PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives

Summary:

The instructions were simple, but the results were extraordinary.

"You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a group art project. Your secret can be a regret, fear, betrayal, desire, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything -- as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before. Be brief. Be legible. Be creative."

It all began with an idea Frank Warren had for a community art project. He began handing out postcards to strangers and leaving them in public places -- asking people to write down a secret they had never told anyone and mail it to him, anonymously.

The response was overwhelming. The secrets were both provocative and profound, and the cards themselves were works of art -- carefully and creatively constructed by hand. Addictively compelling, the cards reveal our deepest fears, desires, regrets, and obsessions. Frank calls them "graphic haiku," beautiful, elegant, and small in structure but powerfully emotional.

As Frank began posting the cards on his website, PostSecret took on a life of its own, becoming much more than a simple art project. It has grown into a global phenomenon, exposing our individual aspirations, fantasies, and frailties -- our common humanity.

Every day dozens of postcards still make their way to Frank, with postmarks from around the world, touching on every aspect of human experience. This extraordinary collection brings together the most powerful, personal, and beautifully intimate secrets Frank Warren has received -- and brilliantly illuminates that human emotions can be unique and universal at the same time.  (Summary and book cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Review:

“Post Secret” is funny, inspiring, terrifying, poignant, disturbing and depressing all at the same time.  Some of the deepest secrets and fears are relatable while many others are more than a little scary.  Artistically amazing, it’s interesting what people shared when they knew it was anonymous.  Part of me doubts the validity of some of the statements, but that maybe my coping mechanism to secrets my brain cannot handle or relate to.  Validity aside, it’s undeniable that the postcards touch all human experiences and certainly remind the reader you’re not alone in your struggle.

Warning: Many of the confessions are not comfortable to read.

See more at: http://postsecret.com/

Rating: 4 stars!

Who should read it? People who are curious and folks looking for comfort/sense of community for a secret they are carrying.