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Am I Overthinking This?: Over-answering life’s questions in 101 charts
"Michelle Rial's illustrated book explores life's big questions (Am I eating too much cheese? Has anyone seen my sunglasses?) through a series of charts, graphs, and diagrams. Her delightful visuals dissect modern anxieties with real-life objects." -- WIRED
"Michelle Rial creates dazzling and insightful infographics...peppered with clever insights and coy observations" -- Vulture
"If decisions feel daunting, refer to this book of amusingly overwrought charts and diagrams." -- Real Simple
"I love this it's creative, witty, pretty, and insightful." -- Book Riot
This is a book of questions with answers, over-answers, and Did I screw up? How do I achieve work-life balance? Do I have too many plants? Like a conversation with your non-judgmental best friend, Michelle Rial delivers a playful take on the little dilemmas that loom large in the mind of every adult through artful charts and funny, insightful questions.
This book serves as a reminder that there isn't always one right answer--and that, sometimes, the only answer is to pick a path and keep moving.
* A perfect coffee table, bathroom or bar top conversation-starting book
* Makes a great gift for a friend who tends to think about the big and small questions a bit too much
"Michelle Rial creates dazzling and insightful infographics...peppered with clever insights and coy observations" -- Vulture
"If decisions feel daunting, refer to this book of amusingly overwrought charts and diagrams." -- Real Simple
"I love this it's creative, witty, pretty, and insightful." -- Book Riot
This is a book of questions with answers, over-answers, and Did I screw up? How do I achieve work-life balance? Do I have too many plants? Like a conversation with your non-judgmental best friend, Michelle Rial delivers a playful take on the little dilemmas that loom large in the mind of every adult through artful charts and funny, insightful questions.
This book serves as a reminder that there isn't always one right answer--and that, sometimes, the only answer is to pick a path and keep moving.
* A perfect coffee table, bathroom or bar top conversation-starting book
* Makes a great gift for a friend who tends to think about the big and small questions a bit too much
136 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2019
209 people are currently reading
2834 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Rial
4 books50 followersMichelle Rial was born in Santa Cruz, CA to Venezuelan immigrants who really loved The Beatles' song "Michelle." You may have seen her illustrations, writing, or charts on The New Yorker, BuzzFeed, Fast Company, WIRED, Refinery29, and elsewhere on the internet.
She has been publishing charts online for over a decade and was named by Vulture as one of "9 of the Funniest Cartoonists and Illustrators on Instagram" in 2019.
She has been publishing charts online for over a decade and was named by Vulture as one of "9 of the Funniest Cartoonists and Illustrators on Instagram" in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
January 7, 2020
So, my boss bought this book for herself and then set it on my desk. Was she trying to tell me something? Yes, but in a friendly way. If you've seen The Good Place, there's a moment where Chidi says his brain is constantly making the noise of a fork caught in a garbage disposal. Same, Chidi, except my garbage disposal is on a gay cruise ship and the noise is being yelled into a mic by a strange aerobics instructor on ecstacy (Google "Yes Dance").
Anyway, yes, I overthink most things and that makes my life more complicated than it has to be. This book is cute and clever, using items and imagery relevant to each proposed question we all tend to overthink. My favorite part was the last chapter on big issues. This book is both a good palate cleanser and gut check - a nice reminder to not take yourself so seriously all the time.
Anyway, yes, I overthink most things and that makes my life more complicated than it has to be. This book is cute and clever, using items and imagery relevant to each proposed question we all tend to overthink. My favorite part was the last chapter on big issues. This book is both a good palate cleanser and gut check - a nice reminder to not take yourself so seriously all the time.
May 31, 2023
What a fun book! 101 charts that really make you think...am I overthinking? Love the use of common items to present graphic representation! I really like books that encourage you to look at problems from a different perspective; if you find yourself in a 'mental slump' then this book may be exactly what you need!
March 11, 2020
Great fun.
A gift from my son and daughter in law.
A gift from my son and daughter in law.
February 5, 2023
It’s not ~technically~ a book book but the charts were quirky and cute and relatable tbh.
Also this is exactly how I imagine Elyse Myers would make a chart book, like exactly. I could literally hear her reading some of these.
Also this is exactly how I imagine Elyse Myers would make a chart book, like exactly. I could literally hear her reading some of these.
August 14, 2019
I have had this book in my hands exactly 29 hours. I've managed to show it to several people and each one says, "This is me!", and then after seeing a few more pages, "she is brilliant". I kid you not, this is verbatim what each person says over and over again. So it's fun to read, fun to show people, and I've already ordered a few as gifts. Just another bit of entertainment; right? Well, there might be more to it. I thought about it and realized this is a lot more than just a fun book. These 101 pages capture what life is like in 2019; at least in most western countries with people of a certain age range. Most of it is timeless, but when to look it in entirety, it will be looked at decades from now at a snapshot of our time and how we all view the world, and . . . well, maybe overthink things sometimes ;-)
April 25, 2025
é legalzinho, o livro é bem bonitinho, capa dura, e as paginas sao bem coloridas (eu fazendo review igual uma criança de 7 anos)
mas acho que é meio produto de seu tempo, fui ver e foi publicado em 2019 (e devia estar na minha lista da amazon desde la kkkk), entao tem alguns assuntos meio datados (tem um grafico que fala de friends, tipo...)
e é um produto de seu país tbm, tem umas coisas meio relacionadas aos EUA que a gente aqui do brasil nao se identifica.
mas acho que é meio produto de seu tempo, fui ver e foi publicado em 2019 (e devia estar na minha lista da amazon desde la kkkk), entao tem alguns assuntos meio datados (tem um grafico que fala de friends, tipo...)
e é um produto de seu país tbm, tem umas coisas meio relacionadas aos EUA que a gente aqui do brasil nao se identifica.
August 16, 2019
Absolutely brilliant. You will find yourself giggling at how accurately each page paints a relatable picture of the human condition and it’s many quirks!
March 3, 2020
Was hoping for a book that used a dose of humor while helping me to work out “things” using charts.
This was a miss all around for me. The artwork was clever but that in and of itself is the biggest surprise about the book. It does not make it a “chart” to put randomly labeled arrows along the sides of a picture.
Obviously, yes, I spent too much time overthinking this.
Perhaps that was the author’s intention.
As one reviewer said she will put it on her coffee table for guests to flip through. Because, either in a positive or negative way, this book would be a conversation starter.
This is not a book for self-reflection.
It will not serve to answer any deep seeded, or even not so deep, inner questions.
This was a miss all around for me. The artwork was clever but that in and of itself is the biggest surprise about the book. It does not make it a “chart” to put randomly labeled arrows along the sides of a picture.
Obviously, yes, I spent too much time overthinking this.
Perhaps that was the author’s intention.
As one reviewer said she will put it on her coffee table for guests to flip through. Because, either in a positive or negative way, this book would be a conversation starter.
This is not a book for self-reflection.
It will not serve to answer any deep seeded, or even not so deep, inner questions.
August 20, 2019
Michelle is a genius! This book takes our most pressing questions — from the mundane to the existential — and distills them into simple, creative charts that make sense of the world and our own neuroses. It takes a special skill to make complex topics so digestible. I am in awe of Michelle's creativity and feel less alone after finishing her book. Highly recommend!
August 15, 2019
Clever and thoughtful and beautiful to boot. If you're looking for a good laugh, you'll definitely get it, but if you're also looking for a graphic commentary on today's world and life in general, you'll get that too. Wittier than almost any book with more words on the page
August 26, 2019
Art + data + humor = Awesome :)
December 25, 2019
The author overthinks. Brilliant. Charts her overthought. Funny. Lets it be. Amen.
February 23, 2021
Save your money
This book is not a self help book to help you if you overthink. Instead it's just a bunch of diagrams with the author's thoughts and what she overthinks about. Some of the diagrams didn't convert well enough to Kindle for me to read on my phone. The most useful part of the book is the success/failure chart. I would have read this book for free but I paid money for it and feel ripped off.
This book is not a self help book to help you if you overthink. Instead it's just a bunch of diagrams with the author's thoughts and what she overthinks about. Some of the diagrams didn't convert well enough to Kindle for me to read on my phone. The most useful part of the book is the success/failure chart. I would have read this book for free but I paid money for it and feel ripped off.
August 30, 2019
I loved the charts in this book. Very relatable, extremely creative; and a fun read.
September 7, 2019
The answer to the title question for me is yes. All the time. If this describes you, you will probably really enjoy this book
February 12, 2020
Delightful!
November 20, 2020
What a delightful filler book. Some really wonderful charts that you can relate to and then, well, overthink about.
January 19, 2021
The BEST coffee table book (especially if you're a therapist and need something for your clients to read in the waiting room... post-pandemic of course). Rial does a phenomenal job at creating witty titles and creative artwork to portray and normalize life's questions, big or small. 10/10 recommend for a fun, quick read.
February 1, 2020
This is a funny book of charts and graphs, most made with everyday objects. My favourite was the ven diagram that answered the question: What can I serve at a party?
January 20, 2020
If you need a quick book of charts to brighten your day a bit and remind you that everything can be put into perspective, I strongly recommend this.
March 8, 2020
Clever and funny and all too real.
January 10, 2020
Accurate, surprising, clever, smart, fun, funny. Every page I looked at I found myself wanting to share with someone else! Loved it!
December 30, 2019
Cute & clever book of visual charts for us over-thinkers. Makes a great gift for fellow overthinking friends.
June 21, 2021
A quick fun read, this book was really relatable sometimes! It felt both funny and sad - after all, the author expresses her anxiety through these charts. But, of course, I was already won over as I love charts and I loved books about anxiety or mental health! I thought it original and still impactful in a way.
May 3, 2020
So clever and cheeky! If you follow her insta, (@michellerial) quite a few of the charts will look familiar, but the collection is still great! Art+Data+Self Deprecating Humor = Very fun little coffee table book
September 2, 2019
The charts and graphs are wonderful, it's funny and thought provoking
November 12, 2019
Short read, but it felt relatable at some parts and at others, it made me laugh out loud!
December 20, 2019
Quick, fun, artsy, and at times quite brilliant.
January 27, 2020
Amazing book with visual representations of over thinking. Candid, funny and totally relevant.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
August 23, 2020
I enjoyed this one, loved the way it was designed and laid out. Some made me laugh and some made me wince because yep, that’s me. Always good to know you’re not alone. There was something I appreciated in most of the sections, though particular highlights include what does my tote bag say about me, am I eating too much cheese, should we get ice cream, how do I make small talk, can you tell I’m stressed, should I lend you my books, will it be ok...yeah, there’s a lot of good here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews