Wow! I just got through reading and enjoying the latest ebook from our friend John Garrett of Hypertransitory.com called How To Deal With Stupid Clowns. He didn’t ask me to review it, but shared a copy with me, and man, after reading it how could I not review it? Great follow up to yesterday’s more serious post by me, that’s for sure.
Let’s get this stuff out of the way first. The link above is to his post/advertisement for it, and if you enjoy that then you’ll love the ebook because it’s all that and more. Half the book is, well, comics, and very funny stuff. The other half is his take on the stupid clowns most of us meet in life, and he hits them on the head. I laughed, then I shook my head because I knew some of these people; still do. It’s a short book, about 80 pages, but reads much faster because of the comics. Some might balk at the $10 price (only $7 if you sign up for his newsletter), but after looking at it I can say that it’s worth it for the artwork alone.
It’s basically a mixture of comic book and life lessons, and the lesson you need to take away from this book is to pick well the people you listen to, let affect your life, and basically let into your life. Don’t let anyone mess with your dream, your job, your life, or anything else if you know they don’t have your best interest at heart. Many people have their own agenda, and if it’s a bad one they’ll take you down with them; that’s what I took from this ebook.
There’s plenty of satire, and one would imagine there would have to be. After all, calling out bad managers, hanger’s on, and generally anyone that’s a drag on your life as a ‘stupid clown’ takes guts. Drawing all sorts of clowns, and I usually hate clowns, is even funnier. And the way he inserts himself into the book, in a green sweater with the Charlie Brown zigzag, is classic. The funniest books are when people can laugh at themselves as well as make a point, and John’s done that here.
What are you waiting for? Click on the link, go take a look at his sales page, read the book and let’s talk about it. Don’t be a stupid clown! lol
Mitch, thanks so much for the review, my friend!
I’m super-charged that you enjoyed it as much as you did. Sometimes as I was writing and drawing this I thought to myself “will anyone laugh at this? should I be doing this??”
But I’m definitely glad I persevered. I hope others enjoy it as much as you.
Thanks for the review and thanks for offering me your opinions and thoughts when I was asking for help, it’s really appreciated!
No problem John; it was enjoyable and a lot of fun to read. And how true; stupid clowns! lol
Sound right up my alley. Thanks for the review!
Oh yeah Scott, I hear you laughing out loud as I was.
Hi Scott, I hope you give it a chance, you’ll definitely get a chuckle!
Looks really interesting and the way I feel it pretty useful. Excellent illustrations, I will get my Paypal refiled on Tuesday and most likely I will buy it, because most of the time I really explode when I am dealing with “clowns”, probably will help me to deal easier.
Hi Carl, thanks I appreciate that.
I hope you enjoy it and I hope the book can help you avoid blowing up 🙂
All the best!
Our reality is so strict today, that sometimes it’s much better for us to read some funny books, then some sad, serious or scientific ones. Especially it will be interesting if you give advice, using humor. I guess I’ll buy it in some time. Thanks a lot for such an interesting review of the book.
Mitch, John’s comics make me cry from laughing so hard. That “cop” segment, right? {winks at John, knowingly}
Someday, John’s work will be encased in plastic shrink-wrap. We can all say we knew him when.
Cheers,
Mitch
I’m glad you said his work rather than him! Lol
Ha-ha, you saying he needs a shrink? You’re a bad person!
But you might have a point:
http://hypertransitory.com/blog/2011/08/05/addicted-to-non-interactive-video-games/
Another reason I love his work.
Cheers,
Mitch
Actually, I thought you were going to say he needed a shrink. Either way, if he keeps us laughing that way they may take us away and make us see a shrink. What art! lol
thanks guys, as I’m writing this I’m sipping chardonnay off the coast of Puerto Rico and fanning myself with stacks of my millions….aw, heck..no I’m not.
I’m actually just starting my day shift as a road-kill remover right now, but one day maybe. I can dream.
Semper Fi!
Didn’t you feature road kill in some post of yours once, or am I think of Mitch? lol I hope the sales are “going”; I’d say going well, but if you’re anything like me just making sales is pretty good.
Ha! I don’t write about that stuff, directly. If you weren’t so squeamish, I’d send you the link to a really funny song:
” …You got your dead skunk, in the middle of the road…”
Cheers,
Mitch
Mitch, I embrace my inner “squeamish”; keeps me safe and from eating and ingesting stuff that could kill me. lol
That clowns idea is a great metaphor for how to deal with obstacles in life. Great work by John Garrett. By the way, my brother hated clowns growing up. He wouldn’t even go to the circus because of them.
Greg, at a certain point I didn’t like clowns but I was a Bozo the clown fan and of course who didn’t love Ronald McDonald back then.
Thanks Greg! Interestingly, I never really had a fear of clowns, but since I made this book, I’ve gotten emails from many people who had issues with clowns when they were kids.
It’s funny how they entertain us, but somehow managed to strike fear in people at the same time lol.
My brother was horrified of clowns when we were kids and still is to this day. He still gets nervous around them into adulthood. Just like anything though, you have to get over your fear of them and move on! Great blog.
Sean, I hate most clowns, although I still have an affinity for Ronald McDonald and wasn’t ever scared of Bozo the Clown. This book brings it all back in a very funny way; I hope you consider buying it.