Texan Mosaic

by: RACHEL MEANS/Staff Writer 

In this new digital age, more and more people are turning to the Internet for employment.

In the past five years, “youtuber” has become a viable career choice for many.

Two people who took this path are Dan Howell and Phil Lester. Since 2009, these two close friends have been working, separately, and, in many cases, cooperatively, to establish a large and dedicated fan base within the Youtube community. Known to the online world as Danisnotonfire and AmazingPhil, these British boys have taken the Internet by storm. On Oct. 8, 2015, they released their biggest project yet.

“The Amazing Book is Not on Fire” is not so much a novel as it is a printed scrapbook. Within its 225 pages has been collected all things Dan and Phil. The intention of the book, according to its two authors, was to create a concrete version of the online community that had come to surround their videos. In that respect, the book is a huge success.

As a longtime follower of both Lester and Howell, I found many “familiar faces,” so to speak, within “The Amazing Book is Not on Fire.” The book contains several call backs to videos, as well as inside jokes and biographical pieces that explain, in greater detail, events that Howell and Lester have mentioned online.

For these reasons, I imagine that the audience for this book is somewhat limited. Unlike an autobiography, which can be conceivably read by anyone, regardless of their knowledge of the subject, “The Amazing Book is Not on Fire” does require its readers to have some prior knowledge to understand it. If you’re not a fan of Lester and Howell’s videos, you will probably be a bit confused for the majority of this book.

That being said, if you are familiar with its authors, “The Amazing Book is Not on Fire” is definitely worth your time.

The format of this book is wonderfully unique. It contains, among other things, hundreds of full-color pictures and illustrations, several fun games, laugh-out-loud funny conversations between the authors, and even a personality quiz.

Also, it’s worth noting that this is one of the most accessible books for non-readers I’ve come across. It’s really more visual than anything, and all the writing in it is done in a very casual tone. So if you don’t like to read, but you want to or need to read a book, this would be a good place to turn.

The casual language and fun style Lester and Howell used to create it make this book a quick and fun read. If you’re a fan of Dan and Phil, “The Amazing Book is not on Fire” is an absolute must buy.