How to Be Awkward

"The endlessly hilarious Turner walks readers through the awkwardness that is her life, from an overactive salivary gland and gastrointestinal issues to her fangirl fixation on fellow essayist David Sedaris, who “is unaware of our bond.” Constantly relatable... This volume is a worthy addition to Turner’s impressive, award-winning repertory. The author’s fearless honesty in grappling with her own personal quirks and bodily irregularities will surely resonate with a wide range of readers...nearly every essay possesses at least one laugh-out-loud moment (often delivered in the sidesplitting footnotes)...for those with a fair share of awkward idiosyncrasies, this collection is a delightful read that celebrates people’s eccentricities. An incisive and entertaining celebration of awkwardness." -Kirkus Reviews

"Playfully ruminating on the foibles of what it means to be human, Turner (This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store, as AK Turner) writes in chuckle-worthy essay form, exploring the perpetual struggle of functioning with anxiety, shame, and shortcomings—and how to cope with people who feel it necessary to point out those failings—in a society defined by rules and expectations. As Turner explains in “I’m What Smells Bad,” a story of her smelly egg salad sandwich in first grade that causes the whole school to stink, “Welcome to awkwardness, I want to say to the younger me. It’s with you for life.” Turner’s genius lies in her anecdotal storytelling cloaked in universally relatable fears and public displays of embarrassment. In “True Love Story,” Turner declares that the ultimate in awkwardness is shopping for a mattress with your boyfriend and your mother at the same time, while she dedicates nearly the entirety of one chapter to bullet points detailing “How to Be Chubby,” with winning tips like be sure to eat your children’s leftovers, fantasize about exercise without actually doing it, and learn to be content with your size as long as you’re happy and healthy. She turns to the serious, too, in “Sorry About the Plague,” as she muses on the human need for connection amid isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Readers can expect plenty of laughs, at others and themselves... Throughout, her unconditional self-acceptance is refreshing, and readers with a soft spot for humor mixed with candor will be thoroughly entertained. An entertaining read that makes being awkward cool. Great for fans of: Mindy Kaling’s Why Not Me?; Laurie Notaro’s The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club." -BookLife Reviews

From the New York Times bestselling author of This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store and Hair of the Corn Dog, Amanda Turner (previously writing as AK Turner) offers up a new collection of hilarity and embarrassment with How to Be Awkward.

Disclaimer: This book is not intended for the super cool. If you begin every day by setting an intention while doing yoga on a paddleboard (and somehow not falling off), you’re out of my league. If you are even semi-fluent in the Urban Dictionary, there’s little chance we’ll connect. And if you use a vaginal steamer, well, I think we’re done here. Especially if you don’t have a vagina.

On the other hand… if your spirit animal is the blobfish or you regularly and inexplicably choke on your own saliva, we might be related. If you find intermittent fasting to be both cruel and unusual, I feel your pain. If your athletic abilities could best be described as blundering and oafish, I’m right there with you. It’s possible that we speak the same language.

We should talk.