The Hipster Handbook by Robert Lanham

I first heard of The Hipster Handbook while I was reading Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini. On the back of Be More Chill were reviews of the book by other authors including Robert Lanham. When I saw the title: The Hipster Handbook, I didn't think it was real. So of course I had to check it out! I read the back cover and I was instantly hooked! So when I finally started it, I couldn't stop reading!

I did NOT expect The Hipster Handbook to be so funny! As I started to read it, I couldn't possibly imagine Robert Lanham sitting down to write this book and taking himself seriously. I know if I was writing The Hipster Handbook, I'd be buckled over laughing at the nonsense I was spewing. But that didn't make The Hipster Handbook bad;  that made it even better! I couldn't tell if Robert was being silly during some sections or serious during others. Supposedly he asked real 'Hipsters' about their lives and those interviews influenced the book. If that's true I'd loved to meet these people because right now they're like unicorns to me. I think the Glossary is my favorite part of the whole book. The words and definitions are hilarious and I plan to incorporate them into my everyday language. Some of my favorite words from The Hipster Handbook Glossary were liquid, gluten, piece, nancy, semi and chowder.

Towards the end I found myself  not taking any of it seriously, but I did take some of the lists seriously. I found myself discovering new music I need to check out, agreeing with the list of celebrities Hipster find attractive and adding several films to my ever-expanding 'To Watch List'.

At the end of The Hipster Handbook there is a "Are You a Hipster? Quiz" that I took. I scored a seven which means I'm a milquetoast. A milquetoast is a timid, meek unassertive person. I'm insulted, but I have to say that's accurate.

Overall, The Hipster Handbook is a funny book and a good read written ironically. Everyone (you) should check it out. It's definitely one of the book I'm going to have on my bookshelf.

Disclaimer: In no way should you take The Hipster Handbook as an instruction manuel. Don't try to force yourself into one of the many categories of Hipster and if you take the quiz don't take it personally. Answer as honestly as you can, your result will be more accurate that way. (This is of course my humble opinion.)

Humor, written in quotation marks on the upper left hand corner of the back of this book, is also another indication to not take The Hipster Handbook too seriously and that it's purely ironic. 

Check out more about The Hipster Handbook here.