The audiobook was definitely a great listen. The narrator was engaging to listen to, and adds some value as it is the author reading the book. I think I prefer to read the physical book, because the small illustrations were a nice touch that you don't get with the audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this audiobook to listen to and review.

Jonny's writing style can be overly direct at times. He seems to be speaking to and for me. I adore it when it's at its best. At its worst, it's still interesting, but less so. I'm hesitant to give this five stars because reading it was so personal for me that I can't imagine how others might relate. His despondency and anxiety are openly expressed. Many of the resulting experiences and observations ring true for me, while others do not.

His botanical descriptions were both interesting and relatable to me. Because his plant experiences are similar to those I've had with other things I've made, grown, or produced. His understanding of flora reveals my own difficulties. His writing style is similar to mine if I weren't always "professional." Full of detailed, run-on sentences and paragraphs that make you feel as if he's speaking directly to you. It's unique and genuine.

4.3 stars

This book was an interesting experience.

The themes are so universal and relatable but it was really personal for me for good and for evil. I would either love it or be like... nah depending on my mood

But mostly it was very uplifting and kept reminding me about all the dimensions of being human and how I need to be more compassionate with myself.

Can't recommended it enough!

Adorable and good read. I think a lot of others would like it as well. Would read more from author in the future.

Jonny Sun has captivated me once again. He conveys his personal story masterfully, really capturing the emotions he intends to bring out of the reader through his own words and voice. Like listening to an old friend speak, this audiobook is cozy and something I looked forward to listening to every time I could. Jonny is able to bring listeners in with every word. His story is something very relatable, not only to me as someone who grew up in a home with a similar cultural background, but to anyone else who experienced the same kind of emotional hardships he struggled through and overcame. I think that this book can help people realize that they aren’t alone in what they’re feeling, and bring them to a place that makes them feel safe and heard.

Goodbye, Again, by Jonny Sun, is a collection of bits and pieces -- short essays, thoughts, and drawings all about life, depression, and plants. Fundamentally, this book is about the struggle between being productive and being happy, a topic that many, including myself, will find all too relatable.

Sun's writing style is conversational and personal. He shares stories of his plants, his parents, his work, all with the same tone of quiet contemplation, a tone that is beautifully displayed by the audio narration, which Sun provides himself. His voice, both spoken and written, is soothing and calm, even while he describes feelings that anything but. The drawings sprinkled throughout are simple, and they match the overall tone of the book beautifully.

This book doesn't dive very deeply into anything -- the essays are sort, sometimes just a few lines long, and even those that take up more room on the page don't really do much exploration. Instead, this book skates along the surface, dipping down here and there to share a thought or a feeling about a topic, to describe how to cook eggs and how to live as the child of demanding parents, how to feel at home in a place and how to take care of a houseplant, all without ever truly examining the depths of any given subject.

In spite of this overall shallow approach, the book overall is deeply moving. I found myself caught up in it, swallowing the bit size pieces of writing and drawing while nodding my head, feeling myself often clearly represented on the pages of the book. This book will feel very familiar to many readers, and although no answers will be given, perhaps it is enough to know that someone else is asking the same questions.

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for this ALC!

A gentle audiobook for stress relief. I loved the sensitive way Jonny describes his houseplants. Inspires tenderness and care for others as well for yourself.

On first inspection of the cover, I didn't know what to expect from this book-- but that stylistic choice was very intentional, and very strategic. The blank slate of the cover means you are welcomed into the mind of Jonny Sun without expecting the connection you will build with him throughout his series of essays and reflections. Jonny Sun is vulnerable and authentic in this work, and he meets fellow workaholics/over-thinkers/worriers/anxious humans halfway with the stylistic choices he used to craft this title. Whether you are reading his words or listening to his calming voice, the best way to enjoy this title is by savouring it over time when you take a moment, however brief, for yourself, (seriously, some sections are only a handful of words!) If you struggle with finding time for self care, this book will help you to make that space--and the connection you will feel to Jonny's honesty will wash you with relief, resetting yourself to move forward in your day with mindfulness and self-reflections of your own. My personal favourite was "Three Concepts For a Birthday Party"! Stellar!

This book was full of many esoteric observations that were neatly arranged in segments that collectively offered a structure of intrigue and delicate reflection.

I've followed Jonny Sun on Twitter for many, many years now, and come to be a big fan of his work and his viewpoint, in all the ways and forms he's shared these with his ever-growing audience. I say audience, but it's not hard not to feel like 'friends' would be nearer the mark - as willing as he is to share and be vulnerable and authentic online, it's hard not to feel like you know him better than you really do.

Goodbye, Again, his new collection of personal essays, reflections, and illustrations, is a perfect example of that feeling. Sun speaks as though to a friend, in what often reads like an expanded version of some tweets or Twitter threads, exploring topics like mental health, productivity, happiness, home, houseplants, and creativity in his customarily gentle, open style. Because the book is pretty short, and many of the pieces within it especially brief, even when some of them didn't really land for me - and there were a number of those, I admit - it was always a quick read 'til the next thought. On the other hand, I wish Sun had gone more in depth with some of these issues, as a lot of it just felt like dipping a toe into the idea, shrugging at it in passing, and moving on again. Still, many readers, whether they've been following Jonny for years or are new to his work, will find plenty to relate to in his struggles and meditations, his musings, his meanderings, his recipes. (Oh, did I not mention there's a recipe or two in here? Enjoy those scrambled eggs, friends.)

I listened to the audiobook, which Jonny Sun reads himself, and while normally I'm not a fan of authors reading their own work, in this case Jonny has a voice that is so soothing and easy to listen to, it fits his writing perfectly - of course, in a book so personal - and feels, again, like having a conversation with an old friend, late at night when the party's long since died down and there's just a handful of people left, sitting around and getting philosophical. And listening to it now, a full year into not getting to do just that with my own friends...it feels somehow even more meaningful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the advance review copy!

This book was such a joy to read. Jonny Sun offers a soothing mix of musings on creating and existing in a world that demands more than we can give. Sun draws from lived experiences meditating on human behavior from what constitutes as friendship, to the hidden meaning behind our parents' actions, and how to be present when anxiety and depression make themselves known. I enjoyed how this book was set up as a compilation of brief encounters, childhood memories, and even recipes! Learning about scrambled eggs and succulents gives way to larger takeaways on grief, tradition, and home. It's a comforting, breezy read that's especially welcome in these times with its transparency on mental health, productivity, and searching for a sense of self. Listening to Son felt like being on the receiving end of a conversation with an old friend and I hope to hear more from him soon.

Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I can see how people who struggle with anxiety will find this book relatable. For others who've struggled but made progress, reading this book can feel like falling back into toxic thought patterns you've already worked through. It was a very tough listen for me because of that. There were very sweet moments in the book, but what was really tough is that while you get the sense that the author genuinely suffers because of his anxiety, and is seeking help for it. You also get the sense that he is very committed to these thought patterns because they've gotten him this far, He certainly has the right to write about his anxiety in whatever way he sees fit, he is not obliged in any way to model healthier ways to deal with life, but it did make it a tough book that didn't feel like it was helpful or pleasant for me.

Jonny Sun's "Goodbye, Again" is a collection of essays about happiness, productivity, guilt. and cactuses. Some of his writing is like a poem, others a journal entry full of vulnerability, and a few just a random collection of thoughts. There wasn't a general theme to these essays and writings but that is what makes it enchanting - this book could be picked up on a different day and it would feel new. It would make the perfect addition to someone's nightstand or audio library...life musings to fall asleep to.

The narrarator has a wonderful tone to his voice - a sweet melencholy that matches the essays, and conpensates for the missed illustrations.

#GoodbyeAgain #NetGalley

I will not be reviewing this book on any platform as I have chosen to DNF it. I started out liking the book, but there was a specific essay that happened to really trigger my anxiety. I imagine many people reading the same exact thing would feel comforted in being so seen, but I just happens to spin out and am still having trouble getting my heart to calm down.

This was so relatable and beautifully written. Almost every section was impactful in some way, and I've never read anything like this but I was so into it. I really want a physical copy so I can annotate and see the illustrations!

- I love that it was narrated by the author (there was a weird sort of echo on the audiobook but that might have just been my phone and it didn't affect my enjoyment at all... just a little annoying).
- The essays about productivity and self doubt and pressure were so relatable to me and hit me hard. I think each person will get something different out of this book, depending on what they're going through, and the essays that I could really relate with were my favorite ones.
- It seemed like there was a lot of unrelated themes so it lacked some unity. On the one hand, I appreciated that because it reminded me of life. We experience a lot of random messy things that don't always make sense or fit perfectly together. That being said, I would have liked to delve deeper into more specific topics and spent more time on each essay/theme.

Overall, I really really enjoyed this! I don't rate nonfiction anymore, but I think this book would have gotten a 4 or 5 stars. Really wonderfully written and a relatable look at life.

What a wonderful set of essays. I listen to the audio version narrated by the author. I felt he was telling me his stories, just to me as if bedtime stories. However these were not to fall asleep.

I love how he says, “Goodbye, again” because we need to know we have done this before, a “See you later” is not a guarantee..

Jonny Sun's writing is like a warm cuddly blanket. His words are so calming, relatable, and inspiring that you come away from even a single essay or cartoon feeling like you understand something about your life better, something you thought you already understood completely. I love the underlying deeper thoughts of the essays that he doesn't highlight or emphasize in any way. Read everything carefully because there's a great deal of meaning in the most surface of statements. This book is very deep. Also, you will want to eat dim sum and you will want to own an entire garden of houseplants once you've finished reading this. Oh, and if you suffer from anxiety like I do? You will leave this book realizing you're not alone. You've never been alone.

I listened to the audiobook version. This was narrated by the author, Jonny Sun.

I want to start by talking about this author. I love this author. I know this person doesn't know me, but I feel like I know them. I read their book about the aliebn and wanted everyone I know to read that book. I was in love. I follow this person on twitter too and feel joy when a new tweet pops up. So I had high hopes for this book right off the bat. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

I felt like the almost 4 hours was not nearly long enough for this book. I really wanted to hear more because I felt like I connected with Jonny and their experiences and outlook on life. I mean, the one criticism I really have is that I felt the narration itself was a little slow. easy fix though, I ended up listening to the book on x1.25 speed and it was perfect for me. It did make the 4 hours go by even faster (well duh) but I still loved every moment of listening. Jonny's experiences are extremely specific yet somehow appropriately relatable. They use humor throughout which is a nice contrast to the "realness" that is felt deep within his words.

There is one part of the book where I felt like Jonny was in my head. They were in a grocery store and the running commentary in their head felt exactly like my head and I just wanted to scream, "get out of my head!" But also, I felt less alone, which was comforting. This book felt like a warm understanding blanket, wrapped around me so I become a burrito.

I wish I had the physical book because listening to the audiobook, I feel like I really missed out on the illustrations. I may get a physical copy once the book comes out to see what I missed.

I want to buy this book for everyone I know.

5/5 Stars from me.

This is a series of short essays. They are thoughtful, intimate, and full of heart. I can tell this a book that I will want to gift multiple times. Even now days later I’m still ruminating over the content and I look forward to purchasing a physical copy of the book.
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook which is read by the author Jonny Sun.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and Net Galley for offering me the chance to review the audiobook.