It Gets Worse: A Collection of Essays

by Shane Dawson

Overview

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

New York Times bestselling author, director, actor, and YouTube superstar Shane Dawson returns with another highly entertaining and uproariously funny essay collection, chronicling a mix of real life moments both extraordinary and mortifying, yet always full of heart.

Shane Dawson shared some of his best and worst experiences in I Hate Myselfie, the critically acclaimed book that secured his place as a gifted humorist and keen observer of millennial culture. Fans felt as though they knew him after devouring the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal bestseller. They were right... almost.

In this new collection of original personal essays, Shane goes even deeper, sharing never-before-revealed stories from his life, giving readers a no-holds-barred look at moments both bizarre and relatable, from cult-like Christian after-school activities, dressing in drag, and losing his virginity, to hiring a psychic, clashes with celebrities, and coming to terms with his bisexuality. Every step of the way, Shane maintains his signature brand of humor, proving that even the toughest breaks can be funny when you learn to laugh at yourself.

This is Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Running With Scissors for the millennial generation: an inspiring, intelligent, and brutally honest collection of true stories by a YouTube sensation-turned one of the freshest new voices out there.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501132841
Publisher:	Atria/Keywords Press
Publication date:	07/19/2016
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,058,685
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Shane Dawson is a director, actor, comedian, musician, YouTube vlogger, and the New York Times bestselling author of I Hate Myselfie. He lives in Hollywood, California. Find him on YouTube.com/user/ShaneDawsonTV.

Read an Excerpt

It Gets Worse
ALEXANDER T. GIESEN is a seventeen-year-old German-born British painter. His passion for art was first sparked in the eighth grade, after visiting a modern art exhibition. He currently is in his first year doing the International Baccalaureate diploma, where he studies fine art. The themes his paintings mainly illustrate are the problems that humans (especially women) in Western society face; this he shows by doing large-scale portraits with hidden metaphorical messages, often only conveyed through color or form. Follow him on Twitter @_alexrobins.

Editorial Reviews

04/11/2016
Popular YouTube personality Dawson (I Hate Myselfie) exhibits his signature brand of twisted humor and neuroses in his second volume of personal essays. A number of these trace his artistic and professional development from a high school video project to a sobering experience filming his first feature film for a reality show and dealing with eviscerating reviews. He frankly discusses the journey to accepting his bisexuality, beginning in kindergarten with simultaneous crushes on the pretty blonde girl and the spiky-haired bullying boy. This journey is fraught with sadness, as when he describes his tendency to “fill the void... with food and other addictions,” and comedy, as he takes a trip down the rabbit hole of hook-up apps. His self-deprecating and outrageous humor is hit or miss, but at its best it deserves comparison to David Sedaris, whether he’s writing, “I’m the opposite of a party animal. I’m a funeral person” or recalling wearing a flamboyant T-shirt on the first day of middle school and boarding a Bible study bus for the free candy. A story about ending up at the Mexican border after a wrong turn, however, is completely unfunny and entirely lacks the drama he tries to manufacture. This decent if lopsided second effort from a writer still finding his voice should satisfy Dawson’s previously established fans. (July)

Publishers Weekly

These 13 essays collected here are...humorous, but some are quite moving...One a humor scale of 1 to 10, 1 being meh and 10 being a hoot, Dawson’s essays earn a solid 7. Teen fans of David Sedaris will enjoy Dawson’s perky essays."

Booklist

"Shane Dawson brings us possibly – no, definitely – the most hilarious read of summer. In this uproarious essay collection, Dawson unleashes all his wit and explores his mortifying childhood and every awkward moment as he came to terms with bisexuality. Overflowing with humor and sharp observations on the struggles surrounding modern culture, It Gets Worse is comfort food for the millennial soul."

Sunset Magazine

"This book is a haven for difference in a sea of more of the same with YouTuber books. The essay approach really worked for the book."

The Guardian

"Like Dawson’s previous book, I Hate Myselfie, It Gets Worse is a collection of humorous autobiographical essays...laced with both bracing honesty and Dawson’s signature humor."

Entertainment Weekly (ew.com)

If you're a fan of his, it's safe to say this is already pre-ordered for you, but if you haven't been introduced to this YouTube sensation, I'd recommend checking him out if you're a millennial who loves to laugh.

Bustle

Praise for I Hate Myselfie:
“Though Shane is infamous for his biting wit and crude humor, I Hate Myselfie is as much heart as it is crass.... [It] proves that laughing at yourself can help overcome even the most embarrassing experiences.... Shane may 'hate his selfie,' but his millions of fans will love it.

AccessHollywood.com

These 13 essays collected here are...humorous, but some are quite moving...One a humor scale of 1 to 10, 1 being meh and 10 being a hoot, Dawson’s essays earn a solid 7. Teen fans of David Sedaris will enjoy Dawson’s perky essays."

Booklist

If you're a fan of his, it's safe to say this is already pre-ordered for you, but if you haven't been introduced to this YouTube sensation, I'd recommend checking him out if you're a millennial who loves to laugh.

Bustle.com