How to Be Perfect: An Illustrated Guide

This book is a page turner. With the quirky cartoon scrawls of Jason Novak illustrating the whimsically absurd pontifications of Ron Padgett, the reader is whirled through a brief course on the fundamental puzzles of life. Be invited to visit foreign countries; except those where the residents might kill you are accompanied by the depiction of a clawed biped attacking the hapless guest. Astringent advice is offered such as to be on time but to deliver no lengthy apologies for the lateness. The accompanying drawings capture the essence of both embarrassment and chagrin. While despair is evident in some of the one-liners, hope also shines through in the prescription to think of what you would like to see happen and then to not do anything to prevent it from occurring, and the accompanying drawings accent the thought. Some of the content reminds me a a condensed version of a Shel Silverstein outlook of the world. For a quick read or a special gift, this illustrated guide provides great self help towards a cheerful chuckle and, every so often, a thoughtful frown. As the author suggests….keep your childish self alive.