Picture of Me: Who I Am in 221 Questions

For people who don't really like to journal or do not have much time to, this is a fun and interesting way of getting to know yourself better. The go-with-your-gut, fill-in-the-blanks questions and choices are better than anything I could think of when it comes to jotting down my life's preferences! The book is perfectly sized for taking with you wherever you go in case you get the notion to record someting about yourself. There are pages to post pictures or make drawings without the stress of scrapbooking them. Overall, a fun book!

As long as I can remember, my dad's always kept a journal. He expressed as he's getting older, finding topics can be difficult, and as he gets older, I realize since he had me so late in life, there's a good chance my future children will not have the opportunity to know a great man who had two careers he retired from (military officer and teacher), lived on three different continents, and has had a fascinating life and philosophy. The questions range from silly matters like favorite pizza toppings to matters as serious as personal values - Giving a gift like this to someone is as valuable to the receiver as it is to the giver. I made him promise to give the book back when he's done. The questions are all plain and simply worded; it reads so easily this could even be a fun gift for a kid in sixth grade; there are parts where the reader is asked to paste a photo or draw things like his/her family, his/her home, etc. Unlike similar books, the book asks no lewd questions, ie, "Would you have sex with a dog?", although it does ask opinions on things like belief in God and whether or not being gay is biological or a "choice." However, it is not phrased in such a way where I think most people I know, liberal or conservative, would find offensive. Although there are 221 questions, some are true/false, some involve drawing (as I mentioned before), some are sorts of quizzes, and some are essay, so it wouldn't be intimidating for someone who isn't a natural writer, although it's a good gift for a little practice. I imagine if one devoted five minutes to working on this book a couple times a week, the book would probably be finished in three or four months for someone who's a slow writer like myself. My dad enjoyed this book so much, I purchased one for my best friend since she has three children and five grandchildren who would enjoy a snapshot into their mother's life, and I purchased Book of Us: A Journal of Your Love Story in 150 Questions, by the same authors, for my sister-in-law and brother. (The latter is also an excellent gift for the couple who has "everything.") These are great gifts for anyone, and a meaningful gift to be shared and enjoyed later; I am considering getting two or three for random birthday gifts. It encourages kids to write and enjoy the process, gives a snapshot into the lives of middle aged folks, and stimulates senior minds. It can be a secret haven for those who want to confess their private thoughts, or it can be a book that generations to come can know some intimate and fun details of a family member. Overall, a fantastic gift that can be for a loved one or a cheap little "secret Santa" office gift. I'll definitely purchase more of these in the future.

I filled this question journal out tonight. It was so fun that I didn't notice I had spent 5 hours filling it out. It has a few pages to glue in photos, too. Overall, the questions didn't feel terribly difficult or invasive. There were maybe 2 about sexual preference, but other than that, most were fairly tame. There was a true/false section that mentioned politics and abortion. Some true/false are more tame, such as if you have gray hairs or sunburn easily. Most of the questions were more tame-- listing your friends, salary, job, favorite songs, favorite foods, where you live, and the usual array of questions. The book was nicer than I was expecting. It's not push, but it's sturdy and good enough. It's hardcover, with a fairly tasteful interior layout. There's a page at the end of it to write a letter to your future self-- nice touch. I'm in my 20s, and this was age appropriate-- I didn't need to be 50+ to fill this out. The bad: The pages are indeed glossy photobook paper. What on earth were they thinking? I'm subtracting a star for the glossy paper. Gel pens smear. Non-gel pens worked ok for me-- I let them dry between pages and was careful not to smudge the ink too much with my hands. I don't understand why they chose glossy, not matte paper. Overall, for the price, I was pleased-- glossy paper or not.

This book asks some very deep thinking questions. Also asks for pictures, drawing or sketches. Save it for years and pass it down or read yourself. Very interesting idea.

some intriguing questions

I brought this book with out checking to see if if it was English or American based.... oops on my part (it's American and I'm English). Questions are okay I guess, but a quite a few don't have that 'spark', in other words, they're a bit dull. Good for if you want your future self to see what was up or if you want to leave a basic record for you're friends or family when you finally kick the bucket. Aside from that, maybe branch out politics wise e.g. What new ideas have you heard about that you'd like to see your country experiement (or something like that)? Something thought provoking but not generically tied with the politics of only one country? Other than that, there isn't anything wrong with it.

love it so fun

I found the questions quite basic and uninteresting. I thought it would be better than what it is. It is not suitable for teens or kids and it goes into asking about sexual history, job performance, relationships, etc. I gave up filling out the book as I realised the questions were just bland and boring. I don't care to rate my job performance and give myself a self appraisal in this book, that's not what I got it for.