How can the same traits that make us feel uneasy in social situations also provide the seeds for extraordinary success.
As humans, we all need to belong. While modern social life can make even the most charismatic of us feel gawky, for roughly one in five of us, navigating its challenges is consistently overwhelming an ongoing maze without an exit. Often bewildered by the social rules of engagement or how to master the skills and grace necessary for smooth interaction, we feel out of sync with those around us. Though we may recognize we have awkward dispositions, we rarely understand why that is which makes it hard for us to know how to adjust our behavior.
Psychologist and interpersonal relationship expert Ty Tashiro knows what it’s like to be awkward. Growing up, he could do complex arithmetic in his head and memorize the earned run averages of every National League starting pitcher. But he struggled to add up social cues during interactions with other kids and was prone to forget routine social expectations. In Awkward, he unpacks decades of research in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and sociology to help us better understand this widely shared trait and its origins. He considers how awkward people view our complex world and explains how we can more comfortably engage with it, delivering a welcome, counter intuitive message: the same characteristics that make people socially clumsy can be harnessed to produce remarkable achievements.
Interweaving the latest research with personal tales and real world examples, Awkward offers us reassurance, and provides valuable insights into how we can embrace our personal quirks and unique talents to realize our awesome potential.
Industry Reviews
"Tashiro has become an evangelist for his kind...positing that there's an upside to all this nerding out.... In many ways "Awkward" is a memoir...packed with vignettes from the author's childhood, even as it loops in scientific studies and Darwinian theory." -- Washington Post
"In Awkward, Ty Tashiro expertly blends humorous anecdotes with the latest research findings to illustrate the unique skills often associated with awkwardness. It is a must read for anyone who is awkward or knows someone awkward." -- Patricia Frazier, Ph. D., associate chair of the Department of Psychology and Distinguished McKnight University Professor, University of Minnesota
"This book is a refreshing reminder that uniqueness and eccentricities are strengths, not liabilities. A gift for everyone who has worried about fitting in and being judged by other people. Entertaining and practical." -- Dr. Todd B. Kashdan, author of The Upside of Your Dark Side and Curious?
"Complete with exercises, quizzes, sound advice, and a practical yet supportive tone, Tashiro offers the closest thing to a roadmap for "happily-ever-after." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Five-Stars." -- San Francisco Review of Books
"An academic and psychologist examines the 'quirks and unique talents of awkward individuals' and why it's not so bad to be awkward...the author assures that awkwardness can be a gift and that one can be grateful for it." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Mixing personal anecdotes with summaries of psychological studies, Tashiro effectively delivers an informative and engaging pop psychology piece on what it's like to be socially challenged." -- Library Journal
"Illustrating his points with fascinating examples, Tashiro discusses the way awkward people deal with emotional situations...and, how we can learn to love our own awkwardness to bring ou the best in ourselves. An entertaining mix of social science and pop psychology." -- Booklist Online
