Apoorv & Kat - Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously

[Apoorv]

Book: Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously
Challenge: GISH II
Team: I Plead the Fifth (Team 5)



An introvert spends a year trying to live like an extrovert with hilarious results and advice for readers along the way.

What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Pan sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author’s hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a little bit braver.

[Apoorv]

I just got my copy from the library.
Right off the bat, I am curious why the book has two different tiles for the US and the UK versions.

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes

I don't remember a lot of books having this distinction (except the Philosopher and Sorcerer's Stone for Happy Potter) - personally the "saying yes" title seems more catchy than the "living dangerously" one.

[Apoorv]

Kat, it seems like book has well-defined chapters, so I guess we can break down our discussion chapter-wise, if that works for you.

[Apoorv]

Chapter 1 - The Sauna, A Story or Rock Bottom

(view spoiler)[I must say that I kind of like Jessica Pan's wry humor. I was wondering if this book was going to be a fantastic study like Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking or a breezy take on Jessica's year as a extrovert - and I am kind of pleased she went the latter route because matching the former would have been quite a daunting task.

I do in fact relate a lot to Jessica, when it comes to engaging with people. Personally, I have somewhat managed to find the balanced between being the rambunctious self while I am around people and become a complete hermit while I am by myself. But, it isn't a surprise for anyone who knows me, that I am naturally the hermit. Definitely found a way to manage the shintroversion. Haha! :)
But I most certainly understand the struggle of wanted to have deep meaningful connections in a world that is fairly hellbent on being superficial.

Also, the whole situation with the gym competition and Jessica's tryst with the sauna was pretty funny. (hide spoiler)]

[Apoorv]

Chapter 2 - Talking to Strangers or New People

(view spoiler)[I thought this thought was very interesting - When people are forced to talk to strangers, it makes them happier. - While I have pushed myself to do so on the bus or the train a few times, but I must admit, I am one of those who would have his head in his phone or a book and only look up to see if I have reached my stop. But I wonder, if that is because I do not know if someone else would be willing to engage in a conversation or not - which is exactly what Jessica mentioned here. So, this portion definitely resonated with me.

The other thought that stood out for me was - being lonely or isolated is a risk factor for early mortality - Being an introvert who is extremely comfortable with his own company, I have had to make a conscious effort to avoid being alone for too long. Thankfully, I have managed to somewhat overcome my shyness after joining multiple groups and running a few events myself, but I have to somewhere admit that it helps getting out of your isolation every so often with different sets of people and have different conversations that essentially triggers the brain to function variedly.

But the two things that absolutely stood out for me were these statements -
nobody waves, but everybody waves back.
and
what we should actually fear is being boring and dying having never connected with anyone. (hide spoiler)]

[Apoorv]

Chapter 3 - Shaking in the Spotlight, or Stage Fright
Chapter 4 - Heart Problems, A Real-Life Interlude

(view spoiler)[Wow! These two were very different chapters! I laughed like a madman reading the whole episode of Jessica going to Alice and almost teared up seeing her go through her father's heart surgery. Wonderful way by the author to connect the central topic of the book with both the situations.

She definitely has a very easy way of writing and making the narrative episodic seems like a great tool instead of making it a big academic study. Sometimes something important reaches people better when laced with humor.

Loved the statement when you believe something about yourself for so long but then finally challenge it, everything feels different. (hide spoiler)]

[Kat]

Apoorv wrote: "Chapter 1 - The Sauna, A Story or Rock Bottom

I must say that I kind of like Jessica Pan's wry humor. I was wondering if this book was going to be a fantastic study like [book:Quiet: The Power of ..."

I don’t know how to do the spoiler section. I’ve tried before and it didn’t work, I’m glad she went the route she went too. I like her humour

[Kat]

Apoorv wrote: "Chapter 2 - Talking to Strangers or New People

I thought this thought was very interesting - When people are forced to talk to strangers, it makes them happier. - While I have pushed myself to do ..."

I liked those statements and she has interesting points to make

[Apoorv]

Kat wrote: "I don’t know how to do the spoiler section. I’ve tried before and it didn’t work, I’m glad she went the route she went too. I like her humour"

Add this before the text you want to hide < spoiler > (remove the space between the <> and the word spoiler) and add < / spoiler > (remove the spaces again) at the end of the text you want to hide.

[Kat]

(view spoiler)[I am liking it so far. I liked the interactions with Chris in the group of how to be more sociable pity he didn’t reply to her <\

Not sure what I’m doing wrong? (hide spoiler)]

[Apoorv]

You got it, Kat.
Just use the word "spoiler" in between the <>, so it will actually hide the text.

[Kat]

Ooh thank you!

[Apoorv]

There you go! :)

[Apoorv]

Final Thoughts

I actually liked the book a whole lot. Jessica's story was very relatable to me and I was glad I could question and challenge some of my own introvert traits because of reading her story.

Sometimes, it definitely helps taking a step into the uncomfortable because who knows what wonderful part of our personality is unleashed that wouldn't have otherwise.

I found her chapters on her trying to travel alone, attempting stand-up comedy (although I would have loved to read her skit in there, because if it was anything like her writing her, I bet it would have been funny!), really encouraging because she took the step to actually do things that were terrifying even when she had the option of curling back into bed.

And what I absolutely loved was how she managed to find humor in pretty much all situations. And that translated so well in her writing. This book would have been half as good had it not been so funny.

I am very glad I picked it up.
Thank you, Kat, for choosing this. Glad I could join you in the buddy read. :)

[Kat]

Final thoughts

I enjoyed it. I liked hearing about her stand up and would’ve liked more about her stand up. Also she wrote about deep self and shallow self when getting to know each other but I feel she didn’t let us in to her life much. Apart from the basic. I could relate too as I agree it’s hard to make friends in your 30s

Thank you for doing the buddy read with me.