Meh.

Given that this is a less than 50 page comic, I don't think I had unreasonably high expectations . . . BUT. I know what this guy is capable of, even given limited space.

And this . . . This was nothing special. Apparently it's the hilarity that makes the unapologetic clarity Inman brings to our everyday day lives tolerable.

Without his trademark cleverness, his be-a-better-human message is just syrupy sweetness.

I recommend this instead: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe

And hey, while you're on the website, buy a stuffed harbinger of blood-soaked rainbows, or a sticker or something. Dude's gotta eat.

This book is SUPER short, but it has possibly the best art of all of these. Its super pretty. This one isn't funny like the others, its raw and honest and I felt I could really connect with it.

Check it out!

I loved it! The Oatmeal is consistently funny and true to life and this volume is no different.

I'm a fan of The Oatmeal and thought that this was a great read. Very sweet and kind without losing its humour.

I picked this up expecting a book on depression (my wheelhouse), but it's more of a philosophical examination of the flawed concept of "happiness," pursuing meaning even if it brings suffering along with joy, and finding things that give your life a sense of purpose. An ode to flow, if you will. Now quite my bag, but that's okay. 3.5 stars.

** Full disclosure: I received a free electronic ARC for review through NetGalley. **

The Oatmeal is more than just jokes about dogs and cats, Matthew Inman often looks into life and truth. How to be perfectly unhappy is the essential volume in looking at life and seeing yourself.
How to be Perfectly Unhappy looks at the idea of "happiness" and how it's not all it's cracked up to be. Les funny, than moving this is a perfect example of how many people feel on a daily basis and how we end up thinking we aren't good enough because we aren't "happy." Sure, it could have been longer with a better conclusion but it's a marvelous piece of work.
When this hits bookshelves I have some friends that will be getting this as a gift.

You know what, this book isn't going to be for everyone but it really rang home and met with me on so many levels, I could actually have written most of the pages in the book - it really is like they took all my thoughts and ideas and made this fantastic book about them! I have things I love to do, things I hate to do, things I don't mind and things I just about tolerate. I never have been and never will be a little ray of sunshine that is happy all the time, but if I was, I wouldn't be me and this book makes you realise, you don't have to be happy all the time, be yourself and do what you enjoy and that's your own version of "happy" - 5 stars from me

Wow, wow, wowee, wow.

I loved this. I'm a moderate fan of The Oatmeal...as in, I'll always read it if I see it in my feed, but I don't have it on my daily reads. I feel like I should after this, of course.

Great, quick read. The graphics are as familiar and friendly as I've come to expect out of the Oatmeal. Definitely liked it, and the happy-unhappy descriptions.

There is not just happy and unhappy. Satisfied, interested, joyful, bliss, these are all different places on the happy spectrum and that's perfectly ok.

How To Be Perfectly Unhappy is a tiny little gift book which gently suggests that we as a society need to redefine what being happy means. It's central point being that Pluto was downgraded, because we initially did not have a very clear definition for what a "planet" is. As the definition become more clear, Pluto clearly did not conform to the necessary requirements. 

This is a premise I buy into, as sociability is with more than even obsessed with perfection in our world of social media where anyone can spy and everyone. And when you start to look at happy and what happy means, you realize how brittle that definition is and it quickly falls apart. 



How To Be Perfectly Unhappy makes you think. With it's barely 48 pages it invited discussion about something where there is a mutual agreement that everyone should be happy and if you are not happy, then you are miserable.

The book makes several suggestions of what you can be instead of being happy, unhappy not being one of them.  With its quirky drawings and interesting rhetoric, the book is engaging from beginning to end and will be a great gift any miserable book lover you know.

You know how when you read things by The Oatmeal it strikes that balance of poignancy and humor? This one is missing the humor. Inman ponders the idea of happiness – its definition, achieving it, deciding how it’s defined and how you achieve it on your terms. I suppose there’s a level of irony on being unable to decide if I’m happy or not about a book discussing how we grade happiness on a spectrum or as a ladder. Overall, it felt more pessimistic and cynical about the idea of happiness and being some shade of fulfilled. I wasn’t left feeling uplifted or really even satisfied with it. It seemed like a bit of undiagnosed (maybe) depression and trying to come to some sort of peace with it. It wasn’t bad, it’s just….darker than I expected and felt a little incomplete.


I received a free advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for review. This book will be available for purchase on October 31, 2017

I am a massive fan of The Oatmeal, my all time fave is My Dog: The Paradox. It has a sweet yet funny side to it. How To Be Perfectly Unhappy is much the same. It takes on a seriousness that a lot of the previous books haven't had. It makes you think, it makes you wonder, it makes you look at things a little bit more closely. As always the illustrations are amazing and they make the words in this book stand out just that little bit more.

One of my favorite Oatmeal comics in convenient book form. It examines our culture’s obsession with happiness over satisfaction and worthwhile work. Uplifting and satisfying.

I always love The Oatmeal. Matt Inman has such an interesting way of looking at the world. I really enjoy how one comic is very introspective and the next one is about dog farts. You never know what you are going to get.

The publisher provided me with the opportunity to read this in exchange for providing feedback. (via NetGalley)

Amusing read that made me giggle a few times. I also never considered that you don't necessarily have to be unhappy when you're not happy. Fun read.

I loved this book and the message it tried getting across. If you're not happy by society's definition of the word, does that make you unhappy? Inman' graphic novel explores the in-between, that there is so much more to just being happy. With his humour, his art, and his storytelling, I leave feeling content. Definitely a favourite for me.

"Happy is a monochromatic word used to describe a rich, painful spectrum of human feeling"
Is our perception of happiness nothing more than an illusion?
I loved the way the author argued and explained his point of view.

"It's irrelevant.
because I'm not happy,
And I don't pretend to be.
Instead,
I'm busy.
I'm interested.
I'm fascinated.
I do things that are meaningful to me, even if they don't make me happy.
...
I run until my feet bleed
and my skin burns
and my bones scream

I read
I read long, complicated books about very smart things.
And I read short, silly books about very stupid things.
...
I work.
I work for twelve hours a day.
Until I can't think straight and I forget to feed myself and the light outside dims to a tired glow."


Thanks Netgalley!

In his latest book, How To Be Perfectly Unhappy, Matthew Inman, aka The Oatmeal, ponders the concept of happiness in his usual humorous style. And it’s a pretty amusing read but short because the subject, and his conclusions, are fairly straightforward and underwhelming.

The crux of his argument centres around flawed semantics and framing: are you happy or unhappy? But why is it an either/or question to begin with – aren’t we more complex than that? Happiness to me is an undeniably and overwhelming positive emotion and unhappiness is the opposite but, like Inman, I generally don’t feel either way for long – most of the time I’m content, interested and engaged in various different things that fill my days (work, hobbies, personal stuff, etc.) that don’t elicit feelings of either happiness or unhappiness.

Inman illustrates his point with the example of Pluto being downgraded from a planet because our definition of a planet changed over time. Maybe we should start reconsidering what “happy” means? Because if the choice is happy or unhappy and we’re not punching the air euphorically with a dumb smile on our faces, does that leave us with the realisation that we’re unhappy (and thereby possibly making you unhappy)? It shouldn’t. In this moment, I’m not happy but to say I’m therefore unhappy isn’t right either. Fulfilment would be a better term particularly as a lot of us do things that are hard to achieve but we find meaning and fulfilment from the challenge even if we’re not especially “happy” in the process.

Even though How To Be Perfectly Unhappy is a short book, the material felt stretched for what it was. Nor was I very engaged as he’s not saying anything mind-blowing and it’s not as funny as his other books. That said, I agree with Inman’s views and appreciate thoughtful books like this. He puts his ideas across well and it’s got a very positive message at its heart.

This would make a lovely gift. It explores the meaning of the word 'happy'. The author explores what this word means to him and he accompanies his thoughts with some lovely cartoon illustrations. The prose is thoughtful but simple. I think the drawings convey the prose in a gentle way giving the reader time and mental space to form their own response.

A lovely amusing but thoughtful graphic novel.

Copy provided by publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A lot of people think Matthew Inman's work is all fart jokes and dogs licking themselves, and I mean, that's most of it, but sometimes, Matthew gets really freaking insightful and makes me contemplate the universe and my existence and such. This book is definitely one of those times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!