Failure is an Option by H. Jon Benjamin

Note: This book review has no spoilers!

This was a great book, I listened to the audio book which, in my opinion, is how this book should be digested. As it is narrated by the voice behind Bob from Bob’s Burgers, the narration style is perfect, the jokes, the sarcasm, the self deprecation, everything carries flawlessly as if listening to Bob on an extended episode.

One of the downside is there is not enough carrying on from one chapter to another, as if isolated small stories, I think more continuity would have helped a bit, however maybe it would have detracted slightly from the comedic narration.

Some chapters were really good, such as those where he tries to get authors to be a part of his book and they give up on him eventually. Also one with the parents in the park where they are judging the other parents and children, and eventually his kid ends up eating excrement.

He narrates everyday situations in such a powerful, excruciating way… taking things that should have ended in a peaceful resolution, dialing it to 11, taking it to the breaking moment, and ending in an explosive climax… sometimes literally. Maybe there were one-too-many ‘shitty’ jokes, at some point I felt myself groveling from my stomach feeling slightly ill.

If you feel like you are failing, reduce your expectations until it no longer feels like that.

I can’t remember if I heard that in the book or if I watched a video where that was mentioned, but I found the quote relatable to this book.

My overall impression was that its a good short book with some very funny moments - 7/10