Amanda Palmer (1) (1976–)

I loved it. It made me cry, multiple times. I didn't want to like it - I HATE asking for help, and I'm only semi-comfortable being asked. But this really made me think a lot about vulnerability, being seen, art, daring to be brave, and human connection. I know she has her critics, but from where I'm sitting it's all love love love.

I should be too old, too jaded, too well-read, and too involved to get sucked into book that MAKES ME WANT TO BE A BETTER PERSON.

But...
well...
It happened anyway.

So before I get into the review, I just want to thank the writer for her openness and honesty. I want to thank her for revealing such heartbreaking intimacy to us. I was already a fan, but I wasn't part of the fen. That has changed. I saw something that spoke to me and revealed a level of courage that was more compelling than show more practically anything I've ever seen, heard, or experienced.

The key concept here is being courageous in telling the truth, regardless of the consequences. Secondarily, it's about asking for help and being able to receive it, but just because I've put this as second doesn't necessarily make it less important. It just means that its message might have been lost if it wasn't for that moment where the pages bled and my fingers smeared Amanda's blood all over my furniture and on my shirt and in my eyes as I unsuccessfully tried to wipe away my tears.

On to the review.

The message eventually ramped up to revolve around the revolution of Kickstarter, and I assume it was also the impetus that made the publishers want her story. Little did they know they'd be getting something so very human and encouraging, showing the rest of us introverts and artistic types that we aren't wrong in wishing for a world of connection on our own terms, that being dissatisfied with accepted modes of living isn't a sign that we'll never be able to be true to ourselves.

We are not meant to be lost and unable to cope with our lives. We are meant to find our real kin and be a part of their lives, as they will be a part of ours. The only way that is possible is by opening ourselves up and being truly able to receive the help when it comes. I know it sounds cliche, perhaps vaguely mystical, but in this book, it's absolutely emotional and breathtaking and visceral.

I want to be seen. I want to be in love with every human connection I make. I see you.

So simple, so persuasive.

And ultimately, it is the most personally rewarding book I've read in a long time that doesn't set its feet in the airy world. I feel as if I had a long and wonderful conversation with a true friend.

Fuck the review. I'm just going to say, again, "Thank you, Amanda."

If you ever read this, assume I'm giving you a hug.

Brad K Horner's Blog show less

I'm not a fan of Amanda's music. In fact, before her TED talk I hadn't heard of her. But I saw some reviews of this book, and thought I'd give the audio a try. So Amanda has been riding along on all my drives for the past ten days. Truthfully, she was there as I watered my garden and took off my makeup at night too. The book is that good.

I joined Twitter back before it became about selling products and services. It was about connection, and that's exactly how Amanda used it then and still show more uses it now. I feel a renewed longing for the old social media - without sales pitches. (To that end, find me on Litsy - new bookish app - @BarbaraTheBibliophage.)

Amanda also talks about the blender. When you produce art, write music or poetry does it go into your "blender" first? Or does it get served in big, raw, unfiltered chunks? How edited or blended is what you share with the world? She doesn't blend all of this book, so I felt like she shared and over shared most of her life. I commend her courage in that. It's not easy and it's not pretty, but it made for a great listen. Thanks Amanda!

***rethinking this review 1 year later: and revising it down from 5 stars to 3.5. It's still an enjoyable read, but based on memoirs I've read since, it's just not all that *** show less

I had been wanting to read Amanda Palmer's book, The Art of Asking, for awhile, but I couldn't afford it, so when I found out about a deal at Audiobooks.com, I chose it as my freebie. There were so many other books on my wishlist, but Amanda Palmer narrates the book herself, and there's the "extra" of a few music tracks. So, I figured, if there's one book I'd likely enjoy as an audiobook, it would be this one. I'm so glad I chose it, instead of something else. This book is beyond amazing!

The show more entire book felt like a never-boring conversation between life-long friends. I listened to it while commuting to and from school (an hour each way), but also at every point in my day when I had a couple minutes to spare. That meant a book that, clocking in at 11 hours and 30 minutes, should have taken me 6 days to finish, only took 4 days instead. However, If I had been reading the hardcover, instead of listening, I think it would have taken much longer. There are just so many quotes that I would have had to stop and think about and then highlight and write notes in the margins, if not longer "notes" in my journal. There would have been moments when I would need to stop reading so I could let out all the feels this book brought on, and I would have stopped too many times to count in order to dog ear pages. I frequently thought that someone needs to come up with an app to "bookmark" passages in audiobooks, and there were several times when I came close to having to pull over so I could let the tears flow safely. I don't know how I managed to hold myself together long enough to get to school or home.

I loved The Art of Asking so much that I bought a physical copy. The boyfriend later made it a gift, when I told him that this book was the best non-fiction book I've ever read that I HAD to buy it, regardless of the hardcover price tag. His other reason might have been that I wouldn't shut up about the book, Amanda Palmer, or Neil Gaiman, and maybe paying for the book would finally earn him a subject change. I greatly look forward to rereading it, and I can't recommend it enough. I somewhat understand why it's labeled as "Self-Help", but I think it fits better into the auto-biography or memoir categories. Really, it's a one-on-one, sit down, with an endless cup of coffee or glass of wine, conversation with a best friend. Unfortunately there's no category for that in bookstores and libraries. show less