Review: Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help

    The memoir of an indie rock star might seem like a strange choice of topic for a blog that has the words 'make-up- in the title but if you know anything about Amanda Palmer it might make a little more sense.

   She's been titled 'Queen of the Internet'; 'Queen of DIY' and probably some other less polite things over the years given her stance as outspoken feminist and artist extraordinaire. She champions the importance and immeasurable value of self-worth, community and creativity (makes a lot more sense now, right?). For these reasons and so many more 'The Art of Asking' is a book you need to read.

   The book is the result of Amanda's TED talk (which to date has over 8 million views) about the lessons she learned as a living statue working in Harvard Square, Boston. Amanda makes her point with eloquence and care, so I'm not going to do her a disservice in trying to explain too much (the talk is only 13 minutes long, you'll be glad you watched it). She explores the idea of trying to make people help you versus letting them help you and how she came to understand that the exchange of art and human connection for an amount of time or money or kindness was in fact a fair one.

The talk itself came about due to a Kickstarter campaign Amanda ran to finance the recording and release of her album 'Theatre is Evil'. The Kickstarter made just under $1.2 million (not to mention crowdfunding history) and lead to a flurry of praise, critique and discussion around the idea of artists asking their fans for support and in particular, money.

These are the issues she explores in the book along with a great deal of personal deliberation on universal struggles like wanting to be seen; feeling like a fraud; guilt about the success of your work and the deep, abiding fear of the vulnerability that comes along with needing help. There's also a ton of candid, moving vignettes from her life that really make reading the book feel like sitting down for a heart to heart with your best friend and simultaneously made me very jealous of people who actually get to do that with her in real life!

I don't have to tell you that I think pretty much everyone should give this one a read, especially us folks who long to take big leaps of faith, throw aside what's expected and go and do something that makes our hearts smile (again though, I think that's actually, secretly everybody).

Also Amanda and her husband Neil Gaiman make art together from time to time and are just so damn cute! (which is irrelevant to why you should read the book but makes me too happy anyway)


(courtesy of the guardian, so lovely)

Anyway! Have you read it? Are you planning to? What do you think about the idea of artists/anyone asking their supporters to enable them in continuing to do what they do? I'd love to hear from you!

Tweet Pin It Now!