How to be Normal: A Guide for the Perplexed
Reviewed By Grasshopper2 December 5, 2014
Author Guy Browning
Distributor:
ISBN: 9781782395829
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Release Date:
Website: http://www.allenandunwin.com
Warning! This book should not be read in public places. The laughs, guffaws and snorts will be enough to make people wary of you. The one liners are superb, concise, and often very accurate.
This book is a small hardback, suitable for pocket or handbag. It is divided into ten sections, which in turn are divided into ten chapters of about one and a half pages each. Some of the sections to help those seeking normality, are as follows: “Rubbing along, Loving Feelings, Out and About, Home Help and Functional Bodies”
The author’s advice includes information about how different cultures present as normal. “Self-deprecation is not known to the French.” In surveys they are shown to consider themselves to be “Red hot lovers”, British men immediately claim to be “absolute rubbish, if not totally impotent”, in bed.
Losing your sparkle is a sad thing, and like “old cola, and black holes”, the Greek Royal Family “have lost theirs”. The British are not as good at arguing as other nations, “One reason is they know they are right”!
Saying NO can be a challenge for Japanese as they don’t even have a word for it. Americans can say no and also ask “What part of no don’t you understand”!
Other useful tips in this book include how to write a love letter. “It shouldn’t read like a job application” and could also be “drenched in perfume or the male equivalent of blood”!
Each mini chapter contains absolute gems to remember on your way to normality .For example, Guy Browning gives advice on “How to Cheer people” He says, “Do not attempt to cheer someone by telling them you are suffering more….it will just add an icing of irritation on their cake of sadness”.
In the “How to be Nice”, chapter the author explains that “Everyone wants a nice cup of tea, but virtually no one wants nice sex”.
The bible is referred to, giving advice to people to use a soft word, but doesn’t say what that word is.
To conclude, “On average, for every year of life you have it, takes two years to understand exactly what happened. Most people never catch up and therefore die confused”
This book will strike a chord of understanding, if not a few funny bones in readers. A fantastic companion for a very private place so that you can laugh and cackle out loud, or to share with friends.