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The Book of Awesome #1
The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things
Based on the award-winning 10-million-plus-hit blog 1000awesomethings.com, The Book of Awesome is an international bestselling high five for humanity and a big celebration of life's little moments.
Sometimes it's easy to forget the things that make us smile. With a 24/7 news cycle reporting that the polar ice caps are melting, hurricanes are swirling in the seas, wars are heating up around the world, and the job market is in a deep freeze, it’s tempting to feel that the world is falling apart. But awesome things are all around us,
The Book of Awesome reminds us that the best things in life are free (yes, your grandma was right). With laugh-out-loud observations from award-winning comedy writer Neil Pasricha, The Book of Awesome is filled with smile-inducing moments on every page that make you feel like a kid looking at the world for the first time. Read it and you’ll remember all the things there are to feel good about.
A New York Times Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller • Globe and Mail Bestseller • Toronto Star Bestseller • Vancouver Sun Bestseller • Macleans Bestseller • Winner of the Forest of Reading Award
Sometimes it's easy to forget the things that make us smile. With a 24/7 news cycle reporting that the polar ice caps are melting, hurricanes are swirling in the seas, wars are heating up around the world, and the job market is in a deep freeze, it’s tempting to feel that the world is falling apart. But awesome things are all around us,
The Book of Awesome reminds us that the best things in life are free (yes, your grandma was right). With laugh-out-loud observations from award-winning comedy writer Neil Pasricha, The Book of Awesome is filled with smile-inducing moments on every page that make you feel like a kid looking at the world for the first time. Read it and you’ll remember all the things there are to feel good about.
A New York Times Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller • Globe and Mail Bestseller • Toronto Star Bestseller • Vancouver Sun Bestseller • Macleans Bestseller • Winner of the Forest of Reading Award
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2010
1046 people are currently reading
10883 people want to read
About the author
Neil Pasricha
29 books884 followersHey Goodreads peeps,
Pass me a drink. Let's chill on the ripped couch at the back. I love this place. Book lovers are my favorite people. (And my favorite lovers.)
My name is Neil Pasricha (pass-REACH-ah) and I'm the New York Times / #1 int'l (blah blah blah!) bestselling author of ten books on living an intentional life including THE BOOK OF AWESOME (gratitude), THE HAPPINESS EQUATION (happiness), TWO-MINUTE MORNINGS (habits), and the poorly-titled YOU ARE AWESOME (resilience.) My books are published in a lot of languages I can't read and sold a couple million more copies than anyone was expecting.
My background? Well, trust me: Nobody expected me to be writer. Least of all me. My parents aren't jazz trumpet players and watercolorists who raised me in Manhattan. They're hardcore Indian immigrants from Punjab and Nairobi who arrived in Canada scraping to get by. I was supposed to be a doctor! That was the life plan. But after my wife left me and my best friend took his own life in my late 20s I started a blog to cheer myself up. That blog was called 1000awesomethings.com and basically turned into everything else I've done and am doing.
If you want to hang out without social media algorithms in between us (no offence, algorithms! please don't punish my search results!) then join the thousands and thousands of good-hearted kindred spirits globally who get my newsletters. I put a lot of work into my newsletters -- they're sort of my weird digital babies -- and they contain my book recommendations, my new articles, my podcasts, and, of course, my daily awesome things (which I've been writing for 15 years now!). Sign up at www.neil.blog/newsletters
Hit me up if you wanna be friends! I love this clunky old site because it feels like my old hometown library somehow.
Shall we both get back to reading now?
XOXOXO
Neil
neil@globalhappiness.org
Pass me a drink. Let's chill on the ripped couch at the back. I love this place. Book lovers are my favorite people. (And my favorite lovers.)
My name is Neil Pasricha (pass-REACH-ah) and I'm the New York Times / #1 int'l (blah blah blah!) bestselling author of ten books on living an intentional life including THE BOOK OF AWESOME (gratitude), THE HAPPINESS EQUATION (happiness), TWO-MINUTE MORNINGS (habits), and the poorly-titled YOU ARE AWESOME (resilience.) My books are published in a lot of languages I can't read and sold a couple million more copies than anyone was expecting.
My background? Well, trust me: Nobody expected me to be writer. Least of all me. My parents aren't jazz trumpet players and watercolorists who raised me in Manhattan. They're hardcore Indian immigrants from Punjab and Nairobi who arrived in Canada scraping to get by. I was supposed to be a doctor! That was the life plan. But after my wife left me and my best friend took his own life in my late 20s I started a blog to cheer myself up. That blog was called 1000awesomethings.com and basically turned into everything else I've done and am doing.
If you want to hang out without social media algorithms in between us (no offence, algorithms! please don't punish my search results!) then join the thousands and thousands of good-hearted kindred spirits globally who get my newsletters. I put a lot of work into my newsletters -- they're sort of my weird digital babies -- and they contain my book recommendations, my new articles, my podcasts, and, of course, my daily awesome things (which I've been writing for 15 years now!). Sign up at www.neil.blog/newsletters
Hit me up if you wanna be friends! I love this clunky old site because it feels like my old hometown library somehow.
Shall we both get back to reading now?
XOXOXO
Neil
neil@globalhappiness.org
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,303 reviews
June 5, 2020
“It seems like maybe these tiny little moments make an awesome difference in many of our rushed, jam-packed lives. Maybe we all love snow days, peeling an orange in one shot, and Popping Bubble Wrap.”
I picked this book up at exactly the right time. I had just recently started reading Everyday Sexism, and it ignited a spark within me that I had thought to be long extinguished. I felt such rage at the seeming unfairness of how tragedy was handed out— I actually had to stop reading because I felt so exasperated and, frankly, scared.
But this is where The Book of Awesome stepped in to calm down that toxic fire that kept swallowing my every being. I seriously couldn’t stop thinking about every little wrongness that occurred on a daily basis, until I picked this book up. (Also, the new season of Orange Is the New Black helped a lot— but that’s a story for another time.)
The Book of Awesome is, as the title might suggest, filled with awesome little moments that make your day a little brighter.
“With so much sad news and bad news pouring down upon us, it’s fun to stop for a minute and share a universal high five with the rest of humanity.”
It shares the joys of little things— from having a whole row to yourself on the plane, to being the first table to get called up for the dinner buffet at a wedding.
But there were so many great highlights that I decided to feature some of my favorite ones:
“The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes onstage.”
“Hitting a bunch of green lights in a row.”
“The sound of scissors cutting construction paper.”
“Being the first person into a really crowded movie theater and getting the prime seats.”
“When you’re really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you.”
“The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk.”
“Staring out at calm water.”
“Finally remembering a word that’s been on the tip of your tongue for so long.”
“The moment at a restaurant after you see your food coming from the kitchen but before it lands on your table.”
“Frozen walls of air conditioning hitting you on hot days.”
“Catching somebody singing in their car and sharing a laugh with them.”
“Taking off your shoes on a long car ride.”
“When you arrive at your destination just as a great song ends on the radio.”
“Your favorite old, comfy T-shirt.”
“The smell of freshly cut grass.”
“Laughing so hard you make no sound at all.”
(This!!!!)
“Rain hair.”
“When your suitcase tumbles down the luggage chute first after a long flight.”
“Remembering what movie that guy is from.”
“The smell of books.”
“Falling asleep in the backseat of a car late at night on the drive home.”
“The smell of gasoline.”
“Finding the last item of your size at the store.”
“When you’re right near the end of the book, you feel the anticipation pulsing. As you sit still in absolute perfect silence, it’s amazing how your mind is racing, your heart is pumping, and your ears tune out the world around you. Maybe you put the book down to go to the bathroom or grab a glass of water, trying to guess the ending just before you read it: Will she find her mother, will he admit how he feels, will Gryffindor win the House Cup?”
“When you nudge the person snoring next to you and it makes them stop.”
(Made me think of that moment in OITNB season 4.)
It also had some pretty snazzy pictures, which I always love:
Overall, this book was a satisfying stress reliever, a fun surprise, and a rare hidden gem.
“Life is so great that we only get a tiny moment to enjoy everything we see. And that moment is right now. And that moment is counting down. And that moment is always, always fleeting.”
*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying The Book of Awesome, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*
This review and more can be found on my blog.
I picked this book up at exactly the right time. I had just recently started reading Everyday Sexism, and it ignited a spark within me that I had thought to be long extinguished. I felt such rage at the seeming unfairness of how tragedy was handed out— I actually had to stop reading because I felt so exasperated and, frankly, scared.
But this is where The Book of Awesome stepped in to calm down that toxic fire that kept swallowing my every being. I seriously couldn’t stop thinking about every little wrongness that occurred on a daily basis, until I picked this book up. (Also, the new season of Orange Is the New Black helped a lot— but that’s a story for another time.)
The Book of Awesome is, as the title might suggest, filled with awesome little moments that make your day a little brighter.
“With so much sad news and bad news pouring down upon us, it’s fun to stop for a minute and share a universal high five with the rest of humanity.”
It shares the joys of little things— from having a whole row to yourself on the plane, to being the first table to get called up for the dinner buffet at a wedding.
But there were so many great highlights that I decided to feature some of my favorite ones:
“The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes onstage.”
“Hitting a bunch of green lights in a row.”
“The sound of scissors cutting construction paper.”
“Being the first person into a really crowded movie theater and getting the prime seats.”
“When you’re really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you.”
“The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk.”
“Staring out at calm water.”
“Finally remembering a word that’s been on the tip of your tongue for so long.”
“The moment at a restaurant after you see your food coming from the kitchen but before it lands on your table.”
“Frozen walls of air conditioning hitting you on hot days.”
“Catching somebody singing in their car and sharing a laugh with them.”
“Taking off your shoes on a long car ride.”
“When you arrive at your destination just as a great song ends on the radio.”
“Your favorite old, comfy T-shirt.”
“The smell of freshly cut grass.”
“Laughing so hard you make no sound at all.”
(This!!!!)
“Rain hair.”
“When your suitcase tumbles down the luggage chute first after a long flight.”
“Remembering what movie that guy is from.”
“The smell of books.”
“Falling asleep in the backseat of a car late at night on the drive home.”
“The smell of gasoline.”
“Finding the last item of your size at the store.”
“When you’re right near the end of the book, you feel the anticipation pulsing. As you sit still in absolute perfect silence, it’s amazing how your mind is racing, your heart is pumping, and your ears tune out the world around you. Maybe you put the book down to go to the bathroom or grab a glass of water, trying to guess the ending just before you read it: Will she find her mother, will he admit how he feels, will Gryffindor win the House Cup?”
“When you nudge the person snoring next to you and it makes them stop.”
(Made me think of that moment in OITNB season 4.)
It also had some pretty snazzy pictures, which I always love:
Overall, this book was a satisfying stress reliever, a fun surprise, and a rare hidden gem.
“Life is so great that we only get a tiny moment to enjoy everything we see. And that moment is right now. And that moment is counting down. And that moment is always, always fleeting.”
*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying The Book of Awesome, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*
This review and more can be found on my blog.
November 25, 2011
I don't even know where to start with The Book of Awesome. I guess the best place to start is how I acquired this book. My friend Mary sent it to me in the mail last week, thinking I might like it. This isn't the first time that Mary has recommended a book to me, but it is the first time she's ever given me the book she was recommending, with the instructions to pass it on to someone else that might enjoy it when I was done with it.
I can see why you'd want to pass it on after reading it. It's not really rereadable - once you've read through Neil Pasricha's list of awesome things, you really don't need to go back and read them again. My understanding of how this book came to be is that it grew out of the blog 1000 Awesome Things which Pasricha started in order to chronicle the little awesome things in life that often get taken for granted but are, nonetheless, pretty fantastic. When I started the book, I rolled with it and enjoyed it, but he started to lose me about 20 pages in when I realized that every single entry is going to end with the the one word sentence (in all caps, no less) - AWESOME!! And it wasn't long before his writing style started to irritate the hell out of me. You can tell that these things are lifted from a blog as you can pretty much hear Pasricha talking when you read the various items. It was as if the words just poured out of him without so much as a second read through to make sure that his writing didn't sound douchey. Actually, I take that back because he must have gone through it a second time so that he could put in random bold face type that made little to no sense.
I think that's my biggest trouble with this book. Even though I have never met the author and who knows, if we did meet or we had a history together or something, I might feel differently, but this book made me feel like there's no way on God's green Earth I could handle being in his presence. I got this image of him sitting at his computer, rubbing his hands together and laughing uproariously at his latest play on words, made up word (gasholenorememberitis is one that springs to mind), or appropriating of dude culture in his writing. By the end, I was seriously skimming because I just couldn't handle him being not as funny nor as clever as he thought he was being.
*sigh* I kind of feel like an asshole for not liking a book that is all about celebrating the little things in life that are great. There's no doubt that many of the things he mentioned are awesome. I love the cool side of the pillow, finding old mix tapes and let me tell you how I watched The Price Is Right religiously every time I was home sick. However, to be frank, if I hear anyone use the word "awesome" for a while, I may start twitching. I stand behind my assertion that it's the writing style of the author that turned me off to the book. That, and the fact that all these entries are still posted on his blog so you could read them for free on the internet and not content with 36 million blog hits, he cashed in on his free material by putting it in book form. I can't say that I blame him, but it still kind of pisses me off.
Maybe I'm just being cranky. I have to admit that I'm mildly intrigued by the parody The Book of Awful, but even I'm not that cynical. Plus it might be written in a style to approximate his and really, I can't handle that!
I can see why you'd want to pass it on after reading it. It's not really rereadable - once you've read through Neil Pasricha's list of awesome things, you really don't need to go back and read them again. My understanding of how this book came to be is that it grew out of the blog 1000 Awesome Things which Pasricha started in order to chronicle the little awesome things in life that often get taken for granted but are, nonetheless, pretty fantastic. When I started the book, I rolled with it and enjoyed it, but he started to lose me about 20 pages in when I realized that every single entry is going to end with the the one word sentence (in all caps, no less) - AWESOME!! And it wasn't long before his writing style started to irritate the hell out of me. You can tell that these things are lifted from a blog as you can pretty much hear Pasricha talking when you read the various items. It was as if the words just poured out of him without so much as a second read through to make sure that his writing didn't sound douchey. Actually, I take that back because he must have gone through it a second time so that he could put in random bold face type that made little to no sense.
I think that's my biggest trouble with this book. Even though I have never met the author and who knows, if we did meet or we had a history together or something, I might feel differently, but this book made me feel like there's no way on God's green Earth I could handle being in his presence. I got this image of him sitting at his computer, rubbing his hands together and laughing uproariously at his latest play on words, made up word (gasholenorememberitis is one that springs to mind), or appropriating of dude culture in his writing. By the end, I was seriously skimming because I just couldn't handle him being not as funny nor as clever as he thought he was being.
*sigh* I kind of feel like an asshole for not liking a book that is all about celebrating the little things in life that are great. There's no doubt that many of the things he mentioned are awesome. I love the cool side of the pillow, finding old mix tapes and let me tell you how I watched The Price Is Right religiously every time I was home sick. However, to be frank, if I hear anyone use the word "awesome" for a while, I may start twitching. I stand behind my assertion that it's the writing style of the author that turned me off to the book. That, and the fact that all these entries are still posted on his blog so you could read them for free on the internet and not content with 36 million blog hits, he cashed in on his free material by putting it in book form. I can't say that I blame him, but it still kind of pisses me off.
Maybe I'm just being cranky. I have to admit that I'm mildly intrigued by the parody The Book of Awful, but even I'm not that cynical. Plus it might be written in a style to approximate his and really, I can't handle that!
May 9, 2015
A while ago, I was feeling really depressed, so I decided to order a few books on happiness online. One of them was The Book of Awesome, which is a book filled entirely with "the little pleasures in life" that we take strange satisfaction in, such as popping bubble wrap and the smell of baked goods.
This book has given me tons of smiles, so I thought I'd create a review with 5 awesome things of my own, created in the style of The Book of Awesome.
Your oven smelling like pizza
Eating a slice of pizza (or, let’s face it, an entire pizza) is one of the finer things in life. It’s easy, it’s tasty, it’s messy, and above all, it’s tasty. But there’s something special about that anticipatory smell you get when you pop one o’ them freezer pizzas into your oven and crank it up. As your kitchen fills with one of the best scents in the world, you know there’s only 20 minutes between you and that pizza, and that’s a pretty great feeling.
Nothing beats that cheesy goodness on top of a crusty bed of dough and delicious tomato paste. Add your favourite toppings, and you’ve got a meal worthy of a king.
But next time, take a moment to truly appreciate your oven enticing you with that seductive smell. Because it’s pretty damn
AWESOME!
Waking up in the morning when you don’t have to go to school/work
There are only a few things worse than being brutally woken up by the shrill sound of your alarm clock. One of them being woken up by that hellish alarm at stupid o’clock, knowing you’re about to face another long day of things you don’t want to do.
So when you get to sleep in, that’s a pretty great feeling. There is nothing that wants to break apart that beautiful relationship you have with your bed. And should you wake up earlier than desired, you simply glance at the time, shake your head with a smile, and turn right back around for a second round of snoozes.
AWESOME!
Hearing the content purrs of you cat
They say that the purring of a cat releases endorphins and makes you calm down. Now, I didn’t do any research for this, so I don’t know how scientifically correct that is. However, I know it’s a good sound. It’s the sound of a content cat, a satisfied cat, as you smother her with love, knowing there’s at least one creature on Earth who appreciates what you do.
A happy cat equals a happy human.
AWESOME!
Finishing a good book
Finishing things in general is a pretty great feeling. You get that feeling of success, of accomplishment, of productivity. But there’s something even greater about finishing a good book. As you slam it closed with a happy sigh, you get to relive your favourite scenes in your head for a while, reminiscing, appreciating the characters you’ve just gotten to know.
Sure, the next book you pick up may not be as awesome. And you may not find another book like it. But reading a good book is a great experience, and you know you can always return to it should you need to. It’ll be there, the perfect friend – quiet when you set it aside, there for you when you need it.
And that’s pretty
AWESOME!
Ordering something online and having it delivered
“Money can’t buy happiness”, they say. That’s bullshit, I say. Sure, money isn’t everything, but when spent wisely and on the right things, money can definitely help you in improving your happiness. Like that book you’ve been eyeing for the past few months. Or that coat you’ve had on your wishlist for ages and has just gone down in price. Or maybe you’re just having a bad day and need a pick-me-up.
In any case, when delivery day comes, you get all excited, because you get new stuff. And when that package finally arrives, it’s like Christmas has come early, and you know you’re going to love what’s inside, because you picked it out yourself. It’s like a gift from you to you. Enjoy!
AWESOME!
This book has given me tons of smiles, so I thought I'd create a review with 5 awesome things of my own, created in the style of The Book of Awesome.
Your oven smelling like pizza
Eating a slice of pizza (or, let’s face it, an entire pizza) is one of the finer things in life. It’s easy, it’s tasty, it’s messy, and above all, it’s tasty. But there’s something special about that anticipatory smell you get when you pop one o’ them freezer pizzas into your oven and crank it up. As your kitchen fills with one of the best scents in the world, you know there’s only 20 minutes between you and that pizza, and that’s a pretty great feeling.
Nothing beats that cheesy goodness on top of a crusty bed of dough and delicious tomato paste. Add your favourite toppings, and you’ve got a meal worthy of a king.
But next time, take a moment to truly appreciate your oven enticing you with that seductive smell. Because it’s pretty damn
AWESOME!
Waking up in the morning when you don’t have to go to school/work
There are only a few things worse than being brutally woken up by the shrill sound of your alarm clock. One of them being woken up by that hellish alarm at stupid o’clock, knowing you’re about to face another long day of things you don’t want to do.
So when you get to sleep in, that’s a pretty great feeling. There is nothing that wants to break apart that beautiful relationship you have with your bed. And should you wake up earlier than desired, you simply glance at the time, shake your head with a smile, and turn right back around for a second round of snoozes.
AWESOME!
Hearing the content purrs of you cat
They say that the purring of a cat releases endorphins and makes you calm down. Now, I didn’t do any research for this, so I don’t know how scientifically correct that is. However, I know it’s a good sound. It’s the sound of a content cat, a satisfied cat, as you smother her with love, knowing there’s at least one creature on Earth who appreciates what you do.
A happy cat equals a happy human.
AWESOME!
Finishing a good book
Finishing things in general is a pretty great feeling. You get that feeling of success, of accomplishment, of productivity. But there’s something even greater about finishing a good book. As you slam it closed with a happy sigh, you get to relive your favourite scenes in your head for a while, reminiscing, appreciating the characters you’ve just gotten to know.
Sure, the next book you pick up may not be as awesome. And you may not find another book like it. But reading a good book is a great experience, and you know you can always return to it should you need to. It’ll be there, the perfect friend – quiet when you set it aside, there for you when you need it.
And that’s pretty
AWESOME!
Ordering something online and having it delivered
“Money can’t buy happiness”, they say. That’s bullshit, I say. Sure, money isn’t everything, but when spent wisely and on the right things, money can definitely help you in improving your happiness. Like that book you’ve been eyeing for the past few months. Or that coat you’ve had on your wishlist for ages and has just gone down in price. Or maybe you’re just having a bad day and need a pick-me-up.
In any case, when delivery day comes, you get all excited, because you get new stuff. And when that package finally arrives, it’s like Christmas has come early, and you know you’re going to love what’s inside, because you picked it out yourself. It’s like a gift from you to you. Enjoy!
AWESOME!
August 19, 2010
This book reminds me a lot of the website "stuff white people like." It's a compilation of short selections about awesome stuff, ranging anywhere from just a few sentences to a few pages. The beauty of this book is that you'll find yourself nodding your head vehemently, saying "Yes. YES. That is awesome. (!)(!)"
Just to get a little idea of what you'll encounter upon reading this, here's a sampling of items from this collection that everyone basically must agree are awesome:
* When you're really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you
* Being the first table to get called up for dinner at the wedding buffet
*Laughing so hard you make no sound at all
*Celebrating your pet's birthday even though they have no idea what's going on
*Snow days
*Getting something with actual handwriting in the mail
*Building an amazing couch-cushion fort
*Fixing electronics by smacking them
*The smell of books
I mean, really, how can you argue with the awesomeness of these things? I can't.
This is a great book to just have laying around when you're bored for a few seconds. You can read a little snippet and feel pretty darn awesome.
The real reason this book was so amazing, though...? You know how you have an inside your head narrator-voice when you're reading something? Like it reads the words out loud in your brain, but it's different depending on what book you're reading? (Well, at least I do.) Anyways, I kept hearing a cross between Ben Mckee (this guy I went to high school with) and Barney on How I Met Your Mother. I seriously laughed out loud every time I got to the word awesome, which was at the end of each selection.
So even though this book only deserves about 3 stars, it gets 2 extra for the surprise narrator(s) inside my head.
(I'm not crazy. I'm awesome.)
Just to get a little idea of what you'll encounter upon reading this, here's a sampling of items from this collection that everyone basically must agree are awesome:
* When you're really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you
* Being the first table to get called up for dinner at the wedding buffet
*Laughing so hard you make no sound at all
*Celebrating your pet's birthday even though they have no idea what's going on
*Snow days
*Getting something with actual handwriting in the mail
*Building an amazing couch-cushion fort
*Fixing electronics by smacking them
*The smell of books
I mean, really, how can you argue with the awesomeness of these things? I can't.
This is a great book to just have laying around when you're bored for a few seconds. You can read a little snippet and feel pretty darn awesome.
The real reason this book was so amazing, though...? You know how you have an inside your head narrator-voice when you're reading something? Like it reads the words out loud in your brain, but it's different depending on what book you're reading? (Well, at least I do.) Anyways, I kept hearing a cross between Ben Mckee (this guy I went to high school with) and Barney on How I Met Your Mother. I seriously laughed out loud every time I got to the word awesome, which was at the end of each selection.
So even though this book only deserves about 3 stars, it gets 2 extra for the surprise narrator(s) inside my head.
(I'm not crazy. I'm awesome.)
January 17, 2014
Opening Line:"Polar ice caps are melting, hurricanes swirl in the seas,wars are heating up around the world, and the job market is in a deep freeze. Whoa. It's getting pretty ugly out there."
The Book Of Awesome is a really fun idea. Its also a very pretty book, makes a great gift and is being marketed like crazy, I mean its everywhere and yes there are a lot of things included here that made me smile however it really reads better in list form and I’m sure most people did like I did and just skimmed through, reading the chapter titles of familiar relatable happy things that you don't often stop to appreciate and moving on.
I mean honestly do we need 4 pages explaining why having a whole row to yourself on an airplane is awesome (that really is awesome) but I don’t need a breakdown about being able to pee when I want, having elbow room, able to lie down, cocoon in a blanket or having the choice of aisle or window. I get it. The same goes for popping bubble wrap. Yup that’s fun, maybe even awesome but after reading 3-4 pages about its invention and the different ways to pop it, not so awesome anymore.
When someone lands on your hotel in Monopoly super awesome but then when we get a detailed description of Monopoly you’ve now lost my attention and I’m moving on to bakery air, snow days and the other side of the pillow and I’ve stopped reading the essays on the whys.
This is a feel good book that will make you smile and is fun to read out loud with friends because everyone can relate but at 400 pages (!) the long winded explanations and filler killed the awesomeness for me.
Entries include: Old dangerous playground equipment, Wearing underwear just out of the dryer, Being the first table called up for the dinner buffet at a wedding, Watching The Price Is Right when you're home sick, When the vending machine gives you two things instead of one, The first shower you take after not showering for a really long time, When cashiers open up new checkout lanes at the grocery store, Sleeping in new bed sheets, Waiters and waitresses who bring free refills without asking, Finding an old mixed tape, The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes on stage, Fixing electronics by smacking them, The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk, and hundreds more.
The Book Of Awesome is a really fun idea. Its also a very pretty book, makes a great gift and is being marketed like crazy, I mean its everywhere and yes there are a lot of things included here that made me smile however it really reads better in list form and I’m sure most people did like I did and just skimmed through, reading the chapter titles of familiar relatable happy things that you don't often stop to appreciate and moving on.
I mean honestly do we need 4 pages explaining why having a whole row to yourself on an airplane is awesome (that really is awesome) but I don’t need a breakdown about being able to pee when I want, having elbow room, able to lie down, cocoon in a blanket or having the choice of aisle or window. I get it. The same goes for popping bubble wrap. Yup that’s fun, maybe even awesome but after reading 3-4 pages about its invention and the different ways to pop it, not so awesome anymore.
When someone lands on your hotel in Monopoly super awesome but then when we get a detailed description of Monopoly you’ve now lost my attention and I’m moving on to bakery air, snow days and the other side of the pillow and I’ve stopped reading the essays on the whys.
This is a feel good book that will make you smile and is fun to read out loud with friends because everyone can relate but at 400 pages (!) the long winded explanations and filler killed the awesomeness for me.
Entries include: Old dangerous playground equipment, Wearing underwear just out of the dryer, Being the first table called up for the dinner buffet at a wedding, Watching The Price Is Right when you're home sick, When the vending machine gives you two things instead of one, The first shower you take after not showering for a really long time, When cashiers open up new checkout lanes at the grocery store, Sleeping in new bed sheets, Waiters and waitresses who bring free refills without asking, Finding an old mixed tape, The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes on stage, Fixing electronics by smacking them, The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk, and hundreds more.
May 15, 2010
If it is not obvious already, The Book of Awesome is.... AWESOME. Whenever you need a laugh, a giggle, a smile a little pick me up, The Book of Awesome is right there waiting for you.
The format of the Book of Awesome is sort of an extended list. Each title describes the awesome thing and then the actual body copy ranging from a word to a few pages details the awesome. Pasricha goes off on a lot of tangents and tells a lot of stories and gives a lot of scenarios but his way with words made me follow him everywhere he went and it was very satisfying. It's like one of my very clever and funny friends wrote it, seriously!
I'd have to say I agreed with about 99% of the things he declared awesome, this guy has great taste. Some of my favorites include: Fixing electronics by smacking them, When you're really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you, and Terrible businesses run by children. There is so much here!
This is a book that should be kept around forever and always. Who doesn't need a dose of positive attitude or memories of happy moments. This book is happy making and it's ... AWESOME!
November 6, 2014
The Book of Awesome is a 393 page reminder that great, AWESOME things come in the most simple of moments.
Through lives small triumphs, moments of easily forgotten fun, guilty giggles, and the tiniest realizations, we spend our time going from one thing to the next and in the shuffle I sometimes forget to really enjoy the things I do. The Book of Awesome goes through those seconds of daily life and finds those situations that we pass by and re-lives, examines, and champions them with all the humor and lightheartedness you would expect.
I found this book to be really fun, so much so my list of favourite entries got too long and jumbled to keep track of. The Book of Awesome has this great combination of experience story-telling and humor. It can get a bit repetitive with the distinct writing style/pattern that Pasricha uses but the transition between the blog format and book was pretty well done.
This isn't something that you read through in one sitting though, it's the type of book that's great to just have around and read whenever you're in the mood for it. I think it can be best described as a mood booster and I definitely enjoyed it best in those moments where I needed something to give myself a little down time and LOLCATS just aren't doing it for me.
With that said, I can see myself coming back to this in the future or at least checking out The Book of (Even More) Awesome orThe Book of (Holiday) Awesome: When the Christmas Lights All Work, Successfully Regifting a Present, Drinking with Grandma. I'd mention the blog itself, but I'm sure I don't need to waste anymore time then I already do on the internet. If you're interested in the overall concept, it's a great book to at least flip through.
Through lives small triumphs, moments of easily forgotten fun, guilty giggles, and the tiniest realizations, we spend our time going from one thing to the next and in the shuffle I sometimes forget to really enjoy the things I do. The Book of Awesome goes through those seconds of daily life and finds those situations that we pass by and re-lives, examines, and champions them with all the humor and lightheartedness you would expect.
I found this book to be really fun, so much so my list of favourite entries got too long and jumbled to keep track of. The Book of Awesome has this great combination of experience story-telling and humor. It can get a bit repetitive with the distinct writing style/pattern that Pasricha uses but the transition between the blog format and book was pretty well done.
This isn't something that you read through in one sitting though, it's the type of book that's great to just have around and read whenever you're in the mood for it. I think it can be best described as a mood booster and I definitely enjoyed it best in those moments where I needed something to give myself a little down time and LOLCATS just aren't doing it for me.
With that said, I can see myself coming back to this in the future or at least checking out The Book of (Even More) Awesome orThe Book of (Holiday) Awesome: When the Christmas Lights All Work, Successfully Regifting a Present, Drinking with Grandma. I'd mention the blog itself, but I'm sure I don't need to waste anymore time then I already do on the internet. If you're interested in the overall concept, it's a great book to at least flip through.
April 8, 2011
Is life getting you down?
Did you have a bad day?
Then you need the Book of Awesome!!
What could be better than taking the simple average every day things in life and rediscovering how awesome they really are?
From bakery air to cat naps. Hitting all the green lights to trick or treating.
Yes... the world is full of little things and with the help of this book you'll turn that frown upside down and stop and smell the awesome.
Did you have a bad day?
Then you need the Book of Awesome!!
What could be better than taking the simple average every day things in life and rediscovering how awesome they really are?
From bakery air to cat naps. Hitting all the green lights to trick or treating.
Yes... the world is full of little things and with the help of this book you'll turn that frown upside down and stop and smell the awesome.
October 9, 2014
I did not find this book "AWESOME!"
I understand the concept of counting one's blessings, and being grateful for what one has, and I particularly enjoy the blog, IMMD (It Made My Day).
Yet somehow, The Book of AWESOME brings out the Grinch in me.
I think this book would be more aptly titled, The Book of Pretty Neat, or The Book of Pleasant. Some of the items mentioned are just that, pleasant. Other items, I found myself wondering What is the author talking about? (i.e. "When your sneeze stalls for a second and then suddenly comes booming out", p. 244)
Do you really need a full page of explanation for "The other side of the pillow" (p.3), or "Popping bubble wrap" (pp.29-30)? I think these things are pretty universally accepted as nice things. We all understand what it is to flip our pillow to the cool side.
Each item and its related explanation are punctuated at the end with the one-word sentence: AWESOME!
Given the book's title, we've already got the point. After a few pages, the word AWESOME! felt AFFECTED! and then it became ANNOYING!, and by the time I made it to "Finally clipping your fingernails after you've been meaning to do it all week" (p. 234), I mentally replaced AWESOME! with AW, FOR PETE'S SAKE!
I understand the concept of counting one's blessings, and being grateful for what one has, and I particularly enjoy the blog, IMMD (It Made My Day).
Yet somehow, The Book of AWESOME brings out the Grinch in me.
I think this book would be more aptly titled, The Book of Pretty Neat, or The Book of Pleasant. Some of the items mentioned are just that, pleasant. Other items, I found myself wondering What is the author talking about? (i.e. "When your sneeze stalls for a second and then suddenly comes booming out", p. 244)
Do you really need a full page of explanation for "The other side of the pillow" (p.3), or "Popping bubble wrap" (pp.29-30)? I think these things are pretty universally accepted as nice things. We all understand what it is to flip our pillow to the cool side.
Each item and its related explanation are punctuated at the end with the one-word sentence: AWESOME!
Given the book's title, we've already got the point. After a few pages, the word AWESOME! felt AFFECTED! and then it became ANNOYING!, and by the time I made it to "Finally clipping your fingernails after you've been meaning to do it all week" (p. 234), I mentally replaced AWESOME! with AW, FOR PETE'S SAKE!
March 17, 2011
This book should be read in small doses - essays about various everyday occurances that the author finds "awesome", such as "Perfectly Popped Popcorn", "The feeling of scrunching sand in your feet", and "Sweatpants". These are all great things and this is a fine idea for a blog (which is how it started out), but, as you can imagine, they don't all really lend themselves to great essays. I, too, can appreciate "When there's ice cream left at the bottom of the cone" - I just don't think it warrants four pages. It's a fine book to pick up occasionally and read a few pages, but, unfortunately, that's not how I read it.
June 18, 2024
Note to Self: Life is FILLED with awesome things and moments ✅ This book is the perfect reminder to focus on what matters!
August 5, 2012
Of course, the opposite of awesome is un-awesome – which is exactly what it feels like when you have to wait forever in line because there is no other checker to open a new lane or you get a speeding ticket from the cop who was on the side of the road or you hit a bunch of red lights in a row (I always get to about the third and say, out loud in my car, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”) or when your alarm clock blares and you feel like it is way too early for the alarm clock to go off or when you meant to get gas on Monday, but you forgot and went to fill up on Tuesday and the price has increased.
You have these moments when your blood starts to boil and you think, “THIS CAN’T BE REAL.” Surely that lady isn’t going to search for the $.50 coupon for the $150.00 worth of stuff she is buying. Surely when you take a shower at your friend’s house they will have shampoo AND conditioner and not just shampoo. Surely I can press “one” before the automated operator finishes her speech about staying on the line for more options. Surely I will remember where my keys are (and my glasses, and my name badge, and my favorite travel coffee mug) so I don’t have to hunt for them.
The best thing about this book is that WAY too often we remember when things are UN-AWESOME. It isn’t often that we take a moment to revel in the fact that damn right I peeled my orange in one fell swoop. Or think “you are welcome, guy-who-thanked-me-with-a-wave-since-I-let-him-in-my-lane.” It was nice to read this book, or check the website 1000awesomethings.com because while reading each entry (or most entries – I couldn’t share the appreciation of the perfect cereal:milk ratio since I don’t like milk at all), you think, “ahh yes, I do enjoy the other side of the pillow.”
And now when these things happen, I won’t grouchily think, “THANK GOODNESS THEY FINALLY REALIZED THAT THERE ARE A BILLION PEOPLE IN LINE AND FINALLY PULLED THEIR HEADS OUT OF THEIR BUTTS AND OPENED ANOTHER ONE! GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE.” Instead, I will think, “Awesome!” with a smile on my face!
You have these moments when your blood starts to boil and you think, “THIS CAN’T BE REAL.” Surely that lady isn’t going to search for the $.50 coupon for the $150.00 worth of stuff she is buying. Surely when you take a shower at your friend’s house they will have shampoo AND conditioner and not just shampoo. Surely I can press “one” before the automated operator finishes her speech about staying on the line for more options. Surely I will remember where my keys are (and my glasses, and my name badge, and my favorite travel coffee mug) so I don’t have to hunt for them.
The best thing about this book is that WAY too often we remember when things are UN-AWESOME. It isn’t often that we take a moment to revel in the fact that damn right I peeled my orange in one fell swoop. Or think “you are welcome, guy-who-thanked-me-with-a-wave-since-I-let-him-in-my-lane.” It was nice to read this book, or check the website 1000awesomethings.com because while reading each entry (or most entries – I couldn’t share the appreciation of the perfect cereal:milk ratio since I don’t like milk at all), you think, “ahh yes, I do enjoy the other side of the pillow.”
And now when these things happen, I won’t grouchily think, “THANK GOODNESS THEY FINALLY REALIZED THAT THERE ARE A BILLION PEOPLE IN LINE AND FINALLY PULLED THEIR HEADS OUT OF THEIR BUTTS AND OPENED ANOTHER ONE! GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE.” Instead, I will think, “Awesome!” with a smile on my face!
September 2, 2010
I'm not going to go into a whole lot of detail as it's kind of hard to justify a really long review of this book considering the subject matter.
Just because I have given it 2 stars does not mean that I hated the book either. Judging by the GR rating system, I have selected "it was ok" and that's all it really was.
I did take pleasure in a few of the entries such as; "Obtaining the perfect milk to cereal ratio", "sleeping with one leg under the covers and one leg out" and "snow falling on Christmas eve".
About halfway through, I gave up reading Neil's write-ups and just read the subject lines. The write-ups were not really bad per say, they just didn't really add anything to the entry. It kind of felt like a waste of time.
That being said, I still visit the website on occasion. I think it works much better that way.
Just because I have given it 2 stars does not mean that I hated the book either. Judging by the GR rating system, I have selected "it was ok" and that's all it really was.
I did take pleasure in a few of the entries such as; "Obtaining the perfect milk to cereal ratio", "sleeping with one leg under the covers and one leg out" and "snow falling on Christmas eve".
About halfway through, I gave up reading Neil's write-ups and just read the subject lines. The write-ups were not really bad per say, they just didn't really add anything to the entry. It kind of felt like a waste of time.
That being said, I still visit the website on occasion. I think it works much better that way.
February 25, 2019
A cute book describing things that are "awesome".
I found myself nodding along in agreement to most of them. It was a nice read to help remind me of the little things in life that bring joy.
There's not a lot to this book but it's a nice bedside book that you can read a few "awesome" things at a time when you have a minute.
It was enjoyable and I'm glad I finally got around to it as I've owned this book for years.
I found myself nodding along in agreement to most of them. It was a nice read to help remind me of the little things in life that bring joy.
There's not a lot to this book but it's a nice bedside book that you can read a few "awesome" things at a time when you have a minute.
It was enjoyable and I'm glad I finally got around to it as I've owned this book for years.
March 15, 2022
The Book of Awesome is a collection of the simple things in life. It serves as a reminder that there are small things around us everyday to celebrate if we look for them. I loved that about this book! I work to maintain a positive mindset and that is why I picked this one up. The author mentioned a lot of moments that made me smile. At the same time I felt some of his explanations were a little long and found myself skimming parts of the book. I probably wouldn’t read it again but I did enjoy it and it served its purpose to remind me of the awesome moments to celebrate everyday.
December 3, 2010
The title is very full of itself. "The book of Awesome"... Well lemme tell you something, it wasn't wrong. This book was so AWESOME! It's not really a story but the way the things were written, was so magical!
Let's bask in it's glory....
Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome! Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!
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Huh.. That was nice. Look at all that awesomeness. Let's have fun! Can you find the awesome with out the second "e". AND NO CHEATING! If you do that is so not awesome!
Love,
Michelle
Let's bask in it's glory....
Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome! Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!
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Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!
Awesome!Awesome! Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!Awesome!
Huh.. That was nice. Look at all that awesomeness. Let's have fun! Can you find the awesome with out the second "e". AND NO CHEATING! If you do that is so not awesome!
Love,
Michelle
March 5, 2019
Some of the things in this book was hilarious to read.
January 7, 2023
A reminder of the little things that can make you smile :-)
June 4, 2020
Neil Pasricha has written a book of short essays about little things in our lives that make our days just a little more awesome when we encounter them.
I needed this book in my life right now. I don't even know how to follow that up without hijacking this review into my own political soapbox, so for future reference, I'll just note that we're in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and may George Floyd rest in peace. I pray for justice and meaningful societal changes for him and so many countless others.
Anyway...
A reminder of small, awesome things is a welcome break from thedaily hourly onslaught of bad news at the moment. The topics are so great that just reading the contents brings a smile to my face. "The smell of freshly cut grass." One of my favorite smells in the world. "Watching The Price is Right when you're at home sick." That one brings back memories of staying home sick with my grandfather, who passed away two years ago. I don't remember watching The Price is Right with him, but I remember Chuck Woolery hosting Scrabble. And that brings back memories of Papaw watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy literally every night that it was on. Another one that I haven't experienced but I sure would like to: "When your suitcase tumbles down the luggage chute first after a long flight." If that ever happens to me, I'm going right out and buying my PowerBall ticket. I think the lottery odds are better than the first-luggage odds!
I mostly read this before bed, because that's when I like to read my nonfiction books, so over breakfast in the morning, I would read the chapter titles to my husband. That sparked some good conversations about whether we thought each topic was awesome or not (He thinks sleeping with one leg under the covers and one leg out is awesome, but I'm generally for being completely covered, even if it's only a sheet). We'd also discuss any other memories the topics sparked, like my stories about my grandfather and game shows.
The book got just a bit too long for me. I looked back at the last several chapters, and I do mostly agree that they're awesome, so I must have just run out of attention. But it also felt like, instead of a quick page or two, the essays got a bit longer. Whatever happened, I personally just wish the book had been maybe 25 pages shorter.
If you need a pick-me-up like I did, please give this book a try. You'll walk away with a renewed appreciation for all the awesome little things that make up your day if you just have the eyes to see them.
I needed this book in my life right now. I don't even know how to follow that up without hijacking this review into my own political soapbox, so for future reference, I'll just note that we're in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and may George Floyd rest in peace. I pray for justice and meaningful societal changes for him and so many countless others.
Anyway...
A reminder of small, awesome things is a welcome break from the
I mostly read this before bed, because that's when I like to read my nonfiction books, so over breakfast in the morning, I would read the chapter titles to my husband. That sparked some good conversations about whether we thought each topic was awesome or not (He thinks sleeping with one leg under the covers and one leg out is awesome, but I'm generally for being completely covered, even if it's only a sheet). We'd also discuss any other memories the topics sparked, like my stories about my grandfather and game shows.
The book got just a bit too long for me. I looked back at the last several chapters, and I do mostly agree that they're awesome, so I must have just run out of attention. But it also felt like, instead of a quick page or two, the essays got a bit longer. Whatever happened, I personally just wish the book had been maybe 25 pages shorter.
If you need a pick-me-up like I did, please give this book a try. You'll walk away with a renewed appreciation for all the awesome little things that make up your day if you just have the eyes to see them.
June 21, 2015
Something fascinating happened while I was reading this book.
I started out just reading a few chapters in between the other books I was reading. It's hard to read a book like this straight through, cover to cover, so I was giving myself room, to keep from getting bored or having it feel monotonous.
Then I finished the book I was reading, and decided to try reading straight through, starting Friday morning. Sitting outside with my coffee, the dog running around and rolling in the sun. Being unemployed as long as I have been, sitting outside and reading and smoking and watching my animals has become an every day, multiple times a day thing.
And I looked up from my book, and saw my big galoof of a dog basking in the sunlight, and I just thought, "Man, it is so wonderful to see a dog enjoying the sunshine. They're just so happy."
Then I set the book down and went inside to get my tortoise's lunch, and put it down for her. As she trundled over and started devouring her lettuce and tomatoes, I sat for a second and grinned, watching how much she ate with gusto.
And the wind blew, and despite the super Louisiana humidity, it felt nice, and the breeze smelled good.
And everything...was awesome.
And a few hours after all of this happened, I got a phone call. I got the job I interviewed for last week. The job I wanted very much.
That is awesome.
This book gave me such a positive lift. Even the chapters I have absolutely no idea about (snow, bowling) were fun.
Certainly, some of the chapters could've done without the explanation. I mean, Popping bubble wrap? 'Nuff said. But then he added in there that bubble wrap was originally intended to be a textured wallpaper.
And salary is derived from Salarium, meaning money paid to soldiers to buy salt.
And Egyptians used to worship onions.
You know how I feel about completely useless trivia?
That's right. It's awesome.
I really really liked this book. It is awesome.
Like a hot dog.
I started out just reading a few chapters in between the other books I was reading. It's hard to read a book like this straight through, cover to cover, so I was giving myself room, to keep from getting bored or having it feel monotonous.
Then I finished the book I was reading, and decided to try reading straight through, starting Friday morning. Sitting outside with my coffee, the dog running around and rolling in the sun. Being unemployed as long as I have been, sitting outside and reading and smoking and watching my animals has become an every day, multiple times a day thing.
And I looked up from my book, and saw my big galoof of a dog basking in the sunlight, and I just thought, "Man, it is so wonderful to see a dog enjoying the sunshine. They're just so happy."
Then I set the book down and went inside to get my tortoise's lunch, and put it down for her. As she trundled over and started devouring her lettuce and tomatoes, I sat for a second and grinned, watching how much she ate with gusto.
And the wind blew, and despite the super Louisiana humidity, it felt nice, and the breeze smelled good.
And everything...was awesome.
And a few hours after all of this happened, I got a phone call. I got the job I interviewed for last week. The job I wanted very much.
That is awesome.
This book gave me such a positive lift. Even the chapters I have absolutely no idea about (snow, bowling) were fun.
Certainly, some of the chapters could've done without the explanation. I mean, Popping bubble wrap? 'Nuff said. But then he added in there that bubble wrap was originally intended to be a textured wallpaper.
And salary is derived from Salarium, meaning money paid to soldiers to buy salt.
And Egyptians used to worship onions.
You know how I feel about completely useless trivia?
That's right. It's awesome.
I really really liked this book. It is awesome.
Like a hot dog.
May 6, 2011
This was such a warm and fuzzy reading experience. Some of the entries brought with them a heavy dose of nostalgia, while others provoked the surprise and delight of "Hey, I do that too!" recognition. The book works best read in small doses, maybe a handful of entries a day. Any more and you run the risk of it becoming tedious (you're reading what is essentially a list, after all), and that would be a shame. Pasricha's commentary on each entry is sometimes sweet, often blunt (but not obnoxiously so), and almost always amusing. I'm looking forward to reading The Book of (Even More) Awesome, which just came out.
Of course, this review would not be complete without listing some of my favorites (I wish I could post the commentary for each entry, but I think my fingers would mutiny if I tried to type that much tonight):
- Old, dangerous playground equipment
- The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes onstage
- Hitting a bunch of green lights in a row
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- Peeling off your wet bathing suit and putting on warm clothes after swimming for a long time
- Hanging your hand out the car window
- Locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away
- The smell of books
- Dangling your feet in water
- When you arrive at your destination just as a great song ends on the radio
- Saying the same thing a sports commentator says just before they say it
Of course, this review would not be complete without listing some of my favorites (I wish I could post the commentary for each entry, but I think my fingers would mutiny if I tried to type that much tonight):
- Old, dangerous playground equipment
- The moment at a concert after the lights go out and before the band comes onstage
- Hitting a bunch of green lights in a row
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- Peeling off your wet bathing suit and putting on warm clothes after swimming for a long time
- Hanging your hand out the car window
- Locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away
- The smell of books
- Dangling your feet in water
- When you arrive at your destination just as a great song ends on the radio
- Saying the same thing a sports commentator says just before they say it
March 10, 2015
First of all, the content of this book is fantastic. No doubt about it. It's always fun to reminisce on positive things. No matter what mood you are in, the simple things in life can still make you happy.
If you choose to read this book, you need to realize that this isn't your average book. If you didn't know, the book has a whole lot of awesome things - each one getting its own chapter - each one is 1-3 pages. You can't sit down and read more than three chapters or three awesome things. You can't read the book like a book you would normally read. Frankly, the authors tone/voice got kinda repetitive after more than three chapters at a time. My three star rating was given because I realized this too late. I would read maybe ten chapters in a row because it would fly by so quick. But what I didn't realize was that this book doesn't have an expiration date. In my recommendation it should take about a year to read: occasionally picking it up and glancing at a few pages then putting it away again.
I also think that the original website the author made is much better suited for this kind of content. A blog format makes it much more friendly and likable for some strange reason. Side note: this would make an awesome coffee table book.
The beauty of the book though is that you will never actually finish the book because you can always go back and read a few pages even if you've already read it. Just realize this before you start it, this way you don't have a crappy experience like I had
If you choose to read this book, you need to realize that this isn't your average book. If you didn't know, the book has a whole lot of awesome things - each one getting its own chapter - each one is 1-3 pages. You can't sit down and read more than three chapters or three awesome things. You can't read the book like a book you would normally read. Frankly, the authors tone/voice got kinda repetitive after more than three chapters at a time. My three star rating was given because I realized this too late. I would read maybe ten chapters in a row because it would fly by so quick. But what I didn't realize was that this book doesn't have an expiration date. In my recommendation it should take about a year to read: occasionally picking it up and glancing at a few pages then putting it away again.
I also think that the original website the author made is much better suited for this kind of content. A blog format makes it much more friendly and likable for some strange reason. Side note: this would make an awesome coffee table book.
The beauty of the book though is that you will never actually finish the book because you can always go back and read a few pages even if you've already read it. Just realize this before you start it, this way you don't have a crappy experience like I had
August 22, 2018
I love everything about this book. It reminds me that sometimes we just need to stop and appreciate the little things. The writing is very friendly. It was written as if you were chatting with a buddy and I love books like that.
With this review, I'll just list some of my favorite little things that were mentioned in this book. There were quite a bit that I loved and it brought back some good memories but for the purpose of this review, I'll keep it nice and short.
*seeing a cop on the side of the road and realizing you are going the speed limit anyway.
*picking the perfect nacho off of someone else's plate.
*popping bubble wrap.
*hitting a bunch of green lights in a row.
*taking your bra off after wearing it for hours.
*licking the batter of the beaters of a cake mixer.
*that friendly nod between strangers out doing the same thing.
*dangling your feet in water.
*the smell of books (saved the best for last!)
Seriously, pick this book up if you guys are ever having a bad day or just need a pick me up. I promise you will not be disappointed!
With this review, I'll just list some of my favorite little things that were mentioned in this book. There were quite a bit that I loved and it brought back some good memories but for the purpose of this review, I'll keep it nice and short.
*seeing a cop on the side of the road and realizing you are going the speed limit anyway.
*picking the perfect nacho off of someone else's plate.
*popping bubble wrap.
*hitting a bunch of green lights in a row.
*taking your bra off after wearing it for hours.
*licking the batter of the beaters of a cake mixer.
*that friendly nod between strangers out doing the same thing.
*dangling your feet in water.
*the smell of books (saved the best for last!)
Seriously, pick this book up if you guys are ever having a bad day or just need a pick me up. I promise you will not be disappointed!
December 28, 2011
Laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with just enough sarcastic nostalgia"
Hmm. A good concept. Unfortunately, that little twinge of sarcasm that's supposed to make this "optimism for the rest of us" (Vancouver Sun) ruins it. If you're going to write a book ( or a website) about the little things in life worth celebrating, why consistently muck it up with just the tiniest twinge of negativity? It's The Secret for people that enjoy being crusty.
And, it might be humorous, but "laugh out loud funny" is really pushing it.
I think I'm being so harsh here because someone gave me a copy of this intending for it to be pick me up. It's not horrible; it's just not good enough to have been lauded by Heather at Chapters as hard as it was.
Hmm. A good concept. Unfortunately, that little twinge of sarcasm that's supposed to make this "optimism for the rest of us" (Vancouver Sun) ruins it. If you're going to write a book ( or a website) about the little things in life worth celebrating, why consistently muck it up with just the tiniest twinge of negativity? It's The Secret for people that enjoy being crusty.
And, it might be humorous, but "laugh out loud funny" is really pushing it.
I think I'm being so harsh here because someone gave me a copy of this intending for it to be pick me up. It's not horrible; it's just not good enough to have been lauded by Heather at Chapters as hard as it was.
October 31, 2011
This is a book spun off from a Web site, where the author has made a list of "Awesome" things... small things that we can feel good about every day. For instance: peeling an orange in one go, the smell of a new box of crayons and the wave you get when you let someone over in traffic.
All good things...
But, I got really tired of the "AWESOME!" printed at the bottom of the page. And, honestly, I would have been happier just reading a list. I didn't need an essay (even a short essay) about any of the listed items.
In fact, a nice check-list, with boxes, would have been very cool, so I could tick off how many I agreed with. :)
All good things...
But, I got really tired of the "AWESOME!" printed at the bottom of the page. And, honestly, I would have been happier just reading a list. I didn't need an essay (even a short essay) about any of the listed items.
In fact, a nice check-list, with boxes, would have been very cool, so I could tick off how many I agreed with. :)
October 18, 2011
A series of essays (some as short as one paragraph) on various things the author declares as awesome; i.e "Hitting a Bunch of Green Lights in a Row", "Popping Bubble Wrap". Subjective, light, and some may be familiar. A so-so book -- fortunately I got it from the library and did not buy it. I would recommend getting a notebook and writing your own book of awesome.
October 4, 2016
I really liked the idea of a book that reminds you of the small-yet-awesome little things in life, reminds you to stop and smell the roses and be happy with what you have.
But for me reading just the index / titles was enough to get the idea, and reading the full stories didn't add much, if anything at all. Very quick read and relatable stories, but not necessarily 'awesome'.
But for me reading just the index / titles was enough to get the idea, and reading the full stories didn't add much, if anything at all. Very quick read and relatable stories, but not necessarily 'awesome'.
May 17, 2019
While I got the book for myself, I ended up bringing it to work and reading a little section of it for my co-workers at the end of a relatively boring meeting each week. It became a bit of a tradition and everyone ended up looking forward to our reading from "The Book of Awesome."
I appreciate books like this for the place they have in this world to uplift and bring joy.
I appreciate books like this for the place they have in this world to uplift and bring joy.
October 10, 2011
I skimmed through it. I understand the appeal, and it's not offensive or anything, but more of a book for people who don't read books.
July 14, 2017
Honestly i would say it is a very nice time pass book and it made me feel good. The great thing about the book is that it covers all aspects of day to day life. It will take you from one topic to totally unrelated brand new topic n scene! And you never know what is going to come next. This is what i like most.
In between, some topics are boring and the author has unnecessarily explained it too much with his own theories, sub types and examples. That's why i am not giving 5 star. However, some awesome things are so justified (we hardly notice them though these happens often with us) that will make readers smile and even laugh.
The cover of this book is really attractive and even the pages and fonts inside with some pictures as well. I have made different colour hearts near my favorite awesome things.
The last awesome thing was really philosophical and indeed true; which wrapped up the whole idea of writing this book and to appreciate happiness and joy in life. i would say AWESOME.
In between, some topics are boring and the author has unnecessarily explained it too much with his own theories, sub types and examples. That's why i am not giving 5 star. However, some awesome things are so justified (we hardly notice them though these happens often with us) that will make readers smile and even laugh.
The cover of this book is really attractive and even the pages and fonts inside with some pictures as well. I have made different colour hearts near my favorite awesome things.
The last awesome thing was really philosophical and indeed true; which wrapped up the whole idea of writing this book and to appreciate happiness and joy in life. i would say AWESOME.
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