Review of Allie Brosh's "Hyperbole and a Half"

This review is part of the project that I mentioned in the Sherman Alexie review last month.


As part of my school's Common Book selection process, I had the opportunity to read Allie Brosh's memoir/ humor book, Hyperbole and a Half (2013). It chronicles significant events from Allie's childhood, her love for dogs and nachos, as well as some of her struggles with anxiety and depression. The book itself is presented more like a comic, with pictures telling most of the narrative. While she often tackles difficult and very personal topics, she does so with a lot of care, as well as humor. Instead of limiting herself because of her problems, she talks about their debilitating aspects, while also talking about ways that she has learned to more effectively cope with some of them.


The chapters that resonated most with me, were the ones about depression, and the chapters at the end about identity. While I have not reached levels of despair where I feel like everything is meaningless, I do know how it feels to lack motivation, and to not feel like I have the energy to do anything more than sit in bed and watch TV or go on the internet all day. I also connect with what she says about her sense of self-worth, in relation to others. She mentions that she experiences envy when she sees what "healthy" and "successful" people are able to accomplish in a day, while she is lucky if two things make it off her daily check-list. I find myself making similar comparisons, even when I know that doing so is not constructive. I found this section useful, because it gave me a different perspective on how I view my own successes and perceived failures. It also gives me hope for the future, because while the journey to better mental health is a long and arduous one, seeing what Allie is able to accomplish and do, despite what she has been through, gives me hope for myself, and for what I can accomplish too.


This book is extremely accessible, and not just because it consists of pictures, large font, and bright colors. While the information, and anecdotes provided in the text are about very serious topics, they are presented in a way that stresses their importance, without stigmatizing them or reducing their significance. It is a well-paced, fast read, that addresses important topics about depression, anxiety, identity, etc. and the best way to think about them in relation to our own lives. It is a good fit for incoming freshman and transfer students, and I would recommend it for the Common Book. While I think that some of the other nominated titles did a more effective job embodying the core values of the school, and were more effective at conveying similar themes, I still think that it deserves consideration for inclusion in the program. Overall Grade: B+.