I Hate Myselfie: A Collection of Essays
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Recently, there has been a trend of YouTubers writing and publishing books --- Paige McKenzie with THE HAUNTING OF SUNSHINE GIRL, Grace Helbig with GRACE’S GUIDE: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown-Up and Zoe Sugg with GIRL ONLINE, just to name just a few. However, Shane Dawson --- a Youtuber and Vlogger with six million subscribers and more than one billion views ---has a distinctive voice that will make him stand out from other authors and YouTubers. His sense of humor, unique life experiences and honesty make him a writer like no other. Filled with both heart-felt and humorous moments, I HATE MYSELFIE is a fascinating look into the life of one of YouTube’s most popular stars.
In this collection of 18 personal essays, Dawson shares some of the “behind the scenes” moments of his own life, and discusses his time on the set of the movie Smiley, his childhood and teenage weight struggles, his desire to become an actor, his struggle to fit in as a teenager and more.
Shane Dawson...has a distinctive voice that will make him stand out from other authors and YouTubers. His sense of humor, unique life experiences and honesty make him a writer like no other.
One of the best essays in I HATE MYSELFIE is “Denny’s and Death,” which tells the story of Dawson struggling with the idea of losing his grandmother. Like his other pieces, “Denny’s and Death” has a mixture of humor and emotion that gives it a raw sincerity. “My Birthday Suit” is another favorite. More serious than some of the others, the essay deals with Dawson’s weight and self-image problems. Introspective and insightful, readers will see a new side to Dawson in this piece, and even long-time fans will gain a new understanding of the challenges Dawson has faced and how he feels about himself.
A more humorous essay that readers will enjoy is “Prom,” which details Dawson’s experience of going to the senior prom with his lesbian best friend. Already a laugh-out-loud story, this essay is even more fun as it is paired with a YouTube short film that Dawson made titled “I Hate Myselfie - Short Film.” Seeing the people in Dawson’s book come to life in the movie is immensely enjoyable, and it mostly follows the book, closely.
At the beginning of each essay, there is a picture drawn by one of Dawson’s many fans, making I HATE MYSELFIE not just a book about the popular YouTuber but about his viewers, as well. Just like the essays, some of the artwork is funny, some is more serious, but all are wonderful in their own way.
An incredibly unique, fun and heartfelt collection of essays, I HATE MYSELFIE is a great debut for Dawson as a writer and hopefully we will see more of his work soon.
Teaser
Shane steps away from his larger-than-life Internet persona and takes us deep into the experiences of an eccentric and introverted kid, who by observing the strange world around him developed a talent that would inspire millions of fans. Intelligent, hilarious, heartbreaking, and raw, I HATE MYSELFIE is a collection of eighteen personal essays about how messy life can get when you’re growing up and how rewarding it can feel when the clean-up is (pretty much) done.
Promo
Shane steps away from his larger-than-life Internet persona and takes us deep into the experiences of an eccentric and introverted kid, who by observing the strange world around him developed a talent that would inspire millions of fans. Intelligent, hilarious, heartbreaking, and raw, I HATE MYSELFIE is a collection of eighteen personal essays about how messy life can get when you’re growing up and how rewarding it can feel when the clean-up is (pretty much) done.
About the Book
The book that more than 12 million YouTube subscribers have been waiting for! Shane Dawson’s memoir features twenty original essays --- uncensored yet surprisingly sweet.
From his first vlog back in 2008 to his full-length film directorial debut Not Cool, Shane Dawson has been an open book when it comes to documenting his life. But behind the music video spoofs, TMI love life details, and outrageous commentary on everything the celebrity and Internet world has the nerve to dish out is a guy who grew up in a financially challenged but loving home in Long Beach, California, and who suffered all the teasing and social limitations that arise when you’re a morbidly obese kid with a pretty face, your mom is your best friend, and you can't get a date to save your life.
In I HATE MYSELFIE, Shane steps away from his larger-than-life Internet persona and takes us deep into the experiences of an eccentric and introverted kid, who by observing the strange world around him developed a talent that would inspire millions of fans. Intelligent, hilarious, heartbreaking, and raw, I HATE MYSELFIE is a collection of eighteen personal essays about how messy life can get when you’re growing up and how rewarding it can feel when the clean-up is (pretty much) done.
