Hyperbole and a Half

One of the more interesting books I’ve read recently might appear to be nothing more than just a glorified picture/comic book. But when you flip through the pages of Allie Brosh’s autobiographical Hyperbole and a Half (an extension of her blog of the same name), it’s clearly more than that. Beyond the whimsical illustrations, self-deprecating humor and color-coded pages for different chapters, Brosh is very frank about her history with depression. During a brutally honest interview on NPR, she described her crippling depression as a period during which she felt detached and numb, and actually outlined the way she was thinking of taking her own life. Brosh also makes us laugh, with tales about her dogs, her childhood obsession with sugar and her fear of spiders. She obviously has range. She’s a mature and powerful, and—above all—funny writer with a lot to share. Largely on the strength of her fantastic, hilarious and immensely popular blog, in 2013 Brosh was included in Advertising Age magazine’s Creative 50, a list of the most influential and creative figures in entertainment, publishing and more. It’s likely the first of many honors in what will hopefully be a long career.