Yes Man by Danny Wallace

Grade: A
by Radley Little
  
With all of our modern distractions these days, it's hard enough to go out and do the things we have to do for ourselves, let alone things things others ask of us. Perhaps that's why London author and humorist Danny Wallace was experiencing a bout of disinterest and detachment from the world at the beginning of his book Yes Man. For the past few months he'd been doing little more than sitting in his apartment watching TV while making excuses in order to neglect his friends, who have all become quite worried about him. One can only guess how long he would continue down this path if he hadn't received some inspiring advice from a cryptic stranger one night on a bus, that advice being "say 'yes' more." What results is an entertaining and inspiring journey that changes the course of the author's life.

Following the mysterious encounter and a bet with one of his friends, Danny decides that he'll remove the word "no" (or any derivative of it) from his vocabulary for the rest of the year. Of course, he doesn't tell anyone for fear of being taken advantage of. Galvanized, he ambitiously starts to say "yes" to any suggestion, demand, or offer that comes his way. Not long after, a chain of "yes" wins him $45,000 which cements his dedication to the word. Danny doesn't make any exceptions to the rule, and answers affirmatively to some laughable inquiries including "Do you want drugs?" and "Do you really want to give your phone number out to everyone in the world?". Furthermore, he doesn't just limit himself to questions that are directed specifically at him, instead responding to any advertisement that he comes across in the form of a question or demand. As a result, he earns a nursing degree and travels to Amsterdam in response to a spam email he received. Things get more complicated when he starts getting other inexplicable emails from someone called "The Challenger" who forces him to carry out some more ridiculous tasks. At the end of the quest, he finds himself changed for the better and in a much different position than he had at the beginning.

I think this book is a fantastic real life of account of an absurd journey, and I say that while contemplating if I would enjoy it as much if it were all fictionalized. I don't think I would because the reality of it all gives the book its charm. Knowing that the author squandered so much time, effort, and money for something that could easily be avoided makes every farcical "yes" that much more entertaining. The book isn't by any means just a realistic comedic piece. Danny's journey doesn't just entertain, it sensibly inspires the reader to enjoy life more by saying "yes" more. It's an examination of all the possibilities that come into our lives with some minor adjustment to routine.

Upon a basic synopsis like "A man says 'yes' to every question," one might be quick to classify this book in the subgenre of "documentary comedy" in which the author/performer/artist tries to present something like a goal, task, or event in documentary style. While that does fit the description of this book, it's also somewhat limiting. Yes Man is really a work of documentary comedy that reads like a novel. It has elements of mystery and romance which progress and become entangled with Danny's experiment as it progresses, the climax of which is like something out of a movie.

Speaking of which, Heyday films has begun production of a film adaption of the book starring Jim Carrey which will be set in the U.S. It's due out in December of 2008. Hopefully it won't end up too much like Liar, Liar.

Although there is a U.S. version of the book, I've found it's not readily available in stores. But amazon has plenty.

Note: If you want the absolute full experience from this book, I suggest first reading two of Danny's other books, Are You Dave Gorman? and Join Me. These will really give you a good perspective on Danny's relationship with his girlfriend and what he's put her through in the past, which makes Yes Man a lot funnier.