Freedom Is Blogging in Your Underwear [Hardcover]

Hugh MacLeod (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 26, 2012

This is a book about freedom. Specifically the personal freedom I discovered from the wonderful world of blogging, the freedom I hope everybody will eventually discover for themselves. The freedom that, I believe, will permanently and irrevocably change the world for the better.

 

Having a blog, a voice, having my own media, utterly changed my life. Suddenly my career as a cartoonist wasn’t dependent on other people: “The Gatekeepers”—publishers, editors, Hollywood executives, etc., etc. Sud­denly I had direct contact with my audience. They had direct contact with me. I could just do my thing, without having to wait for some­body else to give me the “green light.” I didn’t have to wait around for somebody else to deem me “worthy.”

 

This was the freedom I spent most of my adult life searching for, the same freedom I believe we’re ALL searching for, in one way or another. Careerwise, blogging gave me everything. Even in the early days, the ben­efits of blogging were so glaringly obvious to me, I couldn’t understand why more people weren’t doing it. Ten years later, I still can’t. So I decided to write a book about it; maybe I can help other people find this freedom, too.

—Hugh

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hugh Macleod blah blah blah genius blah blah artist blah blah read this now!”
—–Seth Godin, author of WE ARE ALL WEIRD

“This book is a benevolent kick in the pants. Hugh loves you, so he won’t sit idly by while you drown your muse. Freedom is a gift. Open it. Go romp in the creative grass. And then write Hugh a long, tender thank-you note.”
—–Sunni Brown, leader of the Doodle Revolution and author of GAMESTORMING

“Hugh is once again dead-on right—–about blogging, publishing, thinking, and underwear. Nobody figures it all out and says it better with a few wonderfully terrifying pictures than Hugh. And I know: after all, I’ve written and drawn entire books in my PJs! (Shhh, don’t tell my publisher!)”
—–Dan Roam, author of THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN and BLAH BLAH BLAH

“The Web ninja-guru-maven faction has saturated our lives with books purporting to teach us how to succeed online. This irreverent book from Hugh MacLeod, filled with his trademark cartoons, will knock them off the shelf—for good.”
—–A. V. Flox, editor for BlogHer.com

About the Author

Hugh MacLeod is the cartoonist and acclaimed blogger behind gapingvoid.com and the bestselling author of Ignore Every­body and Evil Plans. After a decade working as an advertising copywriter, he started to publish his “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards” online, which eventually he turned into a full-time job. He is known for both his art and for his thoughts on marketing and has become a popular speaker.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover (April 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591844851
• ISBN-13: 978-1591844853
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #745,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Computers & Internet

More About the Author

Hugh MacLeod worked as an advertising copywriter for more than a decade, while developing his skills as a cartoonist and pundit. His blog is Gaping Void, and more than a million people have downloaded the original post that inspired this book, "How to be Creative." He also lectures and consults on Web 2.0 and its impact on business.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars It was too short, thin on content and a wannabe mashup of Crush It! & Seth Godin May 1, 2012

By C. Thurman

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm SO BUMMED to be writing this review. I almost wanted to untag my authorship and be anonymous but that's so the opposite of the ballsy person that Hugh encourages us to be.

So here it is...

It was the hugest letdown I've had in a book since I can remember. I was SO excited when this book was announced for pre-order and I even posted it on my Fan Page, Twitter and LinkedIn. I adore Hugh and Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity was flippin' brilliant and I'm rereading it now to re-instill my faith in how amazing he is. And even Evil Plans: Having Fun on the Road to World Domination was good, although a little less potent.

That being said, the book was way too short (I read it in something like 20 minutes - I was shocked) and the content was so thin that the only value I got were in his cartoons, because those are always good.

I felt like it was a mix between wanting to be Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, which is hard to play off of and I just find Gary Vee generally annoying, which is just fine, and Seth Godin. Hugh has a whole other appeal that he just didn't play into. I could read Hugh's author style for as long as there's content.

The rest of the book was the 'get out there and do it' tone that Seth Godin loves to do (which is great when you're expecting/needing it), but again, that's Seth's tone like he's been doing with Poke the Box.

So, Hugh, I want to encourage you. You rock. Ignore Everybody took me and my business to a whole new level and I'm still loyal to you. But being formerly in publishing myself (especially as an editor), it's hard to stay potent, but please, don't water yourself down. You have a following, a voice and that "something" that only YOU can bring us. Go into your own hole and come out with another Sex & Cash Theory - we are waiting and need it! Or maybe that's just me...

I only beat you because I love you.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing April 27, 2012

By Brett

Format:Hardcover

I'm a fan of Hugh's writing. I own both of his previous books and thoroughly enjoyed them. They provided a good deal of "practical inspiration" that has informed much of what I've done online. I'm not even a little bit of an art guy, but I own one of his prints and it hangs conspicuously on my wall.

All that said, this book is 65% images of Hugh's drawings. I like them and everything, but I expected the book to be filled with words rather than images (like his previous books). I read the whole thing in about 35 minutes. The written content is good, but it stings a little knowing that I paid $14 for so little.

I'm not normally the type to leave negative reviews (really), but I feel people who order this expecting another book like Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity or Evil Plans: Having Fun on the Road to World Domination should know that it's a big departure from these other books.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great message, fun art, way too short April 28, 2012

By Kenny D.

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been reading Hugh's blog over at gapingvoid.com for a couple years now and own his previous two books. I pre-ordered this one expecting more of the same great writing.

I was disappointed. This book is filled with Hugh's cartoons from his site with a few short one or two page essays in between them. I was able to finish the book in less than an hour, which is quite a bit shorter than I'd expect a $10 book on the Kindle store to be.

Still a great read, still a great book, just can't agree with the price tag.

My advice: snag this one from the library for a week, read it a couple times, and give it back when you're done with it. Then go buy his other two books.