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Am I There Yet? The Loop-de-Loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood
by
Adulting meets Hyperbole and a Half in this witty, starkly honest, and absolutely on-point book of essays and illustrations on the realities of growing up and finding yourself.
Mari Andrew started doodling when she worked at a bakery--she took some license with the display case labels. When customers noticed and began telling her the drawings brightened their days, Mari rea ...more
Mari Andrew started doodling when she worked at a bakery--she took some license with the display case labels. When customers noticed and began telling her the drawings brightened their days, Mari rea ...more
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Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
March 27th 2018
by Clarkson Potter Publishers
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Start your review of Am I There Yet? The Loop-de-Loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood
I am a little nervous about posting this review of a book I was clearly not the primary audience for. I saw, too, that of the few Goodread friends that have read this, that the harshest views were by males--sort of two starring it, like me--and I saw many women four-starring it, finding it adorable. I should note that I gave two stars to the third volume of Sarah Scribbles, the 2018 Goodreads Comics/Graphic Novel of the year, and two stars to the second place book, Little Moments of Love.
I can ...more
I can ...more
read this in one fell swoop. and I’ll probably read it once a week for the rest of my 20s. thank you, thank you, thank you.
What a soothing cup of tea of a book. Mari’s essays are just as thoughtful as her illustrations. This was a well thought out memoir that should be on every millennial’s bookshelves.
(Also, as a fan of Mari’s posts on Instagram, there was a TON of new material in the book. You won’t be disappointed.)
(Also, as a fan of Mari’s posts on Instagram, there was a TON of new material in the book. You won’t be disappointed.)
Really did not enjoy this one. I think part of my reaction to this book is annoyance at seeing it displayed in every bookstore I visit as the token graphic novel must-read of the season. Why recommend this book, over all the other comics out there? I'm not really a fan of the artwork. A lot of the illustrations were repetitive and kind of lazy, to be perfectly honest. Like here's a drawing of a coffee cup with the very helpful caption "coffee" and an arrow pointing to the picture. The end. I was
...more
I bought his book for my daughter and then read it on the plane to Mexico City to take it to her. She is going to love it! I highly recommend it for anyone, young and old. And in between. It has so much heart, fun illustrations, perspective, heartache, adventure.
I’m definitely buying one for my step-daughter and soon to be new daughter-in-law. I almost want to buy an extra for myself.
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Three of my many favorite quotes:
P 54: What I love most about living isn’t accomplishing things, but experie ...more
I’m definitely buying one for my step-daughter and soon to be new daughter-in-law. I almost want to buy an extra for myself.
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Three of my many favorite quotes:
P 54: What I love most about living isn’t accomplishing things, but experie ...more
This book has changed my life. I honestly cannot express how much I have depended on this book over the last few weeks.
It sounds silly but I never really thought of happiness being a choice, and that something I could simply aspire to. Thanks to this book I have realised that I am in complete control of my life and it has changed everything.
Thank you Mari for giving me the courage to embrace life and choose happiness!
It sounds silly but I never really thought of happiness being a choice, and that something I could simply aspire to. Thanks to this book I have realised that I am in complete control of my life and it has changed everything.
Thank you Mari for giving me the courage to embrace life and choose happiness!
I wanted to read all the graphic novels that made the finals of the Goodreads Choice Awards, and that is the only reason I forced myself to read every word in this book. I had not heard of it before the Goodreads Awards (it was in only one of the half dozen libraries around me), and I hope never to think of it again after today.
I just really don't understand why this book exists. It seems a collection of random words and illustrations by someone who is not particularly impressive as a writer or ...more
I just really don't understand why this book exists. It seems a collection of random words and illustrations by someone who is not particularly impressive as a writer or ...more
My last book of 2018, scraping in under the wire to finish my Reading Challenge!
The drawings were whimsical and aesthetically cute. But, the book was not for me. I did not find myself as enamored as all the other reviewers seem to be.
I found them to be one-dimensional, dripping in repetitive cliches, rolling in unchecked privilege and showing such little depth for such a worldly traveler. All the advice was repeating itself after having had a run through a thesaurus.
It seems fitting for a dis ...more
The drawings were whimsical and aesthetically cute. But, the book was not for me. I did not find myself as enamored as all the other reviewers seem to be.
I found them to be one-dimensional, dripping in repetitive cliches, rolling in unchecked privilege and showing such little depth for such a worldly traveler. All the advice was repeating itself after having had a run through a thesaurus.
It seems fitting for a dis ...more
Book uses mostly graphics to discuss challenges in coming of age through the life story of the author. Too self-congratulatory for me and helped me realize I'm well past the angst of my 20s.
...more
There is no word to describe this book other than “treasure.” I’ve been following Mari’s instagram account for a few years and wow, am I thankful she created this compilation of her works accompanied by some of the stories that inspired them.
It’s essentially a picture book for adults, illustrating all of the ups and downs and twists and turns of growing up, from moving to a new city, to love and heartbreak, to getting to know yourself and your purpose.
First of all, the book is just stunning. It ...more
It’s essentially a picture book for adults, illustrating all of the ups and downs and twists and turns of growing up, from moving to a new city, to love and heartbreak, to getting to know yourself and your purpose.
First of all, the book is just stunning. It ...more
The perfect prescription for someone who has no idea what they’re doing
As a follower of Mari, I was thrilled to finally be able to see her live and have her sign her book. She is the nicest person ever. The illustrations are so encouraging and relatable. I hadn't realized she was a writer as well so I enjoyed reading her topics on dating, travel, love and life. This book makes a great gift for anyone in their 20s/30s as well.
...more
It's poorly written, insipid drivel.
...more
Am I there Yet is a Semi-Autobiographical book based on Mari Andrew’s journey to Adulthood. She is a writer, Illustrator and aspiring flamenco enthusiast, living in New York. She takes us to her journey of 30 yrs to Adulthood, through essays and Hilarious, Heart breakingly true yet very RELATBLE Drawings and essays. Her Illustrations are inspired by seasons of her life, love, friendship, home, career, heartbreak and self discovery.
She was grieving her Father’s death and a Broken relationship. To ...more
She was grieving her Father’s death and a Broken relationship. To ...more
Only a couple of pages into the first chapter, I felt the inspiration and positive feelings starting to reel. I felt connected. I felt early on like this book is more relatable than any of the other books like this because it is the most accessible. This one doesn’t ask for you to give it all "right now" — to go through your entire journey after reading the book because all of the answers are "right here" or because you'll now have the key to getting to the destination. Instead it documents all
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I liked this.
For some reason, though, I’m finding it difficult to put into words just why that might be so. Mari Andrew has an engaging style. The book is a mixture of prose and drawings in which she gives her autobiography of the passage from teenhood to full-blown adulthood. It's offered not as an Infallible Blueprint, but rather as suggestions and examples from her own life. She's certainly had an interesting one.
This project appears to have grown out of a project where she started posting on ...more
For some reason, though, I’m finding it difficult to put into words just why that might be so. Mari Andrew has an engaging style. The book is a mixture of prose and drawings in which she gives her autobiography of the passage from teenhood to full-blown adulthood. It's offered not as an Infallible Blueprint, but rather as suggestions and examples from her own life. She's certainly had an interesting one.
This project appears to have grown out of a project where she started posting on ...more
Half-narrative, half-illustration, this is a sweet and beautifully-conceived book about the author's experience of unfolding into adulthood: finding love, confronting loss, overcoming obstacles, discovering purpose, creating home. As lovely as Mari's narrative is, it is the illustrations that steal the show in this book. Simple, smart, and stunning, her sketch paintings offer unique perspective on common "coming into adulthood" experiences and, arguably, tell her story even better than words.
...more
Mari Andrew masterfully unfolds her story through illustrations and essays. Her words reveal the narrative of her experiences and simultaneously inspire introspection.
I’ve loved following her art on Instagram - the graphic novel does not repeat any of her previous art and builds upon her current collection.
Love.
I’ve loved following her art on Instagram - the graphic novel does not repeat any of her previous art and builds upon her current collection.
Love.
This book felt like a warm hug, hot cup of tea and my favorite lipstick in one big gift. (aka all my favorite things). I want to send this book to all my girlfriends for every upcoming birthday.
What a TREAT.
What a TREAT.
Dec 26, 2018
cindy
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to cindy by:
Elizabeth Davis
Shelves:
own,
non-fiction
Whimsical and thoughtful and weirdly resonant; an artist’s reflections on and advice from her 20’s.
I have followed Mari on Instagram for a couple years now... so I was very much looking forward to her book. While I enjoyed the depth and dry humor of her illustrations, I found the essays to be a bit shallow and misplaced. They also didn’t entirely flow together. And just to be really picky, I didn’t care for the font. However, I still adore her illustrations and hope that she continues to generate such poignant witty content in them. Perhaps next book just tells the story only through drawings
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✔️ a book involving a heist (...Mari was robbed of love and experience at several times in her life 😂😅)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 stars
This was so gorgeously written and illustrated! I could relate a lot to Mari. She has great stories to tell and wise tidbits to share. You could read this multiple times and take away something new each re-read. Would definitely recommend (especially to millennials!)
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 stars
This was so gorgeously written and illustrated! I could relate a lot to Mari. She has great stories to tell and wise tidbits to share. You could read this multiple times and take away something new each re-read. Would definitely recommend (especially to millennials!)
speedy, autobiography/self help?? but loved Mari for a while now and her chapters of her 20s were perfect and made me miss abroad
The best books find you when you need them most. I believe this. Like love, like a loss, like God, like faith, a song, a coin. Things find you when you're not looking for them.
I was not looking for this book. The last thing I needed at the advent of a new year which already looked like crap from the get-go (I was dumped, I didn't get a good raise at work, my health is iffy, and my mental well-being is taking such a beating), I did NOT want to read some sanctimonious, OTT cheerful manual on how ...more
I was not looking for this book. The last thing I needed at the advent of a new year which already looked like crap from the get-go (I was dumped, I didn't get a good raise at work, my health is iffy, and my mental well-being is taking such a beating), I did NOT want to read some sanctimonious, OTT cheerful manual on how ...more
Amazing! Marvelous! Mari is a genius, a voice for her/my/our generation. She puts more thought into every line of every illustration than our fearless leader puts into a single tweet.
Truly, this book spoke to me on so many levels. Many of the illustrations hit SO close to home that I simultaneously laughed in delight and cried in frustration. It was wonderful. There are so many takeaways from the first read-through, and I suspect many more as I continue to return to it. I love how she embraces ...more
Truly, this book spoke to me on so many levels. Many of the illustrations hit SO close to home that I simultaneously laughed in delight and cried in frustration. It was wonderful. There are so many takeaways from the first read-through, and I suspect many more as I continue to return to it. I love how she embraces ...more
4/5
Lovely. My best girl friend bought me a copy of this at a book signing where she got it signed by the author in my name, which is just about the sweetest gesture imaginable. :) So, from the first moment I knew that this was a book to be cherished, if for no other reason than my circumstances surrounding the possession. Funnily enough, and it was not planned at all, we started reading it at the same time!
I loved the fun illustrations interspersed throughout this collection, it really does adds ...more
Lovely. My best girl friend bought me a copy of this at a book signing where she got it signed by the author in my name, which is just about the sweetest gesture imaginable. :) So, from the first moment I knew that this was a book to be cherished, if for no other reason than my circumstances surrounding the possession. Funnily enough, and it was not planned at all, we started reading it at the same time!
I loved the fun illustrations interspersed throughout this collection, it really does adds ...more
I already followed Mari on Instagram so I knew her work/drawings before reading the book. I really liked that through her texts I learned more of her story.
Even though I already passed my twenties some years ago, I still had a lot of "me too" moments and it's nice to know you're not alone, that others have the same questioning (I didn't need the book to know that but still...)
It makes me want to go on adventures.
Mari shows you that a lot is possible and that the way is not always straight and ...more
Even though I already passed my twenties some years ago, I still had a lot of "me too" moments and it's nice to know you're not alone, that others have the same questioning (I didn't need the book to know that but still...)
It makes me want to go on adventures.
Mari shows you that a lot is possible and that the way is not always straight and ...more
I have not felt this inspired by a book for a really long time. I already loved Mari Andrew going into this but now I adore her. This is just such a great book, especially if you're feeling a bit lost in life, maybe even a little heartbroken or grieving. Guess what I'm buying all my friends for their birthdays now?
...more
An encouraging, comforting read; the messages of her comics are hit and miss for me but it's worth it for the ones that hit. After my experience living in Sydney, the parts about moving to a new city especially resonated with me.
...more
Wildly comforting and hilarious and moving. I want to give a copy of this to everyone I know.
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Mari Andrew is a writer and illustrator based in New York City.
Mari Andrew's career started as a hobby in 2015 when she was recovering from a painful break-up and the death of her father. She started holding herself accountable to posting one doodle per day on Instagram. Her following eventually grew and she currently has over 750,000 followers.Andrew's first book, Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-lo ...more
Mari Andrew's career started as a hobby in 2015 when she was recovering from a painful break-up and the death of her father. She started holding herself accountable to posting one doodle per day on Instagram. Her following eventually grew and she currently has over 750,000 followers.Andrew's first book, Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-lo ...more
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Have you already surpassed your 2018 Reading Challenge? That's fantastic. Congrats!
But then this isn't for you. This is for the rest...
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