DXC-08 Kuso-les scatological lesbian shit (SD 2018 1.83 GB) D-1004 Ami Nishimura and Nanami Kokona scatology lesbians (SD 2018 1.36 GB) COWD-017 Girl violinist exposed the hard scatology sex (SD 2018 2.06 GB) ARMD-515 Yui Misa lesbians scatology and solo defecation (SD 2018 1.76 GB).
This hilarious part-memoir, part-manifesto reveals what sets apart the latest generation of young people coming of age in an all-wired, overeducated, and underemployed world.People are obsessed with Ryan O'Connell's blogs. With tens of thousands reading his pieces on Thought Catalog and Vice, watching his videos on YouTube, and hanging on to each and every #dark tweet, Rya This hilarious part-memoir, part-manifesto reveals what sets apart the latest generation of young people coming of age in an all-wired, overeducated, and underemployed world.People are obsessed with Ryan O'Connell's blogs. With tens of thousands reading his pieces on Thought Catalog and Vice, watching his videos on YouTube, and hanging on to each and every #dark tweet, Ryan has established himself as a unique young voice who's not afraid to dole out some real talk. He's that candid, snarky friend you consult when you fear you're spending too much time falling down virtual k-holes stalking your ex on Facebook or when you've made the all-too-common mistake of befriending a psycho while wasted at last night's party and need to find a way to get rid of them the next morning. But Ryan didn't always have the answers to these modern day dilemmas.
Growing up gay and disabled with cerebral palsy, he constantly felt like he was one step behind everybody else. Then the rude curveball known as your twenties happened and things got even more confusing.Ryan spent years as a Millennial cliche: he had dead-end internships; dabbled in unemployment; worked in his pajamas as a blogger; communicated mostly via text; looked for love online; spent hundreds on 'necessary' items, like candles, while claiming to have no money; and even descended into aimless pill-popping. But through extensive trial and error, Ryan eventually figured out how to take his life from bleak to chic and began limping towards adulthood.Sharp and entertaining, I'm Special will educate twentysomethings (or other adolescents-at-heart) on what NOT to do if they ever want to become happy fully functioning grown ups with a 401k and a dog. Ryan O' Connell is a tv writer who also happens to be a young gay man living with cerebral palsy. Just last week Netflix released a show written and created by him (and starring himself) inspired by this memoir filled with anecdotes from his life. After watching all eight 15-minute long episodes on Netflix I just had to pick up this book and get more of Ryan and his hilarious stories.I decided to go for the audiobook which is narrated by Ryan himself, just because I needed more of his personali Ryan O' Connell is a tv writer who also happens to be a young gay man living with cerebral palsy. Just last week Netflix released a show written and created by him (and starring himself) inspired by this memoir filled with anecdotes from his life.
After watching all eight 15-minute long episodes on Netflix I just had to pick up this book and get more of Ryan and his hilarious stories.I decided to go for the audiobook which is narrated by Ryan himself, just because I needed more of his personality that was oozing out of his Netflix show. I was not disappointed. Ryan's memoir is even funnier, more heartwarming and even more emotional than the Netflix adaptation of it.
The jokes made me laugh harder and the emotional moments resonated deeper.Ryan is funny, sweet and intelligent and his stories made me laugh and want to cry at the same time. He is the representation we need right now and I cannot recommend this book or the Netflix show enough. Truer words were never spoken.I got a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All I can say is: truer words were never spoken.
Ryan O'Connell was able to present the life of twentysomethings in this wild, messy, complicated roller-coaster ride, and I couldn't help but agree on the majority of the book. Being a twentysomething myself, I, too, have been to toxic friendships, unrequited love down to ugly relationships, and to read something like this serves as an affirmation that Truer words were never spoken.I got a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All I can say is: truer words were never spoken. Ryan O'Connell was able to present the life of twentysomethings in this wild, messy, complicated roller-coaster ride, and I couldn't help but agree on the majority of the book.
Being a twentysomething myself, I, too, have been to toxic friendships, unrequited love down to ugly relationships, and to read something like this serves as an affirmation that despite the shitty hands that we were dealt with, we can bounce back, it is just a matter of discipline and our eagerness to make a difference out of our chaotic lives. Yes, that classmate in high school who constantly posts happy photos from a vacation spent with dear friends in some exclusive island is probably as lost and as unsure of her life as you are, that college friend who posted a picture of her bright shiny red car is probably living on crackers to tide her for the week - this book made me realize that twentysomethings, including myself, loved to live in a big facade. Constantly itching to show the world only the nice things that are happening to their pathetic lives.
Being a twentysomething is like being in a Britney Spears' song Not a girl, not yet a woman. The transition is scary and more often than not, we like to stay at the shore than swim against the waves, but once we've kissed the ocean we are so desperate to stay afloat that we forget to breathe for a while, to enjoy how the sun kisses our skin, we forget the simple things. This wonderful book made me realize that there are far more important things in life than trying to please everyone, that people will perpetually fail you in ways you cannot imagine, that at the end of a tiring day all you truly have is yourself. This book can be the bible of twentysomethings, and I am really glad I read it!
Kudos to the author for writing such an incredible book!' I don't regret anything. And neither should you. You should remember all of it. You should remember all the time you wasted in your bed, or someone else's bed or at some bar where you overheard the same drippy conversations. You should remember how thin you once were despite subsisting on beer and pizza.
You should remember all the people you tried to love all the people who tried to love you. All the awful overpriced apartments, all the toxic friendships, and all the money you spent on things you can no longer recall. Then I want you to remember the moment you developed a keen understanding of what works for you and what doesn't. I want you to remember being comfortable in your own skin and not feeling like you have to apologize for every little thing, I want you to remember the first time you decided not to put the entirety of your self worth in someone's careless hands.
Because moments like those are the most valuable - instances in which you felt yourself no longer becoming the person you want to but already being it. That's pretty fucking special.' This was a book challenge read for me.
I had never heard of Ryan O'Connell before but since I like reading autobiographies, I picked this one up. I'll straight up say that this was not at all what I expected. This was a little too crude and explicit, but he had a clever wit which made this far more palatable than I would have thought. This wasn't laugh out loud funny for me because I was mostly saying to myself, 'I can't believe he just said that,' but he was clever,honest and seemed to capture This was a book challenge read for me. I had never heard of Ryan O'Connell before but since I like reading autobiographies, I picked this one up. I'll straight up say that this was not at all what I expected.
This was a little too crude and explicit, but he had a clever wit which made this far more palatable than I would have thought. This wasn't laugh out loud funny for me because I was mostly saying to myself, 'I can't believe he just said that,' but he was clever,honest and seemed to capture emotion well, which are three things that I feel worked here. The information regarding his sex life was TMI, and I would have thought the same thing even if he was straight. This wasn't quite 3 stars for me, but I'll round up because he clearly had a story to tell. I am not sure how the work of Ryan O’Connell has not come across my screen before, but if any articles he has written are half as good as “I’m Special”, then I need to read them all. The book is not only hilarious, but also true, and explains so much about the millennial generation.Mr.
O’Connell is a very self-aware individual, which makes him the perfect writer to put a voice to the millennial generation, because self-awareness is not always a trait widely attributed to them/us. I’m a generatio I am not sure how the work of Ryan O’Connell has not come across my screen before, but if any articles he has written are half as good as “I’m Special”, then I need to read them all. The book is not only hilarious, but also true, and explains so much about the millennial generation.Mr. O’Connell is a very self-aware individual, which makes him the perfect writer to put a voice to the millennial generation, because self-awareness is not always a trait widely attributed to them/us. I’m a generation straddler, so half of it seemed to apply to myself or my parents, and the other half seemed to apply to every friend and relative I have who is younger. During some of the stories I was actually saying out loud, “That’s me! I do that all the time!” It should probably be embarrassing that I had that reaction, because every time it was because of something weird, quirky, and/or off-putting, but it is what it is.
He makes it feel ok to be the way we are.“I’m Special” has quite a bit of rather adult content, so if that bothers you it is probably not a good fit. Otherwise, as long as you aren’t afraid to laugh at yourself (because you will identify with someone in the book), I recommend it to anyone looking to be entertained while also being made to think about their life choices.This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Update, 5/30/2019:As you can see from my original review below from 3.5 years ago, I wasn't terribly enamored of Ryan's book, per se.
However, I just finished binge-watching at one sitting the entire first season of his new Netflix show based on such - and it is HILARIOUS, and everything the book isn't. My recommendation is to skip the book, and just enjoy the show!Original review:Granted I am several decades beyond the Millennial generation this book is aimed at, but I thought it would be int Update, 5/30/2019:As you can see from my original review below from 3.5 years ago, I wasn't terribly enamored of Ryan's book, per se.
However, I just finished binge-watching at one sitting the entire first season of his new Netflix show based on such - and it is HILARIOUS, and everything the book isn't. My recommendation is to skip the book, and just enjoy the show!Original review:Granted I am several decades beyond the Millennial generation this book is aimed at, but I thought it would be interesting to read the perspective of a young gay disabled individual. Some of it was fun and funny, but most of it was pretty mediocre and reminded me of the platitudes in any Oprah-inspired self=help book. Oh boy, was I disappointed. I've never heard about Ryan O'Connell before and based on some great tumblr quotes choose to read his book. Guess what, all the quotes you can read for free here turned out to be the best parts of this book. What a shame.In general I got a very strange idea of Ryan in my head.
He's not a pleasant person, quite arrogant and really close-minded. His thoughts made me sick and the way he describes the whole generation of 20 smth based on his own experience is disturbing. Oh boy, was I disappointed. I've never heard about Ryan O'Connell before and based on some great tumblr quotes choose to read his book. Guess what, all the quotes you can read for free here turned out to be the best parts of this book.
What a shame.In general I got a very strange idea of Ryan in my head. He's not a pleasant person, quite arrogant and really close-minded. His thoughts made me sick and the way he describes the whole generation of 20 smth based on his own experience is disturbing.What can I say, looks like he cared more about being in trend than actually writing something worthy. Ryan O’Connell is a great writer with such a great sense of humor. I did watch his Netflix show first, which introduced me to his book.
And I loved both! The irony is the book highlights on disability and homosexuality, but I really didn’t feel that’s what this book is all about.
Ryan goes through the same struggle in his 20’s as any able-bodied individual would. I find his struggles really relatable. While it may be more difficult to live through life with cerebral palsy and being gay, he prett Ryan O’Connell is a great writer with such a great sense of humor. I did watch his Netflix show first, which introduced me to his book.
And I loved both! The irony is the book highlights on disability and homosexuality, but I really didn’t feel that’s what this book is all about. Ryan goes through the same struggle in his 20’s as any able-bodied individual would. I find his struggles really relatable. While it may be more difficult to live through life with cerebral palsy and being gay, he pretty much experiences all the thing a young adult does.
When it comes down to it, this book is really about self-love: not lying to others to be accepted and to fit in, not trying to hustle friendships for the sake of not wanting to be alone, and not being self-destructive in order to numb your emotions. The way Ryan woke up to his self-destruction and what motivated him to come out of is really unique. Despite what he went through in his 20’s, Ryan is a self-aware individual at heart. The book came in full circle at the end, especially with the idea of being special.One thing to note, I did find myself a little weary towards the end, starting at the last third of the book. I wasn’t sure where the story was going with all his self destructive behaviors, but when it gets to the end, his point is made. Which changed my view entirely. So what I’m saying is stick through the book to the end and you’ll see why.Other readers have criticized about the egocentrism.
But to point out, isn’t that what’s part of being a millennial, a blogger and writing a memoir are about? If anything, it just shows how brilliant the writer is about making those ideas work out. This book was not exactly what I was expecting it to be based on the title and the blurb and I'm not sure if that's an entirely good thing. If I could choose one word to describe it, it would be 'Millenial' and that it truly is. Some of the sections in the book I could truly relate to and found comfort in, especially the chapters on unemployment and unpaid internships, that being said, most of the other chapters felt a little too explicit for my taste. Maybe I'm not the right audience for this c This book was not exactly what I was expecting it to be based on the title and the blurb and I'm not sure if that's an entirely good thing.
If I could choose one word to describe it, it would be 'Millenial' and that it truly is. Some of the sections in the book I could truly relate to and found comfort in, especially the chapters on unemployment and unpaid internships, that being said, most of the other chapters felt a little too explicit for my taste. Maybe I'm not the right audience for this content, given the vast cultural and geographical differences. But I'd give the writing this, it was transparent and honest. There was no sense of superiority or superficiality - every sentence was honest and it showed that the prime goal of the author was to make the reader relate to the content. In that sense, in some places it really felt like I was reading a really long blog post. But as a young adult struggling to find her way in this world, a lot of the words in the book did make complete sense and did provide a clearer outlook on some frustrating aspects of life, and I'm thankful for that.
CBR Bingo - Rainbow FlagRyan O'Connell is a gay man with mild cerebral palsy that was hit by a car, hired as a writer for Thought Catalog, had a drug problem, and now has successfully published a book telling the sordid, thoughtful and funny details of his life. And, even better news for him, is that this book was adapted as a show on Netflix, which premiered in April. I couldn't imagine a better pick for Rainbow Flag as his identity (including his sexuality) is on display and is quintessential CBR Bingo - Rainbow FlagRyan O'Connell is a gay man with mild cerebral palsy that was hit by a car, hired as a writer for Thought Catalog, had a drug problem, and now has successfully published a book telling the sordid, thoughtful and funny details of his life. And, even better news for him, is that this book was adapted as a show on Netflix, which premiered in April.
I couldn't imagine a better pick for Rainbow Flag as his identity (including his sexuality) is on display and is quintessential to the success.This book is at the same time both an ode and a takedown of the twenty-something millennial. He skewers himself, and his generation, for the expectation that they are owed something from this life, and perhaps spoiled in the process, but also gives thoughtful insight into how they (he) came to be this way. He describes his generation as free to explore, to question, to be, whereas his parents were pigeon-holed in by narrow options and parents that wanted them to obey the status quo.As a thirty something (if I'm honest, closer to forty something) I found this book a little distant from my experience, but certainly relatable. I didn't have any of the struggles that O'Connell has faced, but he doesn't see his experiences as.dare I say it, special, but rather just his journey so even if you aren't a recovering pill addict with cerebal palsy at its core its a story about growing up, learning, and struggling in the modern world.Oh, and it is hilaaaaaarious.
The audiobook is read by him and I don't normally laugh out loud for books, but he got me on a number of occassions. Also, vulgar and at times explicit, so not everyone's cup of tea, but one I will be recommending to a certain subset of pals. 3.5 starsI honestly have mixed feelings about this book.
It sometimes is incredibly funny and relatable and sometimes it just seems annoying and narcissistic. I obviously couldn't relate to everything because of some cultural differences although it was very interesting to read about this point of view. It was often very crude but always refreshingly honest. I especially liked those moments of prespective and wider reflection. The strongest moment of the book was the end and I wish more of the b 3.5 starsI honestly have mixed feelings about this book. It sometimes is incredibly funny and relatable and sometimes it just seems annoying and narcissistic. I obviously couldn't relate to everything because of some cultural differences although it was very interesting to read about this point of view.
It was often very crude but always refreshingly honest. I especially liked those moments of prespective and wider reflection. The strongest moment of the book was the end and I wish more of the book was like it.
Because of these moments when you read something and it just connects with you on a deeper level and make sense, I thought it was a great read. This was exactly how I expected a book from Ryan to read, albeit a bit shorter than I had hoped.
While 'I'm Special' definitely featured Ryan's signature honest-to-a-fault voice and the same crazy millennial antics I came to love over the years, that's all it was: the same thing I've seen over the years. I understand that this book is a long-time coming and that it was originally intended for the Urban Outfitters set (perhaps the whole thing was once in listicle form?), so I can see where this c This was exactly how I expected a book from Ryan to read, albeit a bit shorter than I had hoped. While 'I'm Special' definitely featured Ryan's signature honest-to-a-fault voice and the same crazy millennial antics I came to love over the years, that's all it was: the same thing I've seen over the years. I understand that this book is a long-time coming and that it was originally intended for the Urban Outfitters set (perhaps the whole thing was once in listicle form?), so I can see where this came from and how it came to be what it is, but I was a little disappointed it didn't have a little more depth. I guess I expected it to offer something more, with the promise of his big cerebral palsy revelation and all. It's not that I wanted more struggle or profound emotional depth, and I know that I'm not entitled to anything more than what he offers as the writer, but knowing Ryan's willingness to tell-all, I just thought he'd have more to say?The structure also seemed a little wonky (opening with stories about his current life and working backwards, sort of?) and I would have liked to read more about the time between Thought Catalog and Awkward - like I said, this book has been years in the making so perhaps that story is still forthcoming.
With that said, what Ryan does put out there is always incredibly engaging, entertaining, mostly hilarious, and his voice is beyond authentic. It's certainly not the worst thing to put a book down and have your greatest wish be a hope for more.If you're looking for an in-depth look at what it's like living with a disability like cerebral palsy, you won't find it here. You will some cringe-worthy sexual encounters, i-can't-believe-this-happened drug stories, sweet moments of familial love, and plenty of millennial angsty anecdotes. I would still definitely recommend this to any fans of his writing or to anyone interested in testing out the humour memoir/essay collection genre. Ryan's voice IS special even if his narrative is slightly underdeveloped and this won't stop be from continuing to support him and read his work. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by original content, but Ryan O'Connell delivered what I expected out of this book and made me laugh out loud to a point where I had to deliberately calm myself.I picked up this book because I'm a fan of Ryan O'Connell's writing voice - self-aware, raunchy, unpretentious, and, of course, hilarious. Interestingly, what surprised me was how well he could also articulate poignant romantic and sexual epiphanies.
I truly enjoyed those parts and had me nodding as I I wasn't expecting to be blown away by original content, but Ryan O'Connell delivered what I expected out of this book and made me laugh out loud to a point where I had to deliberately calm myself.I picked up this book because I'm a fan of Ryan O'Connell's writing voice - self-aware, raunchy, unpretentious, and, of course, hilarious. Interestingly, what surprised me was how well he could also articulate poignant romantic and sexual epiphanies. I truly enjoyed those parts and had me nodding as I feel a little bit of my tears in the corner of my eyes.I know the subject of 'millennials' has become so tired these days it's annoying. But maybe the subject of 'struggling twenty-somethings' needs to be told in a number of different voices just to hammer the point and remind young people they're not alone in their struggles.
Everybody wants the same things and everybody's just winging it. Reading Ryan's struggles with having cerebral palsy, being gay, and being young and stupid made me feel less alone. And that's basically the reason why I read these things.My favorite bits in the book were his descriptions on intimacy - how real intimacy rarely happens in the sexual act itself but in the moments before and after. I could read those perfect paragraphs again and again.
There's no shortage of truth in this book. I first read Ryan O'Connell's work on Thought Catalog years ago and instantly connected with his sense of humor and the ways in which he viewed the world as a young, gay man in New York. This book is mostly a memoir, mostly about his twenties and all the hot messes he got himself into while trying to figure out what the hell he wanted to do with his life.In short, this was such a treat to read. Equally parts poignant and LOL-funny, O'Connell knows how to cut right into the makeup of his peers a I first read Ryan O'Connell's work on Thought Catalog years ago and instantly connected with his sense of humor and the ways in which he viewed the world as a young, gay man in New York.
This book is mostly a memoir, mostly about his twenties and all the hot messes he got himself into while trying to figure out what the hell he wanted to do with his life.In short, this was such a treat to read. Equally parts poignant and LOL-funny, O'Connell knows how to cut right into the makeup of his peers and dissects Millennials in fun and carefree manner.
O'Connell gets pretty deep and #dark about himself, but the book is nicely balanced between these heavier moments and more slapstick scenes. My favorite chapter was 'Being Gay is Gay'-a hilarious and incredibly relatable section about coming out and having your first sexual experience. If you've read and enjoyed any of Ryan's articles or his Twitter account, you'll probably love this. Fellow twenty-somethings looking for a quick, fun read, check this out. Well, technically I didn't finish this book and I'm ambivalent about it. I've only got about 100 pages to go, and Ryan did make me laugh a few times, but my goodness me.
I want to think this shallow, materialistic, sheltered, self-absorbed kid doesn't actually represent the youth of today. Honestly, I find this book really depressing. He started to lose me when he was talking about buying things to become a 'dream self.' That, right there, is what is wrong with the world. I couldn't care less Well, technically I didn't finish this book and I'm ambivalent about it. I've only got about 100 pages to go, and Ryan did make me laugh a few times, but my goodness me.
I want to think this shallow, materialistic, sheltered, self-absorbed kid doesn't actually represent the youth of today. Honestly, I find this book really depressing. He started to lose me when he was talking about buying things to become a 'dream self.' That, right there, is what is wrong with the world.
I couldn't care less about the vivid descriptions of butt sex, complete with poo. That was fine by me. What I found confronting was how obsessed with 'Having all the things' this guy is. I feel like I need to go and hang out at the community garden to restore my faith in humanity. You're funny, but not really my cop of tea.
From my book blogI'm Special and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves To Get Through Our Twenties is a humorous memoir of twentysomething traumas by Ryan O'Connell. A blogger and TV writer, this has been adapted into the Netflix show Special.Are you spending your paycheck on $200 face cream and hibiscus cocktails? You deserve it, you're special. Ryan skewers today's generation who curate only the best pictures to post online, while the reality of seeking validation in From my book blogI'm Special and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves To Get Through Our Twenties is a humorous memoir of twentysomething traumas by Ryan O'Connell. A blogger and TV writer, this has been adapted into the Netflix show Special.Are you spending your paycheck on $200 face cream and hibiscus cocktails? You deserve it, you're special.
Ryan skewers today's generation who curate only the best pictures to post online, while the reality of seeking validation in swipes and likes on social media is much messier. You can have hundreds of friends online but no one to confide in. This is the coddled generation who grew up with protective helicopter parents, who received awards for just showing up.Ryan's twenties were messy and he refreshingly admits it - rips that bandaid right off. His family and friends were unconditionally accepting when he came out, and he's extremely candid about navigating the gay universe of labels, giving blowjobs and having a dick in his ass. Yes, it's that kind of book. That's what makes him special in a family that includes a brother who started a niche porn website and became a millionaire in his twenties, and a sister who is a professional hula-hooper.After college he moved New York where he interned for magazines like Interview and wrote for online blogs. It was New York in his twenties, where partying led to a lifestyle of blackout drinking; drugs like Molly and cocaine led to painkillers like Percocet, Roxicet, Adderall, and Vicodin; shady drug dealers led to upscale dealers and then a doctor who happily supplied bulk Xanax.
Didn't he tell me 50 pages back that his Dad didn't even know he was drinking?It went from chic to bleak, and he writes openly without regrets having survived it all; that's what makes him special.And he was born with cerebral palsy.Still has it, so that makes him special. Often it was easier to say he had been hit by a car (which also happened). This is a memoir about sleeping with all the wrong people, wandering through your twenties doing everything you shouldn't, and doing it as a 'gay gimp with bad skin and rainbow hair'(which is a quote so I can say that).He's a very funny writer - this is either what not to do, or, instantly relatable.Recommended.
Perhaps the most grating, atrocious, solipsistic book I've encountered in years. I made the bad decision to listen to this on audiobook, and hearing Ryan O'Connell's snarky, vapid, scatological narration, read at breakneck speed, was a loathsome experience. He begins with an exhausting screed in which he derides Millennials for the same qualities he himself gleefully exhibits. From there he tortures his audience with one foul mouthed anecdote after another, and I couldn't give less than a damn a Perhaps the most grating, atrocious, solipsistic book I've encountered in years. I made the bad decision to listen to this on audiobook, and hearing Ryan O'Connell's snarky, vapid, scatological narration, read at breakneck speed, was a loathsome experience.
He begins with an exhausting screed in which he derides Millennials for the same qualities he himself gleefully exhibits. From there he tortures his audience with one foul mouthed anecdote after another, and I couldn't give less than a damn about any of them. I'm thankful this audiobook robbed me of only four hours of my life.I feel this book-which actually has the length and tone of an extended blog post-is a missed opportunity for O'Connell. I don't mean that he should be the poster child for disabled gays, but he could have used his platform to give the public insight into a sector of the LGBT community that is grossly ignored, both in pop culture and within the LGBT community itself.
He could have done some real yeoman's work here and built up his stature to gain a reputation as a real humorist like David Sedaris, Tina Fey, or Sloane Crosley. Instead, he chose to position himself as the gay crip community's Lena Dunham, yet another shallow, privileged, Millennial fool with a gutter mouth and a disturbing preoccupation with excrement. Will these people Please! Ok seriously, I'm gonna need for this author to get out of my head! Really though, this book is exactly the kind of book I would write if I were to ever write a book (though he is quite a bit wittier than I am).As a gay millennial male with cerebral palsy, it is not often if ever that I get to see myself represented on the page. So for that reason alone, this book was worth the read for me. Add to that the fact that it is just a really funny book and you have a reason for me to give it five sta Ok seriously, I'm gonna need for this author to get out of my head!
Really though, this book is exactly the kind of book I would write if I were to ever write a book (though he is quite a bit wittier than I am).As a gay millennial male with cerebral palsy, it is not often if ever that I get to see myself represented on the page. So for that reason alone, this book was worth the read for me. Add to that the fact that it is just a really funny book and you have a reason for me to give it five stars.This is also a fairly accurate portrayal of what it is like to be a millennial gay man in America today. There were so many times when I was nodding along or cringing because something he wrote was so accurate and so reflective of my own experience.I don't know how I had managed to miss Ryan O'Connell's work before now. His is a unique and much needed voice.
I will be sure to seek out his work from now on. Side note: I can't wait for his new Netflix show to drop, especially after reading this. If it is even half as funny and witty and insightful as this book is, we are in for a real treat. I really enjoyed the recent Netflix series 'Special' which Ryan O'Connell wrote and starred in.
O'Connell is clearly a very intelligent and talented person (and was engaging and hilarious on the only TV appearance of his I've seen, on The Daily Show a couple of months ago).The TV series is supposedly based on this memoir, but it's clear as you get into the heart of this book that the show is a highly (and I mean sky-high) fictionalised and sanitised version of it.It probably had to be. The book I really enjoyed the recent Netflix series 'Special' which Ryan O'Connell wrote and starred in. O'Connell is clearly a very intelligent and talented person (and was engaging and hilarious on the only TV appearance of his I've seen, on The Daily Show a couple of months ago).The TV series is supposedly based on this memoir, but it's clear as you get into the heart of this book that the show is a highly (and I mean sky-high) fictionalised and sanitised version of it.It probably had to be.
The book is a bit all over the place - tone and substance-wise. Fluffy in places.
Tedious in others (although that may be partly his very point about entitled millennial navel-gazers such as himself). It's only when he gets to the grittier, least flattering parts of his life in the last half or so of the book that there is any real meat and guts and you wonder why he wasted time trying to prove he was entertaining and funny in the earlier parts.He is still young and I look forward to seeing what else he produces in book or screen format as I think he has something to say. And not just about being a young gay man with cerebral palsy (not that that is without its interesting aspects). O'Connell reads like a fairy god gay, your cool older friend who was a bit of a mess when he was your age and put in the work to get his shit together - and he's here to tell you how to do the same.
There were times when I laughed out loud, contrasted with times when I was forced to look at my own life and ask 'what am I doing.' I'm Special and Other Lies is more like an extended collection of Thought Catalogs post than a memoir.
Each category ropes you in with a bit of story and then exposits h O'Connell reads like a fairy god gay, your cool older friend who was a bit of a mess when he was your age and put in the work to get his shit together - and he's here to tell you how to do the same. There were times when I laughed out loud, contrasted with times when I was forced to look at my own life and ask 'what am I doing.' I'm Special and Other Lies is more like an extended collection of Thought Catalogs post than a memoir. Each category ropes you in with a bit of story and then exposits heavily for a few pages.As a 23 year old New Yorker who is going through a rough patch, it showed me that I shouldn't be too hard on myself, and to keep putting in the effort to drag myself up. Thank you, Ryan, for your funny but firm words of wisdom. Looking forward to Special on Netflix next month!
I picked this book up as soon as I watched the Netflix series. I was a fan of the show for it's diversity and for it's truly dark humor. There were moments where I thought 'oh wow can they say that?' But they did and it was great. Anyways, I was primed to want to like this book and I felt as though I really did enjoy it.This book is a series of essays truly, each connected to each other in a daisy chain of anecdotes and general themes of fucking up and learning from said fuck-ups. It's a real tr I picked this book up as soon as I watched the Netflix series. I was a fan of the show for it's diversity and for it's truly dark humor.
There were moments where I thought 'oh wow can they say that?' But they did and it was great. Anyways, I was primed to want to like this book and I felt as though I really did enjoy it.This book is a series of essays truly, each connected to each other in a daisy chain of anecdotes and general themes of fucking up and learning from said fuck-ups. It's a real treat for O'Connell to not take himself so seriously despite doing some fairly insane things. The book was a quick read for me and I'd love to read more by O'Connell in the future.8 basic white girl friends out of 10.