I love this book and I think you should too. Without the sketches, it might not have worked. With only the pictures it would have been just weirdness. But together, the book is pure happiness.

Hyperbole and a Half reads like a comedy show. The sketches act as a sort of perfectly placed comedic timing to a stand-up comic’s delivery—with a dead-on facial expression to boot. I’m not gonna’ lie—the sketches were slightly off-putting at first. Not exactly child-like, but not nearly polished, the figures were even a little disappointing… at first. But then I read the CAKE chapter. And fell over laughing. Immediately, the sketches made perfect sense. Skip to that chapter if you have any trepidation whatsoever.

I rarely give books as gifts (why would I admit that?), but I gave this book to a friend and I’m giving another copy to a different friend at the end of the month. Not all the chapters will speak to everyone. There’s a chapter or two on depression that skims a serious sadness, but nonetheless rings true. And anyway, this isn’t the kind of book that needs to be read all the way through. This is the kind of book you can leave around and pretend not to notice who picks up or which chapter they gravitate toward. Unless they are dog people, then you’ll know exactly which chapter they’ll pick. “Look, I made food.” Yup. It is what you’re thinking.