Reading a book without taking long breaks and finishing it in one night without thinking about anything else, even sleep for that matter is a wonderful feeling. It's very rare and not all books offer this impression to the readers. And that's how I would start describing this book. We were taught not to judge a book by its cover but that's exactly what I did when I picked this one up. I judged it but in a good way. The cover design impressed me along with its synopsis. During a book exhibition in my school, one of my estranged friends told me to choose a book from the shelf which would also be a gift for my upcoming birthday. It was a sweet gesture. So I did. After a couple of years, it was yesterday late in the evening when I started reading it. Yes, I have this ridiculous habit of buying a truckload of books and reading them incredibly late. Anyway, coming back to the review, this book though written by a young talented fellow in his twenties (making the age factor a big deal is an incorrigible practice, I know) is something everyone should have a look at. I did not know about Connor until I read this book and as I was close to finishing it, I couldn't help visiting his YouTube channel and Social Media profiles. The charming thing about this memoir is the simplicity and the minimalist approach followed by Connor in documenting his experiences through words and pictures. Being a middle school teacher, I have known a few students who are extremely talented and creative but choose to be aloof, bitter and running themselves down constantly. This almost gave me the notion that young, bright, creative people are usually grumpy and distant, especially in terms of socialising with their peers or adults. Reading Connor's story changed that thought in me. As I kept turning the pages, I was gladly able to relate to many incidents and outlooks I had had in my school days. Age is not a measure to gauge a person's understanding of life. Anyone can unlock the philosophy to happiness, success and self-awareness if he/she can look at life differently like Connor did. A refreshing read, indeed.
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