What do you think?
Rate this book
It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me: Witty Essays on Life's Comic Misfortunes for David Sedaris Fans
Meet Ariel. Her glass is half empty . . . and leaking.
If someone tells her everything will be okay, she asks: How do you know? If there's a wrong thing to say, she'll say it. If there's a downside to see, she'll see it. She lives in permanent fear of what's to come. But at least she's prepared.
In these witty and entertaining tales from the front lines of woe, Ariel highlights the humor in our everyday anxieties and delivers insight that will ring hilariously true if you are inclined to view the world through gray-tinted glasses.
So whether you've been dumped by the love of your life, lost your job to the guy in the cubicle next to you, said the wrong thing at the party, or weren't invited to the party at all, Ariel is here to remind you that it could be worse, you could be her.
If someone tells her everything will be okay, she asks: How do you know? If there's a wrong thing to say, she'll say it. If there's a downside to see, she'll see it. She lives in permanent fear of what's to come. But at least she's prepared.
In these witty and entertaining tales from the front lines of woe, Ariel highlights the humor in our everyday anxieties and delivers insight that will ring hilariously true if you are inclined to view the world through gray-tinted glasses.
So whether you've been dumped by the love of your life, lost your job to the guy in the cubicle next to you, said the wrong thing at the party, or weren't invited to the party at all, Ariel is here to remind you that it could be worse, you could be her.
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
58 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Ariel Leve
7 books41 followersAriel Leve is an author and award-winning journalist. Born in New York City, Ariel grew up with her mother, a poet, in Manhattan. At the age of five, she began traveling to Southeast Asia, where she spent part of the year living in Bangkok, Thailand, with her father, a lawyer.
She was a columnist for The Guardian and subsequently for the Sunday Times Magazine. Her memoir An Abbreviated Life was published by HarperCollins in 2016.
She was a columnist for The Guardian and subsequently for the Sunday Times Magazine. Her memoir An Abbreviated Life was published by HarperCollins in 2016.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
May 13, 2010
Good Stuff
* Wickedly funny, must remember to not read this stuff while at the Reference desk, my snorting out loud continuously was upsetting the college students (Freaks them out that library staff have a sense of humor)
* After reading it I realized that things could be worse in my life and that I could be as neurotic and depressed as the author. Very life affirming I tell ya.
* Author says a lot of the things that we all think or feel but would never say out loud because other people would judge or look down at us.
* The discussion about dogs and therapy -- I dare you not to laugh your ass off
* Author's justification about wanting to be put into a medically induced coma -- no seriously
* Author likes coffee as much as I do -- I'm thinking even more so
* Author reminded me of one of my favorite fictional characters "Scaredy Squirrel" -- and that is not a bad thing
* The list of "Things a Pessimist should try before they die"
Not so Good Stuff
* Not sure I really believe someone could be this neurotic (and have so many friends)
* See above about snorting out loud at reference desk
* a lot of post it notes were used in marking off all the quotes/passages that I like -- now I have to go buy more
What I learned
* I don't have it so bad
* I really am a half full type of person
* Don't think I ever want to live in New York
* That my anxiety prone son may have a career as a journalist
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"I'm far too impatient to sit still in a salon, but in a coma there's nothing but time."
"But she (authors mom) told him that the reason I didn't pay attention in class was because he was a moron"
"And that doesn't count, because it's like having a foot-hooker. They're not really into you, you don't know who they were with an hour ago and you have to pay them."
"And yet, if I ask for a plastic bag at Waitrose, I'm made to feel I'm personally responsible for killing the polar bears."
"But then it occurred to me I'm doing more than most. I'm not having children. That's about as environmentally friendly as it gets. Putting fewer people on earth does far more to prevent global warming than buying organic blueberries"
"And a doggy gym for the ones who don't like walkies. I wonder if dogs size each other up in the gym. Would a mutt be considered less attractive than a poodle?"
Who Should Read
* Pretty much everyone -- other than really overly happy and annoying people
* Not for those who like lighter happy fluff
* Also not for those who are seriously depressed already
* Wickedly funny, must remember to not read this stuff while at the Reference desk, my snorting out loud continuously was upsetting the college students (Freaks them out that library staff have a sense of humor)
* After reading it I realized that things could be worse in my life and that I could be as neurotic and depressed as the author. Very life affirming I tell ya.
* Author says a lot of the things that we all think or feel but would never say out loud because other people would judge or look down at us.
* The discussion about dogs and therapy -- I dare you not to laugh your ass off
* Author's justification about wanting to be put into a medically induced coma -- no seriously
* Author likes coffee as much as I do -- I'm thinking even more so
* Author reminded me of one of my favorite fictional characters "Scaredy Squirrel" -- and that is not a bad thing
* The list of "Things a Pessimist should try before they die"
Not so Good Stuff
* Not sure I really believe someone could be this neurotic (and have so many friends)
* See above about snorting out loud at reference desk
* a lot of post it notes were used in marking off all the quotes/passages that I like -- now I have to go buy more
What I learned
* I don't have it so bad
* I really am a half full type of person
* Don't think I ever want to live in New York
* That my anxiety prone son may have a career as a journalist
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"I'm far too impatient to sit still in a salon, but in a coma there's nothing but time."
"But she (authors mom) told him that the reason I didn't pay attention in class was because he was a moron"
"And that doesn't count, because it's like having a foot-hooker. They're not really into you, you don't know who they were with an hour ago and you have to pay them."
"And yet, if I ask for a plastic bag at Waitrose, I'm made to feel I'm personally responsible for killing the polar bears."
"But then it occurred to me I'm doing more than most. I'm not having children. That's about as environmentally friendly as it gets. Putting fewer people on earth does far more to prevent global warming than buying organic blueberries"
"And a doggy gym for the ones who don't like walkies. I wonder if dogs size each other up in the gym. Would a mutt be considered less attractive than a poodle?"
Who Should Read
* Pretty much everyone -- other than really overly happy and annoying people
* Not for those who like lighter happy fluff
* Also not for those who are seriously depressed already
June 10, 2010
Leve writes well, but the more I read, the more I grew to dislike her as a person. What's so "funny" about someone who's perpetually pessimistic? She came across as rather smug to me. Moreover, unless one is familiar with her "Cassandra" persona details before reading the book, there are gaps. She throws in names, such as "Liza" without any explanation of who the that might be? Took me a few entries to realize it was a friend and not a lover. Also, I would have liked more background on this dual-identity of hers? She mentions later that she's not British, so how did she come to live there (and keep a place in NYC as well)?
By the end, I was really glad it was over.
By the end, I was really glad it was over.
May 24, 2013
What could be worse than being Ariel Leve? Reading her book. Wow, this is bad. Bad enough that I'm breaking my own rule against reviewing a book that I didn't finish. In most cases, it wouldn't seem fair - not giving the book a fair shake. But if I can protect just one person from It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me, breaking that rule is so, so worthwhile. I'll have done a good deed for humanity.
If you don't have enough negativity in your life, Ariel Leve can help . . . by b'ing and moaning, whining and complaining, about everything.
Life's too short. WAY too short. Stay away. Stay far, far away.
If you don't have enough negativity in your life, Ariel Leve can help . . . by b'ing and moaning, whining and complaining, about everything.
Life's too short. WAY too short. Stay away. Stay far, far away.
August 19, 2014
The front of this book boasts that it is "observant, irreverent, and funny as hell." Um. You will probably be disappointed.
Ariel Leve CAN be funny. There WERE moments where I laughed out loud while reading. But they were few and far between in comparison with the moments where I legitimately worried about this woman. She constantly reminds the reader that she barely has the will to live, and yet we're supposed to be laughing "with" her? She looks forward to nothing, her hair is falling out from lack of basic ability to take care of herself (i.e. eat meals and shower), she'd rather just be a hermit than ever step outside her apartment... I enjoy complaints and agree with her sentiment that "every good story needs a complaint" (13) but either 1) Ariel Leve is genuinely depressed and someone is marketing this book incorrectly, or 2) Ariel Leve is not depressed and she is exaggerating her pessimistic outlook in order to make depression seem funny and charming in an offbeat way.
Leve has no problem letting us know people perceive her as difficult and hard-to-please, but I also think she lacks the self-awareness to see why she is actually irritating. For example, halfway through the book Leve has the realization that she is no longer going to share things with others because of accidental sharing—when you "go one detail too far when talking about a past relationship." But then she says, "I've decided that, from now on, I'm not going to share. Which should be easy, since I have nobody to talk to" (147).
I was so bothered at this point that I underlined that sentence and then wrote down a list of all the friends she regularly mentions in most of her stories: Audrey, Liza, Sophie, Emily, and Simon. That's a larger bunch than many adults have—considering these are people she regularly calls, emails, or meets for lunch. I also marked down Linda and Lori, who appear a few times. Sometimes she mentions "my friend" without giving names. This is not a woman that has nobody to talk to. This is a woman who acts like she doesn't out of either disillusioned self-pity or because she'd like to act like a woman that's unlikable to get a laugh. I don't think it's funny?
Literally this is Leve's outlook on life: "When I was twenty-five and wanted to stay home on a Saturday night, everyone thought I was a loser. My friends would nag me to join them: 'C'mon, you're young! Live it up!' I tried to explain I was barely interested in living. What makes them think I'd be interested in living it up?"" (107)
Apart from this, the short narrative style of 2-3 page vignettes almost works—except Leve repeats information because it's almost like this book was compiled from separate writings that weren't necessarily intended to be together. She repeatedly references how she would like to marry a doctor (neurosurgeon) as if it's brand new information to the reader. She also does this with telling us how she does't like to go out (anywhere for anything), how she eats poorly, or how she asks boyfriends questions like "where do you think this is going" and scares them off.
Honestly, I'm just confused whether Leve is a depressed person or not. At one point in the book, after her hair starts falling out, she visits a new doctor who prescribes her to "wash her hair every morning and eat three meals a day" (238). This "fills her days with meaning" until she realizes that this simply routine of existing is "exhausting." And oh—that this "can't last." She says, "Three meals a day for the rest of my life? That's a lot of work." Depression can and does act like this. Basic functions are difficult, exhausting, time-consuming, and don't seem worth it. So is Leve actually one of these people, but also a person that manages to maintain friendships, work for a prestigious newspaper, and live parttime in London and go visit her dad in India every year and go on holiday with friends? Because there are points where Leve's depression sounds so serious that I doubt she could do these other things.
All in all, I finished this book because it was an easy read, but I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. By the end, I was just trudging through, and the anecdotes all seemed rather pointless. Leve would probably agree.
Ariel Leve CAN be funny. There WERE moments where I laughed out loud while reading. But they were few and far between in comparison with the moments where I legitimately worried about this woman. She constantly reminds the reader that she barely has the will to live, and yet we're supposed to be laughing "with" her? She looks forward to nothing, her hair is falling out from lack of basic ability to take care of herself (i.e. eat meals and shower), she'd rather just be a hermit than ever step outside her apartment... I enjoy complaints and agree with her sentiment that "every good story needs a complaint" (13) but either 1) Ariel Leve is genuinely depressed and someone is marketing this book incorrectly, or 2) Ariel Leve is not depressed and she is exaggerating her pessimistic outlook in order to make depression seem funny and charming in an offbeat way.
Leve has no problem letting us know people perceive her as difficult and hard-to-please, but I also think she lacks the self-awareness to see why she is actually irritating. For example, halfway through the book Leve has the realization that she is no longer going to share things with others because of accidental sharing—when you "go one detail too far when talking about a past relationship." But then she says, "I've decided that, from now on, I'm not going to share. Which should be easy, since I have nobody to talk to" (147).
I was so bothered at this point that I underlined that sentence and then wrote down a list of all the friends she regularly mentions in most of her stories: Audrey, Liza, Sophie, Emily, and Simon. That's a larger bunch than many adults have—considering these are people she regularly calls, emails, or meets for lunch. I also marked down Linda and Lori, who appear a few times. Sometimes she mentions "my friend" without giving names. This is not a woman that has nobody to talk to. This is a woman who acts like she doesn't out of either disillusioned self-pity or because she'd like to act like a woman that's unlikable to get a laugh. I don't think it's funny?
Literally this is Leve's outlook on life: "When I was twenty-five and wanted to stay home on a Saturday night, everyone thought I was a loser. My friends would nag me to join them: 'C'mon, you're young! Live it up!' I tried to explain I was barely interested in living. What makes them think I'd be interested in living it up?"" (107)
Apart from this, the short narrative style of 2-3 page vignettes almost works—except Leve repeats information because it's almost like this book was compiled from separate writings that weren't necessarily intended to be together. She repeatedly references how she would like to marry a doctor (neurosurgeon) as if it's brand new information to the reader. She also does this with telling us how she does't like to go out (anywhere for anything), how she eats poorly, or how she asks boyfriends questions like "where do you think this is going" and scares them off.
Honestly, I'm just confused whether Leve is a depressed person or not. At one point in the book, after her hair starts falling out, she visits a new doctor who prescribes her to "wash her hair every morning and eat three meals a day" (238). This "fills her days with meaning" until she realizes that this simply routine of existing is "exhausting." And oh—that this "can't last." She says, "Three meals a day for the rest of my life? That's a lot of work." Depression can and does act like this. Basic functions are difficult, exhausting, time-consuming, and don't seem worth it. So is Leve actually one of these people, but also a person that manages to maintain friendships, work for a prestigious newspaper, and live parttime in London and go visit her dad in India every year and go on holiday with friends? Because there are points where Leve's depression sounds so serious that I doubt she could do these other things.
All in all, I finished this book because it was an easy read, but I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. By the end, I was just trudging through, and the anecdotes all seemed rather pointless. Leve would probably agree.
October 8, 2019
Kill me now.
Maybe Ariel Leve should try stand-up comedy, because this is completely the wrong medium for her brand of humour. Face to face, she would probably be very funny and could possibly replace Jackie Mason as our favourite New York Jewish pessimist. But it just doesn't work in print.
What you get is a protracted, nihilistic whinge. Occasionally she tries to make it funny, but mostly she can't be bothered. That's not a problem in a newspaper column, where one reads one entry a day, or perhaps a week, but a book demands a bigger investment of one's time. Page after page of morose glumness isn't good enough and shows a failure to understand the medium.
Maybe Ariel Leve should try stand-up comedy, because this is completely the wrong medium for her brand of humour. Face to face, she would probably be very funny and could possibly replace Jackie Mason as our favourite New York Jewish pessimist. But it just doesn't work in print.
What you get is a protracted, nihilistic whinge. Occasionally she tries to make it funny, but mostly she can't be bothered. That's not a problem in a newspaper column, where one reads one entry a day, or perhaps a week, but a book demands a bigger investment of one's time. Page after page of morose glumness isn't good enough and shows a failure to understand the medium.
did-not-finish
January 16, 2019I started re-reading this recently because it was still in my TBR list, and initially thought "Wow, why did I ever put this down! I can totally relate to all of her neurotic hang ups". But then after 200 pages I realized why: it is really depressing to read an entire book made up of depressing short pieces about being lonely and depressed etc.
Perhaps one day I could finish this because I would have to read it in very small doses.
I can relate, yes, but I don't want to relate too much, otherwise it will really drag me down. Sorry Ariel.
Perhaps one day I could finish this because I would have to read it in very small doses.
I can relate, yes, but I don't want to relate too much, otherwise it will really drag me down. Sorry Ariel.
May 5, 2010
Well, here is another fine example of why I need to write a book. I know I say that a lot. This one was too bad, though- I think that she seems more like a wannabe stand-up comedian then the annoying, miserable, paranoid hypochondriac she makes herself out to be in this "humor/memoir." I didn't believe that she was that way for one page of it. I think she just tried to find a voice that would work, and didn't consider whether people would buy it or even finish her stories.
September 29, 2010
This book got two stars from me only because it kept me reading until the end, although, if I'm being honest, that was only because of the way the chapters were broken up into short chunks. Overall, I found the author to be more whiny than Dorothy Parker-ish, substituting wit for a near-constant stream of negativity. I regret having this low opinion of the book as it would give the author just one more reason to be blue. The rating is more like one and a half stars.
January 26, 2011
Really kind of obnoxious. I wanted to stop reading but had already invested so much time. Wow, someone else complaining about everyday annoyances. How original. Yes, we get you are negative, jaded, cynical, etc-can't possibly forget it since we are bashed over the head with it in every single sentence. Plus, why was there an Index? Was that supposed to be funny? Blech. Two stars for the two times I chuckled while reading.
August 19, 2010
About 75% of the time I was thinking it sounded as if someone had taken out my brain and squeezed it onto paper. The hypochondriac part not so much. I loved the combined sarcasm and honesty. Will read anything this author comes out with.
March 23, 2016
Plain boring collection of worries. Relatable, but not told in a funny or witty or anything way.
January 3, 2018
I really liked her book, An Abbreviated Life, but feel quite differently about this one.
I’ll just leave it at that.
I’ll just leave it at that.
June 29, 2021
Welcome to the world of hypochondriac Ariel. Apart from being witty, the book was an absolute page turner. So relatable to our daily life. Wish I could experience reading this book for the first time again
April 3, 2015
The instant I starting reading It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me, I thought I had found a kindred sista-friend [Feminista author Erica Kennedy gave me the secret password to use that term] but also that I’d have to challenge Ariel Leve. She’s published a book. That’s better than I’ve done in the fifteen years I’ve been writing. I’m jealous of this talented woman and made her follow me on Twitter. She must be thrilled by the content of my tweets. Leve is a major pessimist, sets low standards to avoid disappointment, would rather stay in bed than get dressed and made up to go to a party that *might* not be worth her time. She expresses in print what most of us think. She’s observant, sharply critical and savvy. I tagged a plethora of pages in It Could Be Worse You Could Be Me. Leve’s irreverent voice and bittersweet outlook mingle in an erudite, esoteric manner. Don’t be scared away by her brilliance and underlying charms. She will seduce you with this collection from the first page. Even the optimists among you. She’s that good.
In It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me, Leve delivers honest, biting and often amusing opinions. A few choice ones:
Facebook-- In real life, my friends are uninterested and distracted. But in cyber life people are very excited (!!!) about everything!!! The levels of emotion are off the charts
fake children-- Why is it that there has to be a career that is preventing me from having a child? As though that must fill the tremendous void I have in my life, being childless and single. Maybe I just don’t want kids. Isn’t that enough?
getting older--Forty is a tricky age because you’re old enough to get away with not going out, but not old enough to get away with not giving a reason.
dating-- Whenever someone says they like me I don’t believe them and don’t trust it. But only if I like them too. Wouldn’t it be great if men came with operating instructions to maximize their performance and shelf life?
marriage-- There are a number of reasons why I’m unhappy but not having a husband isn’t one of them.
bras-- I’ve done my own research and have found the only thing men really look for in a bra is that it comes off fast and easy.
appeared first at Entertainment Realm
January 1, 2011
It isn't often I pick up a book of essays to read, but occasionally I find they make good in between reading--even better than a short story collection in some ways. The essays are short and perfect for those moments when you don't have a lot of time to spare but must get in your reading. Although it took me a few months to make my way through Ariel Leve's collection of essays (I read it in between novels and short stories) , it was an enjoyable read, nonetheless. Leve's humor shines through in each essay and yet I couldn't help but catch a bit of sadness underneath as well, however unintentional (and maybe that's just me).
Journalist Ariel Leve compiled a series of essays about her life and thoughts into It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me. She contemplates giving up coffee when she discovers it improves memory, discusses the bias against napping in bed, and why looking forward to anything is overrated. The author is a self-described worrier. My favorite section of the book, and the one I could most relate to was the one where she discusses health issues. I'm not so sure I'd go so far as to say I enjoyed that colonoscopy though!
As I read this collection, I found myself relating to some of the stories the author shared. Maybe a little too well. Taking compliments, for example--neither Leve or I are good at accepting them. And evidently we both have that constant scowl or lack of a smile on our face because people assume something is wrong just because we aren't smiling. And like Leve, I hate it when people tell me to cheer up just because I am not wearing that expected smile.
There were other essays I was less able to identify with, but they were no less entertaining. I have two friends who share the same life philosophy as Ariel Leve and could see them in every story. I am trying to decide which of them to loan the book to first . . .
Journalist Ariel Leve compiled a series of essays about her life and thoughts into It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me. She contemplates giving up coffee when she discovers it improves memory, discusses the bias against napping in bed, and why looking forward to anything is overrated. The author is a self-described worrier. My favorite section of the book, and the one I could most relate to was the one where she discusses health issues. I'm not so sure I'd go so far as to say I enjoyed that colonoscopy though!
As I read this collection, I found myself relating to some of the stories the author shared. Maybe a little too well. Taking compliments, for example--neither Leve or I are good at accepting them. And evidently we both have that constant scowl or lack of a smile on our face because people assume something is wrong just because we aren't smiling. And like Leve, I hate it when people tell me to cheer up just because I am not wearing that expected smile.
There were other essays I was less able to identify with, but they were no less entertaining. I have two friends who share the same life philosophy as Ariel Leve and could see them in every story. I am trying to decide which of them to loan the book to first . . .
September 1, 2013
Leve has a lifestyle many women would chew their left arm off for. Smart, witty, single, and gets to live in both London and New York. Not to mention writing for any number of prestigious publications.
Yet if you believe her alter ego in "The Cassandra Chronicles", Leve is a reclusive, depressive hypochondriac who annoys friends and boyfriends alike. It makes for amusing reading, especially for someone who also tends towards seclusion, depression, hypochondria, and irritating everyone around her. I thoroughly enjoyed Leve's wry, dry, world-weary take on modern metropolitan life, and her ruthless analysis of her own neuroses, though I can't help suspecting that she's far more entertaining and charming than she lets on.
Yet if you believe her alter ego in "The Cassandra Chronicles", Leve is a reclusive, depressive hypochondriac who annoys friends and boyfriends alike. It makes for amusing reading, especially for someone who also tends towards seclusion, depression, hypochondria, and irritating everyone around her. I thoroughly enjoyed Leve's wry, dry, world-weary take on modern metropolitan life, and her ruthless analysis of her own neuroses, though I can't help suspecting that she's far more entertaining and charming than she lets on.
August 15, 2010
This book was really funny; I recommended it to a friend who said it was incredibly depressing, so I guess it depends on your perspective...I am vaguely Jewish (to about the same degree as Ariel), so I think I had the right mind-set going in. :) This book is the female counterpart to "Couplehood" by Paul Reiser - and that was one of my favorite books ever. It is written in short, snappy takes on many different topics that pertain to daily life, so you can rad it all at once, or just a few bits each night before bed.
June 17, 2010
Aa snarky look at everyday situations in life where the author questions.....what if? What if the worst happened that you imagined....what if it didn't all work out for the best.... Perhaps it would be better to expect it not to and then be happily surprised when it did...or not. Loads of fun stories that will have you chuckling, guffawing, or at the very least smirking through your day. Just try to get through one of these situations without reacting...betcha can't! Definitely a fun read....
July 29, 2012
It was okay. It had some GREAT quotes, but other than that, it just seemed like a book full of complaints. I have to admit, it made me feel MUCH better about my life, but it also made me think about how you can't help those who can't help themselves. Leve is successful, has friends, etc., but she makes it seem like she has none of those things - which is kind of annoying. You would think from the way you talked she was dying of a terminal illness or something.
July 6, 2017
I tried to read the whole book but somehow it just made me really annoyed. I felt as though I was forcing myself to read and enjoy it. The book was said to "very funny", "witty", but I was disappointed.
The book is basically just Leve complaining about life struggles. I guess some may like to read this and some may not. It depends on the reader.
I personally didn't find it funny and it was , honestly, dreary.
The book is basically just Leve complaining about life struggles. I guess some may like to read this and some may not. It depends on the reader.
I personally didn't find it funny and it was , honestly, dreary.
October 15, 2016
A joy to read in many ways. Very very funny and relatable as a New Yorker. That said, be forewarned: can be very depressing and ripe with plenty of dark humor. This is the second book I've read by Ariel Leve. Her memoir was amazing! I would absolutely read her work again.
January 29, 2010
Perhaps her journalism is riveting, but this was extremely boring. I could certainly identify, but to me the minutiae of each self-conscious thought one has are not worth transcribing...
May 10, 2012
Ehhh, I thought a book about someone constantly complaining about everything and was more paranoid than my worse nightmare would make me laugh.... it didn't
August 6, 2024
3 stars because it started off as brilliant, and then around the 30% mark I had no desire to get back to it.
That said...
On and off in recent months I have been thinking about how there is a place in the world even for pessimistic people, people who are "glass is 25% full on a good day." I used to be irritated by such people, but I've become curious about that irritation and realized that I have a lot to benefit from critical/worrying frames of being. Neurosis (loaded term, I know) and anxiety and deep trauma aside, someone has to ask the questions, whether in a serious or lighthearted manner, to point to gaps in the world.
I think that's where this book gets it right--the things she is touching on are silly to us, but she writes as though they are very serious for her. But the silly elements touch on something bigger. It may seem ridiculous to worry about a prospective kidney donor should the need arise, but it points to the reality of having more honest but more fragmented connections with others.
That said...
On and off in recent months I have been thinking about how there is a place in the world even for pessimistic people, people who are "glass is 25% full on a good day." I used to be irritated by such people, but I've become curious about that irritation and realized that I have a lot to benefit from critical/worrying frames of being. Neurosis (loaded term, I know) and anxiety and deep trauma aside, someone has to ask the questions, whether in a serious or lighthearted manner, to point to gaps in the world.
I think that's where this book gets it right--the things she is touching on are silly to us, but she writes as though they are very serious for her. But the silly elements touch on something bigger. It may seem ridiculous to worry about a prospective kidney donor should the need arise, but it points to the reality of having more honest but more fragmented connections with others.
September 24, 2017
I almost stopped reading this book after about ten pages. Then I read up on the author and learned (learnt) she had a pretty traumatic childhood. Her disposition made a whole lot more sense then and I could empathize. Her thought process also cracked me up.
I was going to give it three stars but then I realized it took me two weeks to read this book. It's not a long book and is easy to read so if it really were a three star book, I would have read it in less time. So two stars it is!
I still want to read her memoir though...
I was going to give it three stars but then I realized it took me two weeks to read this book. It's not a long book and is easy to read so if it really were a three star book, I would have read it in less time. So two stars it is!
I still want to read her memoir though...
May 15, 2017
Pessimist humor. Love it.
August 5, 2018
hilarious!
March 1, 2020
Worrying is my yoga!
May 26, 2024
Pure drivel.
June 15, 2010
From the opening line, "People like to say it will all work out. But what if it doesn't?", you are instantly pulled into the self-deprecating world that Ariel lives in. She's constantly second guessing things and never moving on anything because it will definitely lead to some serious problem at some point in her life. And as sad as this sounds it's absolutely hilarious. It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me is a book of the things we sometimes think, but almost never say out loud. And it was exactly what I needed, a good laugh.
This is by far one of the funniest books I've ever read. Ariel's life is a string of constant disappointment and it's basically all her fault, in more ways than one. Before it happens she's already decided it's going to turn out poorly, her birthday is already on the most depressing day of the year and she's entirely dismal about her image, including how she looks and thinks.
The book is broken up into one to two page segments like, "Operating Instructions" and "Other People's Children and My Fake Child". Each segment is based on a topic like "Romance". In one of the segments Ariel was talking with her friend Liza about how wonderful it would be to be mysterious, unfortunately Liza decided to tell Ariel when she was planning on becoming a "mysterious woman". Well, needless to say the result was not great:
"I checked with Liza to see how life as a mysterious woman was going. Not well. She'd gone on a date, didn't tell anyone, and then when nobody called to see how it went, she was depressed. 'Now I feel like nobody cares about me,' she said. I welcomed her to my world." (It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me p. 64)
It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me is the perfect book for those of you in need of a good chuckle. It's an easy read that you can take your time with, pick a topic and read all of the segments, it's sure to put a smile on your face. There's even an index to pick and choose from. I'm sure Ariel has good days, it's just that we happen to get an examination of all those funny quirks that make her who she is. Fabulous writing and a wonderful character, you don't want to miss It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me.
This is by far one of the funniest books I've ever read. Ariel's life is a string of constant disappointment and it's basically all her fault, in more ways than one. Before it happens she's already decided it's going to turn out poorly, her birthday is already on the most depressing day of the year and she's entirely dismal about her image, including how she looks and thinks.
The book is broken up into one to two page segments like, "Operating Instructions" and "Other People's Children and My Fake Child". Each segment is based on a topic like "Romance". In one of the segments Ariel was talking with her friend Liza about how wonderful it would be to be mysterious, unfortunately Liza decided to tell Ariel when she was planning on becoming a "mysterious woman". Well, needless to say the result was not great:
"I checked with Liza to see how life as a mysterious woman was going. Not well. She'd gone on a date, didn't tell anyone, and then when nobody called to see how it went, she was depressed. 'Now I feel like nobody cares about me,' she said. I welcomed her to my world." (It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me p. 64)
It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me is the perfect book for those of you in need of a good chuckle. It's an easy read that you can take your time with, pick a topic and read all of the segments, it's sure to put a smile on your face. There's even an index to pick and choose from. I'm sure Ariel has good days, it's just that we happen to get an examination of all those funny quirks that make her who she is. Fabulous writing and a wonderful character, you don't want to miss It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews