Yes Man – Book Review
[Originally published for an organisation, internally]
What a brilliant idea for a book – scratch that – for life. Imagine it – saying yes to absolutely EVERYTHING that you’re asked to do. I thought I would try being a ‘Yes Woman’ before writing this review. One Big Issue, two buskers, three identical Time Outs and one red ribbon later I was out of change and my hands were covered in ink. I had also begun to suspect that the buskers were targeting me (didn’t I give change to that digiridoo player earlier?) I chickened out of saying yes to everything before I had to hand over my bank details to a sales rep. Saying yes constantly (for longer than the four hours I managed) I imagine would result in hilarious and entertaining consequences for anyone, and it certainly did for Danny Wallace, writer and star of his second book, Yes Man.
Danny Wallace is well known for his book Join Me (where he started a cult) and his TV series How to Start Your Own Country (where he established a brand new country – in his flat. The latter involved producing money with his face on it and lobbying the United Nations to recognise “Lovely” as a real country. If you are thinking events that inspired this latest book may be as insane as his other ventures you would be right.
We join Danny at a point in his life where he is feeling low; he split up from his girlfriend six months earlier and is wallowing in self-pity at home. He turns down every invitation to go out and be with his friends. Then a chance encounter on a bus home gives him a new perspective on life and Danny decides he will say yes – no matter what – to everything he is asked to do. This he does, even risking bodily harm when a man asks:
“Oi!, are you looking at my girlfriend?”
“Uh…yes”
“You what?? Do you want a punch in the mouth?”
Danny closes his eyes. “Yes”.
I had high expectations that this book would be a winner and it was, to the point where I found myself laughing out loud, in front of strangers, on the tube. Heed that as a warning if you decide to read this book in public places.
Heart-warming, hysterically funny, and full of life-affirming positivity, Yes Man is a must-read.
TheLondonAuthor
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