The Yes Man
Danny Wallace
Publisher: Ebury Press; New edition edition (6 April 2006)
ISBN 978-0091896744 Paperback, 416 pages
Danny Wallace is probably best known for appearing as a slightly mad-cap, very enthusiastic comedian, presenter and guest on various TV programmes. His writing style is not dissimilar tp his stage presence.
Meeting a man on a bus one evening and lamenting the lack of excitement in his life, he is struck by the simplicity of the advice the stranger offers him; “Say ‘Yes’ more”. Taking this advice to heart, he makes a bet with a friend that he will say ‘yes’ to every opportunity that is presented to him in the next six months.
What follows is an amazing journey, both geographical and emotional as he visits people and places he didn’t know existed, runs up huge debts, gets a nursing degree, develops an attachment to a painting of an Alsatian and makes some life changing decisions. He even starts an anti-war group called “Geese for Peace”.
Presented as a light-hearted comedy, the story romps along barely pausing for breath. Some bit are laugh out loud funny, others quite touching and there is a genuine sense of anticipation as the book builds to it’s climax.
However, hidden under the comedy is a deeper layer of thought about making the most of opportunities presented to you and having a more proactive approach to life. Wallace handles these with humour but without dismissing their importance. While unlikely to change your life completely, this book may just cause you to look at it carefully and examine whether you could say ‘Yes’ more.
