Review: I Hate Myselfie by Shane Dawson

Title: I Hate Myselfie
Author: Shane Dawson
Version Reviewed: Finished, Paperback
Website: http://simonandschusterpublishing.com/it-gets-worse/#selfie

I purchased this book myself.

GoodReads Synopsis:

The book that more than 12 million YouTube subscribers have been waiting for! Shane Dawson’s memoir features twenty original essays—uncensored yet surprisingly sweet.
From his first vlog back in 2008 to his full-length film directorial debut Not Cool, Shane Dawson has been an open book when it comes to documenting his life. But behind the music video spoofs, TMI love life details, and outrageous commentary on everything the celebrity and Internet world has the nerve to dish out is a guy who grew up in a financially challenged but loving home in Long Beach, California, and who suffered all the teasing and social limitations that arise when you’re a morbidly obese kid with a pretty face, your mom is your best friend, and you can't get a date to save your life.
In I Hate Myselfie, Shane steps away from his larger-than-life Internet persona and takes us deep into the experiences of an eccentric and introverted kid, who by observing the strange world around him developed a talent that would inspire millions of fans. Intelligent, hilarious, heartbreaking, and raw, I Hate Myselfie is a collection of eighteen personal essays about how messy life can get when you’re growing up and how rewarding it can feel when the clean-up is (pretty much) done.

Review:
I've been a fan of Shane Dawson almost since the beginning of his YouTube career. I wasn't there for the very first videos but I did start watching not long after. For a few years, however, life happened and I pretty much stopped watching videos on YouTube. I lost all thought of Shane until I was pregnant with my first daughter and my love of YouTube videos was renewed. It wasn't long before I was watching Shane's videos again and I was surprised to find almost a completely different Shane. The biggest difference I noticed, of course, was his hair. No longer did he have the long, straightened locks that belonged on the head of an emo kid, instead he was rocking short, styled hair. He also seemed different. He was still vulgar, outspoken, and honest but there was something different about him, more subtle, laid back, and more confident.

From then on I watched Shane's videos consistently. Through his very speculated private break up with his girlfriend Lisa, his coming out as bisexual, through the pounds and pounds of food videos (I'm not a hater, I loved them), his obvious darker days until he moved into his new home, his new relationship with his boyfriend Ryland, and his slide into darker topics like his awesome conspiracy theory videos.

Shane has talked frequently and openly about his past. It's one of the many things that endears him to his fans so it was a great surprise when we learned that he was writing a book that told stories of his past. It was nice to see a deeper side of Shane, some of his admissions and memories through I Hate Myselfie, and how he really felt during certain times of his life. I definitely think if you're a Shane Dawson fan, you should give this book a shot. It's full of his own style of crude humor and gives a truly inside perspective on certain events and times in his life. If you want to get to know Shane, you definitely need to read I Hate Myselfie.

Rating: 4.5 Stars