I wrote this review to Amanda Palmers book years ago, when it was published, but I don’t think I ever posted it anywhere. Also, it is not a proper review, it is more personal than that, but anyway, I wanted it to see the light of day:
The Art of Asking
Ok, I have a confession to make before I start talking about Amanda Palmer’s book, “The Art of Asking”.
The confession is that a few years ago I did not know who Amanda Palmer was. I believe I heard about The Dresden Dolls, but never actually listened to a song, so I really did not realized who she was when I “met” her as the beautiful wife of one of my favorite authors. Following Neil Gaiman on Twitter, I “found” her, probably in some RT from him, was curious about the things she said, and started following her.
The second part of the confession is that, when I first learned from her tweets that she was writing a book called the “The Art of Asking”, I was interested because I thought about the art of constructing a good question to ask. You see, in my native language, Portuguese, “to ask a question” and “to ask for something” are two completely different words, and I had never watched Amanda's TED talk, so I went with the first meaning of asking translated to my language: “perguntar”.
That is actually a book I would read, gladly. Since my early school years I am haunted by the fact that the questions I ask get completely strayed answers, not related to what I asked and I never understand why. The “art of asking a question” is very intricate if you ask me; I really would dig that book. Maybe I should write that book so I try to learn how to ask questions?
Anyway, I digress. Eventually, I was directed to Amanda’s TED talk, and understood what kind of asking she was talking about, and that did not lessen my interest in reading her book. By then, I was already interested in her thoughts, and feeling part of her "group". Therefore, as soon as the book was out, I got my copy and started reading it.
It is a beautiful book, a pleasure to read, very intimate. I like the way she pours out her feelings and inner thoughts while giving us a view of her life. Is it a memoir, a biography, a focused whitepaper on crowd(funding, surfing, sourcing, living)? I could not label it, but I am not a critic, only a reader, who was very pleased to read it, and a little sad when it ended. Yes, it is the kind of book that you wish would not end.
The content actually did not resonate with me initially. If I was a rude person, I could be one of the passersby that shouted “get a job” to her as a living statue. I am not proud of saying that, but living statues always bothered me, and the feeling was exactly ‘why is this guy/girl standing there instead of working, and expecting that I give him/her money for just standing there?’ I would never actually shout, but you know what I mean, but I am ashamed these might have been my thoughts if I lived in Boston and passed by ‘The Bride’. Did Amanda Palmer's book changed the way I feel about buskers? Yes, it surely made me think, see them with a new light, actually, now I “see” them.
The main point for me is exactly the fact that a few years back, I would dismiss everything she is saying in the book, and now I can actually (try to) relate to it, (try to) understand where that comes from. In some levels, I think Amanda and I have a lot in common, although we have nothing in common.
I was raised to have a career and ‘get a job’, and art was not a job. I always loved to write, but I never thought about writing as a profession. I thought about majoring in Journalism, but was discouraged by the “you’ll never earn enough money as a journalist” mantra.
Anyway, after a lifetime of “having a job”, I found myself jobless and having to (wanting to) reinvent myself. That is when I became a translator. In the years I was "having a job" I never abandoned the things I love: reading, studying literature and languages and – a little – writing. That is why I was prepared. I got a formal training in translation and today I am a part of the creative world, the people who might hear “get a job”. I don't have an employer, an office to go to (other than the one inside my home), no formal “job” structure whatsoever. Get a job, Cassia!
So, reading Amanda Palmer’s book was important for me to open my mind wider to the fact that all that I grew up thinking was the only “right” way to live: formal work, fixed salary, fixed office hours – is not necessarily so, and I don’t need to feel bad for having a different life nowadays.
I don’t think I am already able to ask for what I need (the main point of the book, actually). I still have my inner blocks about “being independent”; “not needing anyone’s help”… But what I really wanted to say about her book is that it is honest. And honesty brings out honesty.
I see you, Amanda.
