Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation.

For Bemelmans was 'the man who came to cocktails'. An obvious choice for Hyperbole fans, but this will also appeal to fans of other oddball web presences like Homestar Runner and The Oatmeal.Īn extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. Part graphic novel, part confessional, overall delightful. The other half is comprised of Internet favorites, including “Simple Dog,” “The God of Cake” and “Adventures in Depression.” Brosh’s longtime fans and cult followers will be happy to learn that half of the material for this book is new and unpublished. Perhaps the most endearing thing about her writing is that she approaches her subject matter from a vulnerable, childlike place, complete with Paintbrush caricatures that have arguably already earned iconic status. In her typical self-deprecating and dramatic manner (hence the hyperbole reference), she tells personal stories that name things we can all relate to, including fear, love, depression and hope. Brosh is a connoisseur of the human condition. It does feel choppy in places, but the wit, hilarity and poignancy of the subject matter trump structural concerns. That said, holding a book may leave some with a yearning for more cohesion. Blog followers don’t usually binge read, but book readers do. Anyone who takes years’ worth of blog posts and tries to pare them down into book form is facing a formidable task, whether the writing is any good or not (in this case, it is, though some essays are stronger than others).

Brosh makes a solid first attempt to bridge this literary gap.

However, as many readers know, web writing often does not translate well to a book (and vice versa). An immensely successful blogger, the author’s Hyperbole and a Half earned her a 2011 Bloggies Award and also garnered a spot on PC World’s “Funniest Sites on the Web.” Suffice it to say, she has become something of an Internet sensation. A quirky, humorous memoir/collection of illustrated essays.īrosh is a good example of how new literary forms are evolving.

Hyperbole and a half book