The Hidden Power of F*cking Up by The Try Guys

 

DNF @ 48%

I'm dumb for not realizing that this was a self-help book because if I had done just a tiny bit of research, I would have realized that and NOT bought it because I hate self-help books. I have an adversarial relationship to them, actually, mostly because I really don't like other people telling me how to live my life. Who made YOU an expert, huh? I didn't vote for you.

Well, actually, that's a lie because I kind of did. I love The Try Guys and have been following them since their BuzzFeed days. I actually bought this book after #NedGate, which was maybe a mistake because there is WAY too much Ned in this book and even before the scandal, he was always my least favorite Try Guy (Keith & Eugene basically tie for my day ones, in case you were wondering). And there were things I enjoyed about this book, like the emphasis on mental health and self-care, Eugene's Korean-American background and struggle with his queer identity, and Zach basically being Zach, while Keith serves up cool dad vibes.

What didn't work is that this felt like a pop-psych book coupled with an armchair self-help guide, crossed with a sponsored video. All the cameos from experts they worked with before definitely made this book feel hashtag branded, even if it wasn't. I like the way their videos are formatted, but they tried to do a book in the same way and it didn't quite work. Loved the photos, and I feel like the sentiment behind it is coming from a good place, but I think this was-- at least for me-- a swing and a miss.

1.5 to 2 out of 5 stars