How to Be Awkward

In introducing How to Be Awkward, Amanda Turner states that her ability to land in ''cringeworthy situations or directly cause them is something she is compelled to share and spread throughout the world.'' So, in a voice powered by an uncanny sense of humor and a skillful turn of phrases, she takes readers on a surprising ride as she writes about life, observing the comic and the tragic, and topics that relate — intimately — to our humanity. The insightful writing greets the reader from the first page and while the author offers reflections on a variety of topics, her superior ability to weave interesting anecdotes into the writing makes the book enjoyable for readers.

This book shows the author's creative ability to embrace her imperfections, from her allergies to feeling awkward in her body, from being quirky to her strong admiration for essayist David Sedaris. She writes with unwonted glee and honesty, sharing the awkward and quirky moments that have shaped her life and that define who she really is. Amanda Turner writes about situations that are real and universal. She writes about how to be chubby, takes delight in making fun of her inadequacies, and invites readers to not be too serious about life. This book is filled with insightful passages and one of the observations that got me thinking is one that reads like an allegory to freedom and detachment when the author writes about childhood: ''There’s a sweet spot in childhood, somewhere after consciousness of what it is to be human—but before awareness of just how awkward it is to be human—when kids are like brains in jars. They just exist. No anxiety or shame. No fear of falling or failing.'' The commentaries are spellbinding, the prose is exotic, the humor sparkling through every page, and the overall writing reflects the beauty of the author's humanity.  How to Be Awkward has the power to alter the way most readers look at themselves. These essays are noteworthy and intimate yet they never fail to address universal questions.