has one of the funniest stand-up routines around. I found myself laughing out loud numerious times in public places while reading his "self-help" guide to Modern Life. I feel odd for only giving it 3 stars because it is absolutely hilarious, but I just can't find myself rating a comedy book in the realm of 4 or 5 stars. For what its worth though, its at the top of its genre.

[Lollipopwater · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its moments of pure hilarity. Designed just like other self-help books, it delivers tongue-in-cheek (and sometimes completly right on)advice. While I enjoyed this book, it did have chapters of being overly ridiculous, but what self-help book doesn't?

If you're looking for a fast read, and have a slightly deranged sense of humor, then I recommend this read to ya.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Eugene Mirman's standup comedy (not to mention his great work as Gene on Bob's Burgers), but it turns out his work doesn't translate as well to the page. There's some very funny stuff in here, but it feels like there's a lot of padding, too. But I still love Mirman – just turns out I like his work more when he's shouting it at me.

[Mia]

Note: I chose this book on the plane back from my three-week vacation in Portugal yesterday as my next one to read because I decided that in case my return to "real life" was stressful and depressing, I wanted to read something light and funny. So far I have not laughed, but . . . I'm holding out hope.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few lines are absolutely laugh-out-loud, and he has a great ability to deconstruct certain words and phrases, but overall the humor is "woah, that's a crazy thing to say!" which gets a bit tedious after 200 pages.

[Colleen AF · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really think Eugene Mirman is the most original comedian in this generation. The book doesn't totally do him justice, since his delivery is a big part of humor, but still a "i laugh-snorted on the train" read.

[Seth Arnopole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rarely able to enjoy books by comedians, so this one stands out for being somewhat likeable. I love Eugene Mirman's humor, but his absurdity doesn't translate so well in this medium. It goes on and on, but there are hilarious moments now and then.

[Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the funniest books I've read so far, only Eugene can capture the essence of stand-up humor and put it into a book. I was literally laughing out loud and everyone in the room was staring. I only wish I could have read it to the angry crowd that gathered.

[Suzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Comic Mirman's parody of a self help book. What might have been funny as a short bit quickly becomes tiresome. I can't finish it. If you like Mirman, try the comedy albums instead, especially 'God is a Twelve Year Old Boy with Asperger's.' (The title should give you some idea of Merman's style.)

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully absurd book from a wonderfully absurd man. While not perfect (some parts drag a bit, and some of the weaker parts go on for a little long) it is overall a great comedy book. It is absurd at every turn, and Mirman really uses the medium he's working with. A 9.25/10 from me.

[Skyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Eugene Mirman's stand-up, but I don't think a book is the best medium for his humor. Perhaps I needed the audio book to hear his delivery, or perhaps if the book had a clearer focus (akin to John Hodgman's pre-Ragnarok histories).

[Amadeo Donofrio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never laughed out loud, or LOLed, whilst reading a book as often as I did whilst reading Mirmans book. highly recommend. I often found myself wishing I was as funny as Eugene. Now I have learned the will to do so! Thx Eugene! (if you actually read this)

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun read, but it took awhile, simply because it is a silly book that didn't hold my attention extremely well. You can imagine how he would say these things, but I think it would come across better in his stand up.

[Vikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I *may* have laughed a couple of times, but it wasn't worth it. Bleh. It gets old after ten pages--I should've stopped there.

[Amber Drea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great humor writing!

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Hodgman, only less taxing (compliment) and less funny (not). Nowhere near as good as his standup.