The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things

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The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things (The Book of Awesome #1)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 5,070 ratings · 695 reviews

The author behind 1000awesomethings.com celebrates the good things in life- by the sheer power of their awesomeness.
Based on the award-winning blog 1000awesomethings.com, "The Book of Awesome" is a high five for humanity and a big celebration of life's little moments and the underappreciated, simple things that make us happy, from popping bubble wrap to hitting a bunch o...more

ebook, 367 pages

Published April 15th 2010 by Berkley

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Nov 24, 2011 Dan C. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-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 no...more 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!(less)

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Aug 18, 2010 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: random-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...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who appreciate the little things

Shelves: library-check-out

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...more 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!
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Feb 05, 2012 Buggy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lmao, shelf-11, help-yourself, blah

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 w...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.
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Mar 14, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this book mainly for the idea of it, and for some of the unusual things that are present inside. I cannot entirely relate to most of the entries, probably I can relate to less than 20% of them, but I still enjoyed skimming it. I started writing my own list of awesome things on my blog, but I ran out of things before reaching 100. Maybe I reached 30. Maybe. I like reading about things you think are awesome, but you don't think anyone else thinks are awesome, and then you realize that someo...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Lauren rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: febuary

I have decided to read this book beacuse a lot of people have recommended it to me and told me it was funny and very relatable.

pg 45. So far I have read a quarter of this book. It has been about from the awesome feeling it is to pick the perfect nacho off someone elses plate, to something as simple as high fiving a baby or seeing a cop on the road but relizing your going the speed limit anyways. I like this book so far because it points out the simple but awesome things in someones life that ar...more

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Dec 25, 2012 Fiona rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: december2012, comedy

Neil Pasricha writes about 1000 amazing things that happen in our daily lives, from finding your keys to fixing electronics by smashing them. Each amazing thing he writes about relates to his past experience. Neil goes into depth with each experience and ending it with AWESOME !!! Each and every one of the amazing thing is different from each other. 90% of the time, the way he phrases it makes the amazing thing sound humorous.

I first picked up this book because in the beginning of grade 7, Mrs....more

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Mar 24, 2012 Lee-ann Sleegers rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Book of Awesome has something for everyone! The book has been around the house for about a month and both adults have read at least parts of it. What I really liked about The Book of Awesome is that many of the anecdotes could be read to my four year old. Neil does a great job of writing about uniquely female experiences often qualifying them with, "so I've heard," as well as the uniquely male experiences and those that can be experienced by just about anyone. While you might not agree with...more

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Jan 26, 2012 SuperSteph rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was waiting for my cousin at a bookstore when I came across this book. I read the whole thing under 30 minutes! I really love how it's so true that when you add up all these little things that make you happy, life really is pretty grand:)

You hear about it all the time (even from your own inner monologue)when things go wrong or all the crappy things that can make a day turn south;burning yourself(or a child) with the curling iron(OW), stubbing your pinkie toe, no toilet paper in a public bathr...more I was waiting for my cousin at a bookstore when I came across this book. I read the whole thing under 30 minutes! I really love how it's so true that when you add up all these little things that make you happy, life really is pretty grand:)

You hear about it all the time (even from your own inner monologue)when things go wrong or all the crappy things that can make a day turn south;burning yourself(or a child) with the curling iron(OW), stubbing your pinkie toe, no toilet paper in a public bathroom and you already peed(dang), locking yourself out of the car at a store..(in my case with the car RUNNING)forgetting your debit card at home with a cart full of groceries, running out of gas at the red light and the gas station is a turn away, your kid throwing a level 10 fit in public(and they NEVER get that crazy like that at home!)with everyone staring...your kid getting lice at school(ugh!)and the process of all THAT....the list can go on and on.
Then comes The Book of Awesome...
When I read this I was either smiling to myself or laughing out loud! I love how it reminded me about those great moments, when I can feel it all through my heart. Whatever big problem or stress I am having is forgotten, if only for that brief moment.
I love meeting someone I really admire and getting the chance to tell them how they have inspired me...Finding that huge curly fry or onion ring in the box with my regular ones...when they call someone I love's name at graduation.....when someone gives me a really heartfelt apology after hurting my feelings...and that feeling of forgiveness creeping in...the first time my babies smiled at me with gums showing...or said "mama"...I tell a joke and everyone laughs...picking up the phone to call my friend I miss and I actually answered their call to me at the same time...actually winning something in a raffle..coming out really good in a picture(rare:p)..when the love of my life tells me I'm his as well...even after a really rough day(or week!)
Some moments I am looking forward to: the first time my kids step through the gates at Disneyland...having us all shin deep in some ice cold waves breaking over our feet...the moment I really,totally accept myself......stepping on a scale, and seeing that all that hard work really did pay off...:D
After having read this book, It caused me to promise myself to pay more attention and be present when those moments arise and savor it. I want to continue to teach my children to do the same. (less)

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May 28, 2011 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This book is comprised of short 1 & 2 pagers of life's little joys. It was laugh out loud funny at times. Many things resonnated with me.

For example: when Pasricha talks about "the other side of the pillow", I said, yea, that's me! "On nights when you just can't sleep, one of the greatest things invented is simply Turning Over the Pillow!. The other side of the pillow, folks, is flat when you're sagging, fresh when you're stale, and cold when you're hot, baby!

Another awesome experience is w...more

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May 05, 2011 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-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...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish I could come with a good idea, make a blog about, people read it, I make book about it, people buy it and then publish another book.
Some of the AWESOME stories are great, lots of the them reminded me of all the things I like too.

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Dec 03, 2010 Michelle. Tsunami. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, loved

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!Awesom...more 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(less)

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Oct 16, 2012 Sue Smith rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

*sigh* I think I'm turning into a curmudgeon. Not a curmudgeon like my Dad (I don't think I'll ever get that bad - and if I do, then I hope someone shoots me) - but a grouchy cynic kind of curmudgeon. This book just didn't do it for me.

It's not that this book is 'bad' per se, but - hmmmm, how do I put this - but I just wasn't in the up mood to receive it's message of super saccharine happiness for some reason. I found, more often than not, that it just grated on my nerves. Or at least, I found m...more

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Feb 26, 2013 'esther liu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: march2013

Neil Pasricha wrote so many amazing things that happen in our daily lives. Even science fairs, and swings and so many others. The readers are guaranteed to relate to at least one because it is about our daily living. After reading this book, I agreed with most of it because I can relate to it and it seems awesome too! The way he writes this book is interesting because he starts a page with something else of what he thinks is AWESOME.

I picked up this book because I read the second book even thou...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book was awesome!

The parts that i really liked the most, they were funny and i found myself in them were:
-The other side of the pillow.
-When you get the milk-to-cereal ratio just right.
-Popping Bubble Wrap (Great one!).
-When someone lands on the hotel you just built in Monopoly.
-Bakery air.
-Waking up before your alarm clock and realizing you've got lots of sleep time left.
-Licking the batter off the beaters of a cake mixer (Great!).
-When the thing you were going to buy is already on sale.
- T...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Christi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Neil Pasricha started a blog, http://1000awesomethings.com/ in 2008 simply to document all the awesomeness he encountered in his everyday life. The popularity of this website led to the publication of The Book of Awesome in 2010. Goodreads has samples of some of the awesome things discussed in the book, but I have some of my own favorites:

When someone lands on the hotel you built built in Monopoly
Peeling that thin plastic film off new electronics
Licking the batter off the beaters of a cake mixer...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.

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Oct 16, 2011 Mackenzie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Just like the title says, the book is awesome.

I derived great joy from reading the many awesome things it lists. I can just randomly open one page and the one thing I read there is indeed something completely awesome. Like "sleeping with one leg under the covers and one leg out" and "the smell of the coffee aisle in the grocery store". It's really hard to not smile because you just know they are.

I pick up the book whenever I feel down and in a way this becomes a self-help book. But some of the t...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Traci rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 - sometimes we just need someone to point them out. The Book of Awesome reminds us that the best things in life are free (yes, your grandma was right). With laugh...more 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 - sometimes we just need someone to point them out. 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. Red it and you'll remember all the things there are to feel good about. The Book of Awesome reminds us of all the little things that we often overlook but that make us smile. With touching, warm, and funny observations, each entry ends with the big booming feeling you'll get when you read through them: AWESOME!

This book fell in my lap when I was doing Saturday duty at our main library branch. Yep, my day was not awesome; I had been "asked" to help fill in at said "big" library due to six open vacancies and a county-wide hiring freeze. And of course, my boss didn't give me a lot of heads-up about this change; I was working after finding out less than 2 weeks beforehand. So, yeah, I wasn't my usual chipper self, and I wasn't really feeling my job that day. While checking in books in the back room, I came across this little gem, and I felt compelled to stop and experience all the "awesome" things in life.

Not to sound too cliche, but this book really is awesome! Pasricha began this as an Internet blog project back in 2008. I suspect he, too, was having "one of those days", and rather than sit around and revel in the mope, he did something constructive and turned his attitude around. I've become a follower of the blog, too, after reading this book, and yes, it's still just as fun to read about the awesome things every morning.

So what types of awesome things are in the book? Things like "popping bubble wrap", which is listed on the dust jacket, and yes, just happens to be one of my all-time favorite things to do. There's nothing to cheer up a down day like popping a bunch of tiny air-filled bubbles of goodness, especially if there are other people around to be annoyed by it (just my personal opinion....). Other things make the list like "wearing underwear just out of the dryer", and "hitting a bunch of green lights in a row". I would totally agree with most of the entries here - they are AWESOME moments!

The other thing I enjoyed about this book was that it got me thinking about what I, personally, consider to be "awesome". I've come up with a few, and I'll share one here with you. I think it's awesome to be walking outside, either around a neighborhood or near a laundromat, and smell that sweet, clean smell of dryer air being vented to the outside. There's nothing like that smell, and it just envelopes me in a small cloud of heat and warm memories. AWESOME!

Definitely pick up this book if you need some motivation in today's not-so-awesome world. It's a bit like saying "stop and smell the roses", but Pasricha gives you real-world things to enjoy. And look for his sequel, "The Book of (even more) Awesome" hitting stores April 28, 2011. AWESOME! (less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-nonfiction, gift-books, optimism, happiness

A book of short write-ups on a ton of little things that can brighten your day. My personal favorite was snow stepping or walking in the footsteps somebody has already forged in a fresh-fallen snow.

I even learned 2 pretty cool things while reading this book. The first involves the aluminum foil box in the kitchen. It has two little slots that help anchor it in the box! I can't believe I've never noticed them before. The other thing involves the gas tank in my car. On the control panel, the fuel...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 15, 2012 Hayden rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was fun to read this book and be reminded that no matter how grumpy I get, my life really doesn't actually suck. No, there are thousands of little things that happen every day that can brighten my outlook, if I just take a minute to look around and notice them. One thing Neil Pasricha forgot to include though... Finding a book that just makes you smile and take a minute to appreciate the little things... That's just AWESOME!

My personal faves in this book:
- seeing a cop and realizing you're go...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First things first. This is not a novel. It's not meant to be read in large chunk until it's finished. No, it's a series of entries. You're meant to read an entry here, a couple entries there. It welcomes being skimmed, forwards and backwards.

Second, I found it to be a great pick-me-up tool. I enjoyed reading it when I needed a little distraction or when I needed to find something to put a smile back on my face.

Third, this book is like tailor-made to be a gift to a friend or family-member! I am...more

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May 14, 2010 Alea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-review

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 fol...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, own-in-book-format, read-in-2011, remarkable-reads, to-re-read

Oh how I long to snark about The Book of Awesome and its happy-go-lucky message of appreciating the little things, but unfortunately people, I drank the Kool-Aide too and am now extremely busy celebrating the minutiae in life!

The Book of Awesome is (wait for it...) awesome! It is chocked full of awesome-sauce such as "High-fiving babies: because they usually don't leave you hanging;" "Taking off your bra after wearing it for hours;" "Waking up before your alarm and realizing that you've got lots...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What else can I say? It was awesome,(that was bad) this piece of fine literature is a compilation of the little things in life that most of us simply overlook.
Things such as, the cold side of the pillow or, hitting a string of green lights (apologies for those of you who can't drive. A few things that stood out to me while reading this was the incredible voice that comes through, if feel almost like someone is speaking to me rather than reading some words off a page. The other, would most certai...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book-had-to-return, to-be-continued

I'll have to continue this later since it's overdue at the library, but since I've read over half of the book, I think I'm qualified to share my overall opinion on it.

The Book of Awesome is basically an exercise in positive thinking--only in short bursts, as opposed to the full on change-your-whole-viewpoint dogma. Think grins as opposed to hugs everywhere. If you find all the good in the little things then the bigger annoying things won't be as irritating. Pasricha's snappy, sweetly nostalgic p...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, self-help

What do Popping Bubble Wrap, Tripping Without Anyone Noticing and Taking Your Bra Off have in common? They are all AWESOME!

(Note: The author says he's only heard about how taking a bra off at the end of a day is amazing, but wanted to include it for all us females - and I can't deny it, it's pretty spectacular.)

This was a fun book, based off the blog 1000awesomethings.com. It's also fun to watch the author's TED talk to get a gist of how it all got started. Basically his life felt like it was f...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Faye rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 rea...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Cait rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction, reviews

THE BOOK OF AWESOME is, for lack of a better word, awesome. A collection of ideas of things that are awesome, each heading is followed by a small description of exactly why that thing is awesome. My favourite? Illegal naps! There’s nothing better than taking a nap when you know you probably shouldn’t, but it feels so good anyway.

The anecdotes are quite humerous, or touching, and some just make you shake your head smiling, knowing that yes indeed, that thing is certainly awesome (laughing so hard...more

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About Neil Pasricha

Neil Pasricha (Paz-REE-cha) never imagined that writing about the smell of gasoline, thinking it’s Thursday when it’s really Friday, or wearing underwear just out of the dryer would amount to anything. A self-described “average guy” with a typical 9-to-5 job in the suburbs, Neil started his blog 1000 Awesome Things, as a small reminder — in a world of rising sea levels, global conflict, and a trou...more

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Quotes from The Book of Awesome

“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. You will never be as young as you are right now.” — 38 people liked it

“The [Five Second Rule] has many variations, including The Three Second Rule, The Seven Second Rule, and the extremely handy and versatile The However Long It Takes Me to Pick Up This Food Rule.” — 25 people liked it

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title link	preview: The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things
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