This one's tough. On one hand, Carlos says some very important things. On the other hand, they don't seem to be the emphasis of the book, and some of the verbiage can get confusing at times. Not all of the chapter headings made a lot of sense.

By sheer volume, this is overwhelmingly an autobiography. This is Carlos telling parts of his story, parts that he wants to share and in many places, parts that he wants to use to preach about. There's at least one chapter that doesn't even attempt to make a point, but only tells a part of his story, and so it's difficult to see how that addresses the chapter heading or the overall arch of the book. It feels sometimes like Carlos is still lost in these scenes and trying to swim his way out.

At the same time, the reader cannot afford to miss what he IS saying about how we ought to relate to one another. I live on the other side of the aisle from Carlos (I think, after reading this book), but this truly was the common middle ground that I've been preaching for years, too. These were the same ideas about humanity that I value, in most cases. And so, it was refreshing to see that coming into print and calling all of us back to the place where we belong - together.

The truth is, I don't know what I think about this book. I don't. I read it. I enjoyed it. I am thankful for it. Yet I am also walking away with the sense that it seems really thin, content-wise, in terms of what it promised. Maybe it's that it's really that simple. Maybe it's that some of the topics are so heavy that it changes the dynamic of reading the book itself. Maybe it's any of a thousand other things that are true about any of us in our very human nature that might sway us one way or another. Maybe it's the fact that I didn't walk away from 2020 with the same kind of heavy baggage that Carlos appears to have (and thinks everyone else also has). There was just something still empty about this book for me, and I haven't put my finger quite on it yet. Maybe I never will.

But I would read it again. And I would suggest it to others. So I would suggest it to you, too.

First of all, I don't follow Carlos on IG...but I'm faintly familiar with him and what he stands for (which I love). So I was curious what he has to share in a book. I picked this book up not knowing anything about is aside from the title.

What I then found was that he shares how he processed 2020-2021 ish and rehashing all of the terrible things of that time with a few being; covid, masking, riots, black lives matter, elections, January 6th etc. I honestly just don't want to keep going back to that time. Everything that he shared was good and valid and makes great points! Absolutely. He shares New Testament quotes about how Jesus handled situations and how we should follow his example of goodness towards humanity (also agree 100%). But I just don't want to read more about how people feel or have processed 2o20 and how to bet better. It's not because I want to ignore it, but I have processed it myself and am ready to move forward.

I didn't realize that he is a public speaker and and avid follower of Jesus. He makes it very clear that even if you don't believe in Jesus, we can still learn from him as a wonderful example. This book was almost a self help, self reflection, attempt to pump you up to do better type book.

He also shares multiple points along his social media journey, which, I kinda don't care about, probably because I haven't followed him and I'm not connected to those stories that clearly affected many people.

Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the advance e-copy of this book.

First, if you’re not following Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit) on Instagram then stop what you’re doing. Go to his page. Check it out. Click follow. Then come back. I’ll wait.

Welcome to the #instafamilia

Thank you to Waterbrook Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy of Carlos’s new book: How to Human which comes out next week. Of course my copy didn’t have the forward by one of my favorite humans Sharon McMahon (@sharonsaysso) so I’m going to have to pick up a hard copy too!

How To Human is a reminder of how we should treat each other. Not how we interact with our friends or those who think like you or look like you but everyone. While there is a Christian perspective, this is a “big tent” and is meant for everyone. Carlos would be the first to say you don’t have to believe what he believes.

If the last few years have been hard, if you’ve questioned your faith in humanity and basic human decency, if you’ve wondered how we can bridge the divide that seems to widen every day, you need to read this book.

Most of this book was processing events from 2020. I liked what the author had to say. People more than ever need to learn how to human. But personally, I did not enjoy his book- it didn’t offer anything new and I didn’t prefer his writing style.

The book is written in a way that assumes you have been following the author on socials. If you are not, instead of explaining in the moment there are a LOT of “but we’ll get to that later.”

There’s also nothing new from what I have seen him share on his socials. Honestly there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s gotta make money. People like his message on IG, maybe writing is another way to get out a message that people connect with. It just wasn’t anything new.

The author is a a great speaker and the book is written in that way. With short sentences like “Duh” and starting sentences with “Like”. Which personally isn’t my favorite way to read.

I’ve been a follower of the author, Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit), on Instagram for several years and consider myself part of the #instafamilia he’s encouraged on that platform. This book reminds the reader of how to focus on what we all have in common and not on what divides us. This book does have a religious aspect, but I think the overall book would also be a good read for those that don’t consider themselves religious. One topic that’s repeated throughout is “don’t stand on issues, walk with people.” This is the true way to impact the lives of others – and be a better version of ourselves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

We are living in a world where disagreements destroy friendships and families. As a society, we are allowing our differences to define us. We are less connected to each other and God than we have ever been. We are forgetting what it means to be human. In How to Human, Carlos Whittaker lays out a clear plan with action steps readers can take to remember what it means to be human. We can stop letting our differences divide us and love those hurting in our community. How to Human should be required reading for everyone. It should be reread periodically to realign and help us be fully human.

I am a huge fan of Carlos Whittaker and everything he stands for. If you aren’t already a fan- you will be after reading this book!

I have followed Carlos on Instagram for a couple of years now. I read his last book and was so thrilled to hear a new book was coming so I pre-ordered. Then I got my launch copy and I was so excited. I now can't wait for my physical copy to get here in January so I can read it again and do all kinds of highlighting and notes.

There were so many gems in this book on how to love everyone whether we agree with them on any subject or not. Like he always says don't stand on issues but walk with people.

We all need to learn how to human better especially after the past couple of years. I hope this book will reach lots of people.

I look forward to what comes next from Carlos.

Also, we are now best friends because my favorite Christmas movie of all time is A Christmas Story and I can say all the lines before the character says them.

I don’t read a lot of these “self help” types of books, but I have followed Carlos Whitaker on Instagram for a long time and appreciate what he has to say. So I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of his new book, How to Human.

Using personal stories and the teachings of Jesus, Carlos lays out a plan for helping us all to be kind and compassionate humans. He encourages us to see beyond our differences, to recognize our biases, to truly listen and emphasize with each other and to remember that we can disagree and still love each other. His motto of “walk with people don’t stand on issues” is prevalent throughout the book.

Now I am a pretty critical reader, and I didn’t really love the writing style in this one. It’s very conversational, like Carlos is just chatting with the reader. But I also found it to be simplistic and sometimes rambling and repetitive. However I think some of the exact same things that bothered me about the writing could be what appeals to another reader. The casual tone definitely makes for an easy read and it is very relatable. Carlos is at his best when he is telling stories about his personal experiences, because he shares so genuinely and honestly. Those were the parts of the book that stood out to me the most while some of the teaching moments felt more generic.

But I really don’t want to be critical about the writing because the message here is what is important. And I am a big fan of Carlos’ message both in this book and in his instafamilia community. I feel very strongly that we all need to learn how to be better humans. It is possible to see someone, listen to them, understand them and still kindly disagree with them. It is possible to show love and empathy and understanding to those who are different from us. This book serves as a reminder of that possibility and an encouragement to do better and be better!

(Interesting side note: I write reviews all the time and always refer to the author by last name in every review. Except this one. It felt weird to use his last name, because I feel like I know him better than that. Though obviously we have never met. I think that says a lot about Carlos’ ability to genuinely relate and share the human experience with his readers and followers).

I have loved following Carlos Whittaker on instagram for a while and jumped at this chance to get my hands on this book and let me tell you it did not disappoint!

Carlos takes you through his perspective on 2020 and just how his family and himself navigated everything that year brought out in humanity. After examining much of what happened and how the events caused reactions from everyone around the whole it was clear that part of humanity was lost. In the book How to Human, Carlos speaks to the need for us to get back to being there for each other, having empathy without reservations for our follow man and how Jesus allowed him to see the need here.

I really enjoyed this book, getting to see 2020 from a different perspective and that Carlos was able to make sense and a call to action after many of us bad a really hard time that year. A must read for sure!

"Don't stand on issues. Walk with people." This book gave me a lot to think about and a lot of action ideas on how to be more like Jesus. I appreciated Carlos's vulnerability and willingness to go first. Lots of things to think about, which for me is the sign of good non-fiction.

As a longtime follower of Carlos's Instagram platform, I was super excited to get my hands on an ARC of <i>How to Human.</i> If you have ever listened to Carlos speak, I guarantee that you will be unable to read this book without hearing it read in his voice. It is written VERY much in his style and manner of speaking, and therefore, I felt like I connected more with a lot of what he was saying, even if I didn't always agree with him 100%.

There is so much here that I really loved as Carlos strives to remind people of their humanity and fill them with hope for better human connection. He relays his concepts of Be, See, and Free through passages of scripture as they relate to "Jesus the Person." While there are definitely a lot of religious references, they serve to illustrate how these concepts still hold true in modern society.

Carlos urges people "Don't stand on issues; walk with people" and reminds us that underneath all of the divisive topics in today's world, that we are ALL human, and we have much more in common with one another than we might think.

As a longtime follower of Carlos Whittaker, I was excited to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of How to Human. The book does not disappoint. It is full of the big heart and compassion that is Carlos.

Thank you #NetGalley

This book was an amazing way to start off my new year. I have followed Carlos on social media for some time now, and he has always captivated me with his ability to connect with his audience in a deep, friendly, and engaging way. When I purchase a book, or listen on audible, I love it when I can hear the author (if I know their voice) in their writing. It helps me connect with the story on a more personal level. Carlos writes like he talks and I love it. This book was a soul touching book that helps believers and non-believers look at their lives and beliefs in a practical way to show us how we can become better humans. The world is in need of a book like this and Carlos is that friend that is going to gently get you to feel, relate, see and be a better human in this crazy world we live in. I highly recommend this book. Heck, get your friends together and do a book study with it, because I think you will all learn something from each other and have some deep conversations in the process, that just might bring your friendships to a whole new level!

Usually, I’d refer to an author by their last name. That’s what my time writing academically taught me. But Carlos is different because he’s a friend. Or he feels like it as I am a proud member of his Instafamilia. If you, too, follow Carlos on social media or listen to his Human Hope podcast, you’ll be happy to hear that his voice translates very well from audio and video to print. As you read the pages of this book, it will feel like Carlos is right there with you. And that’s the most refreshing thing about him and this book: he doesn’t just tell people what to do. He walks with people through the waters of complex issues and helps find a path forward. He truly practices what he preaches. This book is the “how to manual” for being like Carlos and ultimately for being more like Jesus (which he explains in such a way that even non-Christian readers might enjoy). Well written with engaging stories, down to earth explanations of complex concepts, and practical action steps, “How to Human” is a refreshing tool for how to draw near to and engage with people who are different from you, in a time when much of the world seems to be doing the opposite.

This book is like a warm hug. It points us toward how to make this whole being human thing better for all of us. In an age of outrage and cancel culture and seemingly endless topics that divide, Carlos (I think he’d be ok with me referring to him on a first name basis) shows us how to “be, see, and free” in order to be the best humans we can.
Carlos points to the person of Jesus as the ultimate example of “how to human” and uses passages of Scripture to illustrate his points. BUT he also appeals to those who may not believe that Jesus is God’s Son.
With that being said, this is not a book I would recommend for its theology. I don’t agree with every single thing Carlos believes. But in a way, that’s partly the point of the book. How can we focus on relationships rather than what has the potential to divide us?
One thing he says several times in the book will stick with me: “Don’t stand on issues; walk with people.” I love that and hope to apply it in my life and relationships.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy. And thank you Carlos for being a voice of hope we so desperately need.

I follow Carlos on social media and I'm familiar with the points of this book. In all of our arguments, political discourse, and assumptions, we forget how to effectively interact with each other. Carlos reminds us that we must consider people instead of standing on issues alone.

Carlos Whittaker's book How to Human gives us a great reminder of our humanity and how to be an active participant in it. Through stories and examples, we are shown how to be human, see humans, and free humans so that collectively we can all lead more meaningful, impactful lives.

I loved this book so much! I love that while it may be shelved as a Christian book, it can be read by the non-Supernatural Jesus believer alike. It brings us back to the basics of just seeing others around us and treating them like humans and how in turn it puts the human back in us. It was a quick but deep read that I can't wait to go back and read over and over again.

I have followed Carlos for awhile on Instagram so I was looking forward to reading this book. I unfortunately didn’t really like this book. The writing style was very informal and that did not work for me. The whole book didn’t seem to flow well.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.