The Book of Awesome
Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket and Other Simple, Brilliant Things
By Neil Pasricha in April 2010 from AEB/Putnam, a division of Penguin Publishing.
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For US media inquiries please contact Matthew Venzon at 212-366-2558 or matthew.venzon[at]us.penguingroup.com
For Canada media inquiries please contact Beth Lockley at 416-928-2413 or beth.lockley[at]ca.penguingroup.com
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REVIEWS
“Little things, it turns out, are extremely important to happiness, and THE BOOK OF AWESOME will remind you of a thousand little things that will make you happier.” - Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
“Neil’s writing is funny, sweet, and filled with just enough nostalgia-laced goodness to bring out your own Pollyanna. I dare you to read this book without compiling your own list of Awesome Things to add.” – Jen Yates, author of Cake Wrecks
“THE BOOK OF AWESOME gives me 14,001 things to be happy about. Bravo for taking note of the sunny side of life!” – Barbara Ann Kipfer, author of 14,000 things to be happy about
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ABOUT THE BOOK
From neighbors with pools to ordering off off the menu at fast-food restaurants to fixing electronics by smacking them, The Book of Awesome takes on life’s sweet feats with all the honest humor and winning enthusiasm that has earned Pasricha’s blog it’s millions of followers. But while powered along by Pasricha’s distinctive, fresh, and hilarious voice, The Book of Awesome isn’t about one man’s favorite things, but rather a catalog of the universal little pleasures we all share. With its focus on the many things that bring us together rather than the few things that split us apart, it’s a book that will appeal to people from all walks of life — housewives and college kids, children and senior citizens alike. Arising out of Pasricha’s riffs on popping bubble wrap and getting a trucker to blow his horn is an unexpected, genuine sort of inspiration, as The Book of Awesome offers up a hearty cheer for all the little things we take for granted.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neil Pasricha never imagined that writing about the smell of gasoline, thinking it’s Thursday when it’s really Friday, or wearing underwear just out of the dryer would amount to anything. A self-described “average guy” with a typical 9-to-5 job in the suburbs, Neil started his blog 1000 Awesome Things, as a small reminder — in a world of rising sea levels, global conflict, and a troubled economy — of the free, easy little joys that make life sweet. He certainly didn’t anticipate that his site would gain a readership of millions of people, win two Webby Awards (“the Internet’s highest honor” according to The New York Times), be named one of PC Magazine’s Top 100 Sites, or become a place where people from around the world would come to celebrate the simple pleasures of daily life.
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ABOUT THE RESPONSE
It’s difficult to overestimate the response that Pasricha’s countdown of awesome things has elicited amongst both critics and readers. Delivered with an irresistible mix of spirited humor and unchecked optimism, “like a snappy Jerry Seinfeld monologue by way of Maria Von Trapp” (The Vancouver Sun), Pasricha’s optimism has proved to be utterly infectious. “Life really is awesome after all,” wrote The Guardian; “Read it and you’ll feel good about being human,” said Jim Hedger (host of Webcology, Webmaster Radio). Housewives and college students, senior citizens and professionals, people from Chile and India and Bangladesh, flood Pasricha’s inbox daily with letters about what the site has meant to them. Teachers have had their students generate their own lists of awesome things. Bedridden hospital patients have written to say that the blog has shown them a new perspective; individuals struggling with depression claim the site has given them new hope; and fans from all over the world have checked in simply to say, “Keep up the awesome, man. It makes me happy.”
Now, Pasricha’s awesome things have made their way into the world of books with THE BOOK OF AWESOME (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, April 15, 2010). Combining classic entries from the website with a hefty chunk of brand-new content, and accompanied by photos throughout, The Book of Awesome is a much-needed reminder of life’s happy little moments, a hilarious and heartfelt thumbs-up for the awesomeness of everyday life.
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MORE REVIEWS
“THE BOOK OF AWESOME reminded me of past pleasures, like an old friend, and left me looking for new joys today.” – Frank Warren, author of PostSecret
“Laugh out loud funny, tinged with just enough sarcastic nostalgia…” - WIRED.com
“Even a cynical white person can’t deny the appeal of THE BOOK OF AWESOME.” - Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like
“The awesomest part about THE BOOK OF AWESOME is the realization that if you enjoy the simple moments in your life, you will be happier.” - Ben Huh, author of I Can Has Cheezburger? and How to Take Over Teh Wurld
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84 Comments
June 10, 2009 at 2:09 am
Let me be the first to say: Congrats, Neil! I’ve been following this site from day one, and have loved every single day of awesomeness that it has delivered. You deserve all the success coming your way. Keep it up!
AWESOME!
June 10, 2009 at 2:11 am
Congrats. And all of the items featured so far should be in the book.
September 27, 2009 at 5:25 am
yeah, except the “dolphin saving you” one
November 17, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I love the dolphin saving you one.
June 10, 2009 at 3:23 am
Well good for you!
I have a lot but one I just thought of was when you lick a crease of paper so that it’ll rip in a straight line and it actually tears in a frayed straight line rather than rips awkwardly. I love that bleachy taste and that bleachy satisfaction.
June 10, 2009 at 3:39 am
AWESOME!
Can’t wait for that, will be something to want to accomplish day by day, to do something AWESOME!
June 10, 2009 at 8:23 am
Congrats! So glad to see this site getting the recognition it deserves, the world can always use a little more awesome.
June 10, 2009 at 8:43 am
I can’t wait to read this masterpiece. Ordering off the menu at fast food restaurants and old dangerous playground equipment have to be in the book!
June 10, 2009 at 10:28 am
Hey, congratulations Neil. This site really is something special and it’s been a pleasure to share it with my readership too. Looking forward to future awesome things, and I’ll send any suggestions that are sufficiently awesome.
June 10, 2009 at 10:52 am
Congratulations, Neil! I love this site and I know I’ll love the book. Christmas, birthdays, Father’s Day 2010 — check!
June 10, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Congratulations on your success! You deserve it for brightening all of my work days with something to be excited about.
June 10, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Congrats! This is such a great website, I know it will translate well into book form. Which is AWESOME!
June 10, 2009 at 4:30 pm
My favorite is “celebrating your pet’s birthday” one, that really struck a chord as we always did that for our mini schnauzer who passed away last year. It provided us (and him!) with tons of fun memories, silly photos, and some good hamburgers for him.
Congratulations!!
June 12, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Agreed.
This post made me laugh out loud. It was my all time favorite (so far!).
June 11, 2009 at 2:46 am
Congrats on your well deserved award! I have many favorites but 3 that really stick out are:
#858 The other side of the pillow.
#930 Finally getting that popcorn kernel out of your teeth when it’s been stuck there for a really long time.
#946 The first shower after not having taken one for a long time.
Keep up the good work, I love recommending this site to everyone I know…it’s AWESOME!!
June 11, 2009 at 5:55 am
One thing to say… AWESOME!
June 11, 2009 at 7:54 am
The gas tank indicator – has Literally CHANGED my life!
August 18, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Ditto!
June 11, 2009 at 8:33 am
Blowing your nose in the shower!
Thank you for everything!
June 11, 2009 at 9:11 am
Congrats! I’ve been following since #50 or so, and this website always manages to brighten my morning!
June 11, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hey Neil,
Love the website, I’m a big fan.
I would like to recommend that you publish the “selling it as the bbq’er” entry. That was genious.
Congrats, and keep them coming.
S.
June 11, 2009 at 11:52 am
Many congratulations, dude! That’s so exciting! Just don’t let the fame go to your head. We like you as the down-to-earth guy you are.
June 11, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Awesome! thanks for the daily pick me up, I look forward to coming home and reading your daily post. Can’t wait for the book. Definitely publish ‘old dangerous playground equipment‘. That one is the best!!!
June 11, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I wish this book the best of luck and hope for its success. Saying that, you have to put these ones in….
#942 Somebody flashing their high beams at you to warn you about the cops
#941 The Universal Fry-Sharing Policy
#886 High fiving babies
#789 Putting potato chips on a sandwich
#748 That feeling in your stomach when you go really high on the swings
I know there will be many more great ones to come. I hope that the 1000 awesome things book ends on 12/21/12… because that would be
AWESOME.
June 11, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Lying down in bed and the next thing you know you’re waking up. And to top it off you’re refreshed and you pop out of bed. That (when it happens) is:
AWESOME!
June 12, 2009 at 1:56 am
Awesome Neil!!
I sort of assumed from day one that this would happen, but i honestly figured it would be after you hit number 1. I say a trilogy!
300 Awesome Things
700 Awesome Things
1000 Awesome Things
June 12, 2009 at 12:22 pm
How about when a teacher bumps the deadline further ahead for a major project/essay? Awesome!
Or how about when you find a stray, lonely dollar bill (or two) on the ground? Awesome.
And what about Post-it notes? Those are pretty cool (and useful) too! Does anyone remember the Post-It Note ad with the squirrel?
June 12, 2009 at 6:13 pm
http://1000awesomethings.com/2008/08/19/958-being-the-first-person-into-a-really-crowded-movie-theater-and-getting-the-prime-seats/
This one. Please.
June 15, 2009 at 4:29 pm
PLEASE include this.
My absolute favourite on the site – I get a blast of serotonin everytime I read it.
http://1000awesomethings.com/2009/05/07/771-waking-up-before-your-alarm-clock-and-realizing-youve-got-lots-of-sleep-time-left/
June 18, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Congratulations! You are a smart, unique and wonderful person and you have worked for and earned every bit of success that you get. I have always been impressed with your individualism and your humble exactness. Let no one bring you down. Chin up and head up and be proud of all the bravados that come your way.
June 20, 2009 at 9:17 am
CONGRATULATIONS! Waiting to see the book. This is a wonderful and rare site. Keep it going. It inspires so many of us.
June 22, 2009 at 8:33 pm
HEY! I love your site! It is my favorite blog and I am so happy that you won the Webby. I think you should put that one about your friend who passed away recently. Reading that entry, I felt I got to know him as a person and when I read the ending, I teared up. It was sad and touching.
July 3, 2009 at 4:33 pm
This has to be in. I loved this obituary to someone who was obviously a kind, interesting and great friend
June 22, 2009 at 9:32 pm
What about this:
When you get to a urinal and there is ice in it, giving you the opportunity to try and melt it!
Awesome!
November 17, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Bathroom-related sub-list jackpot!
June 23, 2009 at 2:29 pm
congrats dude.
June 25, 2009 at 8:48 pm
This is going to be a book for all occasions. My coffee table will be really happy. Thanks for sharing everyday.
You have to include #931-Intergenerational Dancing…I love that photo!
http://1000awesomethings.com/2008/09/25/931-intergenerational-dancing/
July 11, 2009 at 6:31 am
congratulations! your the reason i love the internet.
you provide me with so much entertainment and your posts always brighten my day. i am definatly buying your book! thanks for an AWESOME blog.
July 13, 2009 at 10:44 am
Congrats! im on this site almost daily, and cant wait to put this book on my coffee table!
another awesome thing is when your commercial airline pilot acts as a tour guide announcing over the intercom when the plane is passing landmarks or points of interest. On a long boring flight this is just AWESOME!
July 15, 2009 at 2:59 pm
make sure you make it a E-Book
July 24, 2009 at 1:15 am
I love the site. I would like to see something about peeling your sunburned skin off. I find it pretty AWESOME.
July 29, 2009 at 6:10 am
Since my husband passed away in 2005 at the young age of 58 and leaving me a widow at the very young age of 50 and greiving simply and fervently for almost 6 months, I came to realize all the simple joys in the day. Something had to take over the greif I was feeling and I took to taking notes and writing things down in a journal instead of spending my time sitting in the chair wondering when my husband was coming back and worrying about what I was going to do without him.
ON a early winter morning, I was sitting with my journal reading past entries and realized what a wonderful world I had and the bubble of greif I had let surround me for so long started to deflate and disappeared.
I now work at an activity center for developmentally disabled adults, our mission statement is ‘helping them become more independent and integrating them into the community’……..and a lot of the joy I have in a day happens there.
Today I came across your website and I have to say…….this is the absolute BEST website on the internet. You have created something that the worlds population should go to every single day of their lives and read at least one awesomething…..It puts the world into perepective and helps realize that life isn’t so bad…….and theres always something to find joy in…..always a little thing to pay attention to….something to make the day better and make tomorrow something within reach no matter how desolate our situation is.
Thank you for creating your site…..I have bookmarked it and put a shortcut on my desktop as a reminder to go there daily……keep up the good work…….you have made my day brighter!!!
Kathy Zahn
August 10, 2009 at 12:23 pm
You got some mind to come up with all of these things. Great writing also on each post.
August 18, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Congrats! I enjoy reading your blog, and will enjoy having your book within reach!
(your random photos should be included on each post/item/page/thing: )
August 19, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Love the title Neil!
August 23, 2009 at 4:34 am
Your web site is beautiful. I wish you continued success.
August 27, 2009 at 6:28 am
Keep it up!! This site is a great way to start my morning of work!
September 1, 2009 at 4:21 am
When you come out at Arrivals at an airport and someone you love is waiting for you and does that little skip across the room to hug you. Awesome!
September 3, 2009 at 2:48 pm
My niece sent me the link here and what’s really awesome is that I see I have more than 600 of your amazing things to catch up on!
September 8, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I can’t wait for this book! I will be buying it immediately. Your site is AWESOME!
September 23, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I’m speechless at your work!….But I have one question, where can I find more???….I’ve never veiwed the entire 1000… is that a silly question?
December 21, 2009 at 3:49 pm
ummm. Not really because he hadn’t FINISHED the 1000 awesome things website. Just addding one new thing everyday except weekends.
September 26, 2009 at 12:17 am
Congrats, Neil! I’ve been following your site since day one, and it’s been a barrel of laughs the whole way. As for my suggestion for the book…without a doubt, my absolute favorite Awesome Thing is Old Dangerous Playground Equipment.
Can’t wait to see the book!
October 10, 2009 at 11:18 am
How about this:
A freshly vacuumed rug, awesome!
October 12, 2009 at 11:41 am
Can’t wait for this book, it will make an amazing present for anyone who needs cheering up, or really anyone in general.
October 15, 2009 at 5:06 am
Great idea, great posts, and great news regarding the book. It’s awesome that there are so awesome people who can inspire people and make them appreciate the little things! :-)
All the best!
October 23, 2009 at 10:27 am
This is great, it reminded me of some of the best moments of my life
November 5, 2009 at 1:27 am
Make sure to include the one about discovering the little tabs on the side of aluminum foil boxes. I had NO idea. The world needs to know these things!
November 10, 2009 at 10:06 am
Yay, Neil!
I’ll get 5 books at least. Have you thought about doing a 365 day calendar? Or specialty napkins? How about T-shirts with your top five favorite awesome things? Maybe a big glossy coffee table book with the top 100. Oh, man, there’s no end to what you could do with this amazing list of awesome things! Sincere congratulations on offering something that makes people feel good.
November 12, 2009 at 8:52 pm
ooh can’t wait!! pre-ordering it!
November 17, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Sounds incredible! I love books!
And now I know your last name, I feel like I’ve learned some great secret. :)
November 17, 2009 at 2:37 pm
The final title totally rocks! “…and other simple, brilliant things” is …uh..simple and brilliant! OMG. That just blew my mind. ha ha.
Sincerely, I wish you heaps and heaps of success and will be purchasing many copies when it comes out. Congratulations! From the first time I read your writing, I knew you would be a humour writer “for real” some day. I love it when I’m proved right.
November 21, 2009 at 3:11 pm
wow neil! this site is amazing!
i read it everyday and i everything is so relatable!
you have made the small things in life feel so AWESOME!
November 26, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Hey Neil,
I’ve only been following the website for, hmm, about 2 days but I’ve read EVERY single post and I love it!! I especially loved #829, I read it to everyone I know and teared up every single time! (cried the first time) It made me remember to appreciate those around me (even more, if that’s possible) that I love, thanks for that! By the way, I love the way you write! AWESOME. hehe. I will definitely buy this book because I think it’s completely worth it.
Thanks for the awesomeness… :-)
December 6, 2009 at 4:42 am
FALLING ASLEEP WITH YOUR CLOTHES STILL ON!
December 18, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I am so TOTALLY excited for this. I’ve always thought that the smell of a really, really, really old book/bookstore was an awesome thing, so think about it…
December 21, 2009 at 5:14 pm
400 pages? Yes!! Can’t wait :)
December 21, 2009 at 5:26 pm
I’ve got mine on pre-order, I can’t wait!!
December 21, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Woah, that’s cool I really like the descriptions along with the awesomeness that coincides with it! Definitely sounds like a great afternoon read for reflection.
December 23, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I absolutely love this site! Thanks for the laughs!
December 24, 2009 at 10:43 am
Congratulations, Neil! I can’t wait to read this!
December 26, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Congrats Neil,
Looking forward to your awesome book..
December 29, 2009 at 11:27 am
Feeling quite proud of you Neil. I am pre-ordering today. Can’t wait to have it. You are one amazing and awesome man . Did you include yourself?
Barbette
December 29, 2009 at 2:34 pm
The book cover looks great! Congratulations on all of your hardwork, much success.
January 2, 2010 at 12:33 am
- when your old favorite band/groups is touring again and going to the concert takes you back to those times (spice girls) and you scream like a little girl when they come on stage
- getting a back scratch and falling asleep before you have to return the favor
January 3, 2010 at 5:26 am
LOVE IT!!! i gotta buy it!!! love this whole site man!!!! your AWESOME!
January 4, 2010 at 1:46 pm
I am so happy that you are publishing your awesomeness . . . the world needs more of it! Thank you for making me feel a little bit of simple happiness every day. I’ll be getting at least 5 of your books . . . can’t wait. May 2010 be the most awesome year ever.
Lu
January 6, 2010 at 11:54 am
I will definitely get this book. I agree with everything I have read on this site. I think one awesome thing is being the first person to leave your shoe prints in a fresh blanket of snow.
January 20, 2010 at 10:06 am
I love it when your making macoroni and cheese and you get the cheese to milk to butter ratio right it
January 22, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Best idea ever. YOU ARE AWESOME!
I am going to pre-order today if I can :D
January 29, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever added something to my Christmas list that didn’t come out till April! I just ordered it with a gift card, that I got for Christmas! It will never leave my coffee table at home, I hope to see smiles on all my guest’s faces!
February 4, 2010 at 1:41 am
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