Handicap This

by Thomas Whitney

Life is one perplexing experience and ordeal. Behind its intangibility, mystery, and diversity, humanity never gets the deep meaning. It is a meaning that lacks a concrete and tangible answer that further confounds its purpose. However, despite everything, the chaos, mystery, and hullaballoo, life goes on! I am not going to sugarcoat things and tell you deep breaths and meditation will cure what ails you. Hell, I am not going to tell you that ales will cure what ails you. The first thing for me was to understand that life is dark, full of mystery, misery, and your happiness only comes from within. Now do not misunderstand me, the shit is dark, and the rain cloud may follow above your head, but once you accept that, you will learn to love the rain. Life itself is not all sunshine and roses. We see more dark, ill, and uncanny things naturally because it is all around us. Do not believe me? Go ahead and watch the news for a half-hour. Tell me how many good stories you hear because I know it will not be many. My point here is to accept the dark and use dark humor to better grasp your reality. Learning to find the comedic value in life's crazy times will lighten your mood so much coping will become easier. it's the first piece that you need. Life is dark, so mote it be.

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2021

Reviews

[Prashanth Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! Witty humour though you couldn't point out. It took me two readings to fully enjoy the writing. Life lessons and humour in a captivating way. This book can give you immense joy and hope . thanks for this.
For example author asks us do you know a good hobby can prevent many diseases. We never think of such small points in life.
Read this.

[Bettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Handicap This" is a wonderful emotional balm for our time! Humor is the psychology we all desperately need whether trying to keep the team from going at each other's throats as a leader or dealing with the worst emotional blow of your life. That being said, working to wield one's humor is fraught with potential missteps. I once tried to add it to a medical form as a disability. The Registered Nurse laughed at the time, but once you read the first two chapters by the excellent Mr. Thomas Whitney, I bet you'll find that quip cringe-worthy. So here's some orientation to the text: The first two chapters are where you start if you've experienced a major crisis in your life. Having been kicked around a couple of times, sometimes you fall when you can't reach what you want, his words gave me comfort that he KNOWS where I've been. And there's hope and contentment to be found. From Chapter 3 onward, he gets into how humor functions. When it works and when it fails. It's practically a textbook. I highly recommend everyone to take a look at Mr. Whitney's book; it belongs in every Communication class out there. And Theology.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Handicap This by Thomas Whitney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So, I started this book having no idea what to expect. If I’m being honest, I dove into this just solely based on the title and nothing else. I’ll explain why in a moment. Because this book is in an entirely different genre than what I am used to reviewing, I am also going to structure this review a bit differently than what I usually do. I still want to use sections, but I don’t expect there to be as many as usual. I am also forgoing the summary because, since it’s not fiction, there isn’t a plot to recap here before going into thoughts.
Anyway, let’s get into it!
Thoughts
So, like I said earlier, I looked into this based on the title. This is because (and I have never confessed this here, but I will now for the sake of this review) I am physically disabled, so immediately I was intrigued. I went into this hoping for some sort of story about a disabled individual and – while that is not what I got – I don’t think what is here is bad at all!
Whitney has a solid guide to life here with some seriously good advice. I want to break down what we’ve got here in these sections in order to explain where the work’s strengths and weaknesses are. Let’s break this down a little further.
Humor
I don’t really know how to explain the humor in this book. I can only really describe it as dark and witty. One of the things that sticks out about this book is how Whitney will title certain chapters, such as one title in which he compares life to rocky road ice cream, or another referencing Agatha Christie in a question. These titles intrigued me and made me want to read on in the chapter. Whitney’s wit and sense of humor is the most fun part of this book, and he uses it freely throughout the narrative to provide the reader with something to smile about, even if the information he’s relaying is not the most uplifting.
I think what makes that fun is he knows he’s not always relaying uplifting information, so one of the messages he tries so hard to convey is that humor will carry us through life, through the good and the bad. He doesn’t shy away from how life is not always going to be sunshine and roses, but he gives the reader tools for dealing with that through humor.
His tone throughout the book is kind of matter of fact, but he still retains the ability to make the reader laugh with that exact tone. Like he would quote a piece of research and then follow it up with some witty and humorous remark that acknowledges that the reader could, without his humor to bring us back to the present narrative he’s presenting, get lost in the research alone.
Tone
Like I said in that last paragraph, Whitney has a matter-of-fact tone when presenting research and talking about certain things that happened in his life. The thing with that is, he will often follow it up with a little dark humor to keep the reader engaged.
This works because – without that humor – there is a risk that the work would turn out very dry without it, and he is presenting this work to the general public, so he would need to keep it on terms that can be easy to engage with and understand. If he were presenting an article or research paper to publish in a scientific journal, then he can use all the scientific jargon he wants because that audience would better understand what he’s conveying there. Here, he needs to keep it on terms that the general public can get behind.
Research
I really like that Whitney isn’t just saying these things – he is backing them up with research, experiments, well-known documented facts. Like I said, it’s great that he has humor here because that makes it fun – but that fun means nothing if he doesn’t back up what he says.
All that said, there were moments where he was using so much research, backing up what he was saying with so many documented works by scientists and other researchers, that I would sometimes get lost in what he was saying.
To solve that, I think he could have really balanced it out with more personal experiences and/or events. Forget the humor for a second. Connect it more to himself and/or the people reading so that they get what he’s saying. When you sit down to read an academic journal, you expect certain jargon that will probably go over a layperson’s head because they have less experience reading material like that, and that is why I am saying connect it to something the reader can relate to. It helps get the point across and you don’t lose the reader’s attention.
Writing
Whitney’s writing is particularly interesting for a nonfictional life guide. I’d honestly read any nonfiction he writes because he has such flair and zest with what he’s working with that it’s fun to go into. He starts out with a basic idea and builds upon that throughout the book, and he does so by approaching each subject with care, humor, and a unique voice that is easy to get behind.
I think that’s the biggest thing. His voice is intriguing to follow, and it makes you want to know more, even if he’s talking about someone else’s research. His writing starts in the personal areas and then branches out, but he does so with a style that is fun to read. He has a voice that is funny, and he has that sense of dark humor that makes the entire book enjoyable. I would say my favorite chapter is the one where he talks about how it’s crucial to get a hobby, because throughout said chapter you can hear the passion in his writing – this is big for him, you have to listen to what he has to say – and it’s intriguing to follow because of that!
Conclusion
So, this was something very different from what I usually cover. That said, I really enjoyed it! Whitney’s advice is spot-on and the research he uses to back up what he’s saying is also perfect for the situation.
I honestly think everyone needs to read this book at least once in their life. Far too many people (including myself – I won’t lie) go throughout life too seriously, and his advice and humor provided a serious wakeup call for me. One day, I’ll learn not to take life too seriously. Until then, I’ll leave you with this: the message is powerful, and will leave you looking for ways to change your own life for the better!

[CinderBelle615 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of booktasters, the author kindly sent me a digi-copy of the book for me to read in exchange for a review.

Even though I'm physically disabled myself, I don't usually pick up books like these. I was never surrounded by people with disabilities, I was always the only one in my community, so anything disability related, I never really got close to.

But I picked this book up because I knew it would be funny, and yes, I did judge a book by its cover.

I think most people with a physical disability inevitably have to grow thick skin to deal with the blows that come along the way. And just as a new decade comes by, and you think you think all the drama you dealt with in the previous decade was over and done with, the new decade shows you you were wrong. It's part of the package. Some take it in stride and others don't. The author definitely has that thick skin and he teaches you how to develop yours, whether you have a disability or not.

I don't know what I was expecting with this book, I didn't want a Chicken Soup for the Soul where every page was filled with tears and pity parties.

I'm very happy with reading this book because it was right down my alley, the humor was relatable and this author reminded me once more, from another perspective that life will make you eat dirt and you're just going to have to deal with it and how you deal with it depends entirely on you. So many people, when they are spiraling down that drain hole, really think it's just them dealing with harsh things but the author really puts things into perspective and sucks that thought out from them and it makes the reader empathize with other people, their focus shifts from their dispair to another person's difficulties.

He had a few chapters with facts to back up his claims especially on things like happiness, which were chapters that really helped solidify his empirical knowledge that he has acquired throughout his life because of all the things has had to deal with.

There is one thing about this book that probably a few groups of people won't like, and that is that the author throws swear words left and right. I think that is just his personality, you have to understand where he's coming from and that the "bad words" are not there to disrespect anyone but are there as, in my opinion, as a form of catharsis and to help the reader understand the emotional impact that the author is trying to release. There's also a lot of sarcasm in the book so if you're allergic to that, it probably won't be your cup of tea.

There's so much more to unpack about this book but I think you're just going to have to read it for yourself, and the you that will inevitably have to deal with the crappy things that are thrown at you will thank you because it will have taught you how to deal with those things a little more gracefully and wisely.

[Chris Maddix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life is like a "boxer learning to bruise." When you read such a statement, what type of book might you envision? Thomas Whitney's book Handicap This poses the question, "...the moment will hit, and when it does, how will you handle it?" This is, simply stated, a book that shouts that life is difficult, but that the method by which you address life's travails will render you successful or less so.

Chapter by chapter, this book informs the reader that life isn't easy, but it provides the reader methods by which the difficulties might be met, or overcome. Chapter 2 emphasizes life's difficulties, comparing them to "Rocky Roads", and suggests that motivation is much better than hope in dealing with these obstacles. Chapter 3 suggests humor as a means to deal with life's problems. One anecdote offered was presented by presidential candidate Ronald Reagan who, when characterized by pundits as too old for office, stated, "I won't take advantage of my opponent's youth and inexperience." Humor effectively overcame a message. Chapter 4 deals with Murphy's Laws. One of my all time favorites among those was "Your weapon was built by the lowest bidder." Author Whitney's suggestion was to form contingency plans to overcome the difficulties of Murphy's Laws. What came to mind at that point was my work in Washington D.C. It seemed that whatever thoroughfare I selected in my post-work commute home was the most crowded, traffic-wise, but by relying on the radio suggested traffic routes, I could successfully deal with this automotive version of Murphy's Law. There were reinforcing lessons the rest of the way - relieve stress through organization or by getting a hobby, seek happiness through physical and mental health ( as proposed predominately by Aristotle but also by Plato), and finally, maintain an open mind, laugh when you can, make sense of life's absurdities, and strive to find meaning in life.

Handicap This is the normal guy's prescription for dealing with life's problems. It's interesting and educational, in its way. I would have been fine without the profanity, but it was easy to read and the lessons were simple and understandable.

[Purplely _ Serendipity · Rating 3 out of 5]

" Life has a funny way of really reaching us all. "

This book was quite a surprise. This sum it up.
It is quite a bulky book compared to what one would expect.

I'd like to think that i was tricked by the preface😂.
The preface of the book was quite nice, a warning with a touch of morbidity if you will. The 'realistic'  nature of the preface is not quite reflected throughout the whole book. Yes , it can be seen at the beginning and the end yes,  but not the whole book like I'd been led to believe .

This book feels much more like a paper with Life as it's theme than what the preface made it out to be. While reading the preface, you'd have thought this would be a book about a man who will be going on about his journey as someone who's struggled in life and is now paralysed.  in Some way i guess it is ,but it's also not.

You can clearly see the effort, time and work that's been put into it. This book contain a lot of citation and theories that serves as a way to explain his point of view on life based on his experience.

I guess if you love the psychological  aspect/explanation  of humour and the rules surrounding it's use,  as well as theories from Aristotle, plato, and the mention of Murphy's law to explain  life , then you could find it interesting. 
        It is a quite an interesting read with all the theories but I've been mislead by the preface.
While its not what i expected, There are a total of 30 good quotes that i liked and that are going to stick with me for a while, so that made the book worth my while. 

Thank you for trusting me with you book  Mr Whitney.

[Ayezu Tamarapreye Okoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK:HANDICAP THIS-A DISABLED LIFE GUIDE BY THOMAS WHITNEY
BOOK REVIEWER:-OKOKO AYEZU TAMARAPREYE.

SYNOPSIS
This is a self help book on the psychology of achievement in a world of struggles and challenges amidst aspirations,expectations and the harsh reality of actuality.In this book is embedded lessons on rising after a hard fall and facing life's unavoidable bumps using the writers self learned techniques. The writer advocates for right humour; creating boundary in humour use;engaging in the right hobbies;need for courage;self control;generosity;friendliness and politeness; tact and discretion;truthfulness and integrity;good temper;fairness;keeping an open mind to understand life's confusion;diversity;care for the elderly;care for children with autistic spectrum disorder;making sense of everything and laughing your way through as tools to pressing on.

LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE STORY

🕹️You do not overcome life problems but you cope and survive

🕹️The psychology of humour and the negativity of using it to disclose inability in a demeaning manner.

🕹️Motivate yourself and self reflect to get on

APPLICATION OF LESSONS LEARNT
I'm not one to believe you do not overcome life's problems but maybe it is right that we will always encounter problem in life's journey which we can overcome by self motivation and reflection tackling each problem faced at each stage of life.

[VA Fernz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life throws a lot of problems no matter what. Our everyday lives bind us to be our better persona each and single day. But let us not forget that we can only learn through significant problems, challenges, and setbacks as we try to stand still and conquer those. This book leads us to a better perspective of life. The truth, the realities, the ones paving our way to rise amidst those.

This book is written so lightly and sarcastically but when you go through it, you’ll realize the message goes deep beyond. That no matter how happy are we, life won’t stop showering us with struggles and you cannot just hope for a solution, you must find and implement your solution. The hardest of times do come, all you need to do is to accept and find a way to get through. Weigh your thought, and think realistically. Never neglect the adventures that you encounter and never focus on bumps and bruises, instead, just think of it as a challenge, that you’ll get through. You’ll recover, you’re about to heal and you will bounce back. Sadness is part of life but never let your life revolve around it. Our consciousness is our biggest strength and power to overcome all circumstances.
This book is very relatable and full of wisdom.

[Priscilla King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow the cover art and Amazon page led me to expect that this would be a book of snarky anecdotes about how well the Americans with Disabilities Act is working. It's not. Despite some rough language, this is actually a book of research about the psychology and philosophy of living with a physical disability. Whitney quotes several psychological studies and summarizes what Plato and Aristotle wrote about happiness. He also presents a short biography of Edward A. Murphy, the pilot who inspired "Murphy's Law."

What comes across in this book is a vivid picture of a suddenly disabled man refusing to sit around and whine for help, determined to put together a worthwhile book. It's not about his own problems; it's about how humans, generally, cope with our problems. It's a respectable book and, while older readers might have drawn similar conclusions from older books, this one would still be worth buying just to show respect to the writer.

[Cwrit8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a beautiful piece!

I love this book. The way it is written, citation, theories, experiences, perspective through which it is penned down. It's just beautiful. It's a perfect blend of humor, realistic life and most specifically the inner most feeling which one goes through, that process of evolving, that inbuilt mechanism of falling on the pessimistic side of situation and in the end following the right path which is actually made for you. I would like to appreciate and thank Mr Whitney for penning it down. Somewhere I feel like we all humans are going through this sort of feeling somewhere in some phase of our life. The tone of this book is like we are talking to  our friend, some may find it other way round. I would like to recommended this book to everyone round the globe, read it, enjoy the beauty of this book and learn and apply things in your life.

[gizelle ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most motivational non-motivational books I've ever read. It gives real talks without being too cynical. It talks about hard to swallow pills about life.

"Understanding your own goals—
not anyone else’s—is the path you need to find. I would love to tell you it is exactly this and that is the key. Sure, I would like the ideal place to call home and the whole nine yards, but was it worth sacrificing your whole damn life to get there? The sooner that you realize it is not all glitter and gold, the more empowered you will be." is ny favorite part

This book has resonated a lot with me. And the humor is witty and uplifting. It's informative and simple to understand. It gives a lot of advices on how to deal with daily life problems. Although the content is far different from what I expected from the title, it offers practical ways on how to put your life together.

[Asmaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book, I felt that it's so pessimistic, but the more progress I made in reading proved that it is more realistic!
The author's own experience gave me a negative feeling at the beginning, because of his usage of negative words, so is not a book that attracts you from the first chapter, but needs some time to understand the author's point of view.
I loved the part where he referred to Aristotle's philosophy and his introduction to Murphy's Law, giving some examples of its applications.
In my opinion, the whole book is into the philosophy of living- realistically- more than a self-help book, and I am willing to read it again!

[Syed Naqvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very inspirational book which really should be read by all especially those suffering from any sort of mental health issues. Life really is hard but bitterness of life can be lessened by laughing off all matters no matter how big or small. Humor is the ultimate medicine for poisonous life experiences.
Another most important thing to have a very fulfilling life is to have a hobby. It's a place of escape from the mundane day to day chores and provides an intellectual and creative outlet for human capabilities.
No matter how many times life beats you and makes you fall down --- you really have to get up back on your feet and stand tall again.

[Safina Majeed]

The author's life was all moving in the right direction, and then the tragedy hit. Instead of being oppressed and depressed, he decided to fight against the probabilities and deadlines he was given. Through sarcasm, wit and a dark sense of humour, he demonstrated that you can overcome anything life sends you. Worthwhile reading, regardless of your circumstances!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was an interesting book and it deals with several topics. I don't usually read this kind of book but I'm glad I did because it was so relatable, accurate and it shows you an interesting way to view life and all the things happening in your life.
One of my favorite quote is "... Each was a survivor but in different means, as are we all"

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you booktasters for the book!
I am so happy to read this book by Thomas Whitney. It came at a great time for me.
I question if my life is happy all the time.
I am a positive person and am happy most of the time. But this gave me another perspective of being happy. I love his sense of humour.
What a great gem.
Thank you

[Liana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention for it’s mention of dark humour but as I was reading it quickly became apparent that it was much more than that. While yes this book was sprinkled with dark humour throughout it there was also a lot of practical advice on how to do well in life. It was a great read.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas has gone from one hard life altering event to another and has faced them head one. He tells it like it is and gets up each day with the attitude that nothing is going to slow him down.