Lose Well

Comedian Gethard (A Bad Idea I’m About to Do) provides uproarious and uplifting advice for those who could stand to have a little more faith in themselves. He draws his wisdom from his experiences growing up as a small, awkward kid in a working class part of northern New Jersey, as well as the many years he spent trying to break through as an actor and comedian. “This is not a book that will teach you how to hit a home run,” he writes. “It shows you instead how to become world class at striking out.” The message is that people should work hard to find their true voices and persist in putting themselves out there. In Gethard’s experience, the act of pushing oneself to the point of failure—and examining what went wrong to improve the next attempt—is the only way to be prepared to take advantage of the luck that’s needed for any success. “It is better to fail on your own terms then someone else’s,” he writes, “so define those terms for yourself.” Gethard’s writing style is effortless and enjoyable, and his beliefs are compassionate and encouraging. Fans of his irreverent comedy will be thrilled to dive deeper into his life and work, and anyone else stuck in a rut will find permission to go out and try—and fail—as often and as well as possible. (Oct.)