Carlos Whittaker isn't afraid to tackle the hard issues - political differences, racism and racial biases, the lastint effects of 2020, etc. I love how he approaches them. He's real, honest, sincere, and loving. This book is worth your time. The message is simple - be a human! Be who God designed you to be. I love that in every chapter he brought it back to Jesus, His life and ministry. It isn't overly religious though so it is perfect for anyone whether or not you believe in Christ as your Savior. I love that in every chapter Carlos shared his personal experiences. I love the message of compassion, empathy, listening to understand, sitting with others where they are, touching people's lives, and helping to free others and ourselves. I love his message "Don't stand on issues. Walk with people." But what I love even more is that Carlos lives his message. I'm grateful to have read this book and to be part of the instafamilia!

.I absolutely loved this book! I did NOT love it because I agreed with everything Carlos says in the book. I loved it because it read like a conversation, and conversations are what we need to be having
in order to stop feeling so divided.

The three sections of the book break down practical steps we can each take to be better humans. So often books tout concepts and ideas with no clear action steps to take to make those ideas a reality. Carlos gives clear steps as well as real-life examples of the concepts and ideas he is presenting.

All in all, this is a phenomenal book that I hope every human will read, and that we ALL begin to use the word "human" as a verb, LOL!

Carlos Whittaker gives a great look into how to "be human, see human, free human" also known as how to truly see people and meet them where they are. The author uses stories from Jesus's life to show the ultimate way to be human. Using a lot of examples of life from 2020 and beyond, Carlos Whittaker touches on how we have lost some of our humanity and ways we can gain it back. A great read for Christians and non-Christians alike.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was eager to read this book on the recommendation of Sharon McMahon (she wrote the forward). While I'm sure this book would resonate with a lot of people, I had a hard time convincing myself to keep reading. The ideas presented in the book seemed stretched out to a fill a book. I enjoyed the real life stories of Carlos' experiences but the rest was a bit jumbled for me.

Over the last few years, it seemed like the world was going to hell in a handbasket. From COVID and the George Floyd murder to Presidential elections and the January sixth insurrection, things have never been more divisive. Social media and the internet have been flooded with everyone's hot take on every major event or scandal. One person whose voice always remained steady and stood out in the crowd was Carlos Whittaker. Through his Instagram stories and reels, he taught his followers how to love one another despite what they believe or how they vote. This book is an extension of that. Using his faith, he inspires his readers to step back from the prejudices and arguments and look at the person on the other side of the fence as what they are - HUMAN. His writing style is very informal, but it's much like the way he talks. Reading his books is like sitting down and having a conversation with him over a cup of coffee, and that is something I love about his writing. This is a fantastic book and it's one from which I think everyone could find something to take away. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review as part of the official book launch team.

It felt like I had lived a lot of this book with Carlos - as I remember watching many of the stories he shared play out in real life as he shared them. (Seriously his IG stories are some of the greatest.) From birds to bad days to blitzes - in his book Carlos puts words to his actions. And just as he does in real life, he points it all back to Jesus. Because that is his example.

How to Human shows what it means to be just that: human. How to see others, care for others (and ourselves), and allow people to be who they were created to be. And he shows us that no matter what we are experiencing - a pandemic, political unrest, injustice, or just a bad week, month, year - we have the power to be good humans to one another.

Carlos is the best at breaking down problems that seem insurmountable into small, manageable issues with steps to take to solve them. He talks to you as if you've been friends forever and can reveal your deepest, darkest secrets while helping you heal and change them into some of your greatest strengths. This is a book the whole world needs right now - read it, write down your thoughts, and welcome the change that will help you be a better human in a world that tells you it's impossible.

Great book to go deeper behind his social media messages. Some parts felt wordy/rambling but I felt that was more reflective of the editing.

I’ve been a “fan”/follower of Carlos Whittaker since ~2019. While I was 1st introduced to him via the “LaLa” saga on his instagram stories (which is ironic because birds freak me out; sorry, Los!), I stuck around for the jokes, real talk, & joy that I found on his page! Fast forward a few years, and I’m a proud member of the “instafamilia” that Carlos has created in his not-so-little corner of the insta-web. So, when I heard about this book, I quickly signed up to be part of the launch team and was overjoyed to have the opportunity to read this book before it comes out (1/24/23)! Let me just tell you, it’s a good one, folks! With personal stories & relatable experiences from the past few years of insanity, Carlos shares (in a way that feels like you’re chatting over coffee!!!) about the importance of BEING, SEEING, and FREEING HUMAN(S) in this book…+ how life-changing it can be for us all! You don’t have to agree with everything he writes to still be able to walk away from these pages a better human, due to the practical tips he shares and the whole basis behind the book. Truly, I believe that this book is one for everyone to read, and I pray that, as humans, we do make that 1% course change that really can change everything…
[Thank you to NetGalley, WaterBrook & Multnomah, + Carlos Whittaker’s team for the advanced e-copy that I was given access to, to read/freely review, as an excited participant of the launch team!]

A straight-forward, upbeat encouragement to connect with your humanity, your fellow humans, and, if you choose, God in human form (Jesus). Carlos Whittaker is transparent, honest and real in these pages just like he is on his social media. This book reads like a quality sermon series but is written to be accessible to non-Christians as well. Carlos repeatedly reiterates that no supernatural belief is required in order to become more connected to others. Worth the read if you're looking for the encouragement.

Thanks to WaterBrook and Multnomah for the free book.
This is a book that I think a lot of people would benefit from spending time with. Whittaker shares about how to be a person who sees and understands others, without letting their general thoughts/opinions make up your mind for you. He also uses Jesus as the ultimate example of the best person to emulate. As someone who believes in Jesus being Christ, I wholeheartedly could get behind his examples. I do hope it will be effective with those who don't believe that. This is a great starting point for when you're feeling like humanity has lost its way.

I give this book 4.5 stars. Excellent conversation about humanity, dignity, loving others and God. Carlos does not stray from Biblical positions of loving others, listening, being ‘for’ those who seem to be against your convictions. Jesus was not vague in caring for the oppressed and we shouldn’t be either. I have followed Carlos on IG for many years and watched as he began to embrace being Black (he is Hispanic and Black). This book puts a bow on how to live for Christ, how to stand with friends, how to get involved.
It’s an easy book to read. He is a great storyteller. But his words will convict your heart if you are not standing with your friends, if you are not aware of those not like you, if you are not getting into the Ethiopian chariot, like Philip (Acts 8). I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGallery in exchange for my review. This book releases 1/24/23.

How to Human isn't a self help book or manual on how to be more productive, how to win arguments, or how to be right. It's a book that challenges readers to see people.

Whittaker says that being human is about seeing people and being seen. He recaps the events of 2020 and early 2021 that the country faced as well as his personal circumstances. He uses these events to show how we stopped seeing people and stopped showing empathy.

The ideas aren't radical or new, but the vulnerability that Carlos shows in this book is refreshing. I connected with the personal stories and experiences he shares about bias (both towards him and his own) and the power of being seen. When I finished this book, I felt challenged and encouraged to start seeing others and to be more human.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

People want to be seen. They need to be seen. It’s simple really. Except it isn’t. Because we’ve forgotten….how to love each other…how to be a community…how to human. And in his book, Carlos reminds us how to get back to seeing people, how to free them (and ourselves), how to be human. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it. Thank you Carlos for putting a little humanity back in this world.

4.5 stars
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 @𝘗𝘙𝘏𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

On Instagram, I follow only bookish accounts with three exceptions - one charcuterie board account, Sharon McMahon, and Carlos Whittaker. That’s it. So it’s safe to say that I really like this guy Carlos @loswhit. I like the way he tackles bias and division with facts and friendship. He’s just a genuinely nice guy with a mission to bring people together. He was one of the very few shining lights for me through the pandemic and the absolute cultural disaster that followed.

The other non-bookish account mentioned above is @sharonsaysso. She is another light in a dark world just out here trying to tackle misinformation with facts and truth. #governerdsunite (IYKYK). I found out about 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 when I saw that she had written the foreword.

SOLD!!

Here are my takeaways:

✨In so many ways, I can relate to the author. Like him, I am a Christian who has found myself, since 2020, utterly confounded and heartbroken by so many of the Christians I have known. A quote from the book Transcendent Kingdom that I read in January 2021 goes like this: “I have seen my church, and I can’t unsee it.” Enough said.

✨What the author has done differently than me is that he has opened up. He has tried to help other Christians see things from a different perspective. He has put himself out there and shown kindness and friendship even in the face of rejection. Insert a gif of a person putting a bag over their head and backing away slowly, and that’s a picture of me since 2020. There’s a lot I can learn from Carlos Whittaker.

✨I had both the audio and eBook versions, and I paused the audio at least a hundred times to go highlight lines in the eBook. The best highlight for me was his pronouncement “I don’t stand on issues. I walk with people.” I felt that one so deep because I believe people matter so much more than opinions. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this line.

While the book is unapologetically Christian, I feel there is a lot to gain from reading it even if you’re not. Feel free to ask me about it if you’re unsure.

A half a star off for his Taylor Swift joke. It wasn’t mean, but I can’t take a joke about Taylor. 😂😂

Carlos Whittaker is all about bringing people together. I truly hope his book does just that. I have already ordered my own copy.

This one's tough. On one hand, Carlos says some very important things. On the other hand, they don't seem to be the emphasis of the book, and some of the verbiage can get confusing at times. Not all of the chapter headings made a lot of sense.

By sheer volume, this is overwhelmingly an autobiography. This is Carlos telling parts of his story, parts that he wants to share and in many places, parts that he wants to use to preach about. There's at least one chapter that doesn't even attempt to make a point, but only tells a part of his story, and so it's difficult to see how that addresses the chapter heading or the overall arch of the book. It feels sometimes like Carlos is still lost in these scenes and trying to swim his way out.

At the same time, the reader cannot afford to miss what he IS saying about how we ought to relate to one another. I live on the other side of the aisle from Carlos (I think, after reading this book), but this truly was the common middle ground that I've been preaching for years, too. These were the same ideas about humanity that I value, in most cases. And so, it was refreshing to see that coming into print and calling all of us back to the place where we belong - together.

The truth is, I don't know what I think about this book. I don't. I read it. I enjoyed it. I am thankful for it. Yet I am also walking away with the sense that it seems really thin, content-wise, in terms of what it promised. Maybe it's that it's really that simple. Maybe it's that some of the topics are so heavy that it changes the dynamic of reading the book itself. Maybe it's any of a thousand other things that are true about any of us in our very human nature that might sway us one way or another. Maybe it's the fact that I didn't walk away from 2020 with the same kind of heavy baggage that Carlos appears to have (and thinks everyone else also has). There was just something still empty about this book for me, and I haven't put my finger quite on it yet. Maybe I never will.

But I would read it again. And I would suggest it to others. So I would suggest it to you, too.

First of all, I don't follow Carlos on IG...but I'm faintly familiar with him and what he stands for (which I love). So I was curious what he has to share in a book. I picked this book up not knowing anything about is aside from the title.

What I then found was that he shares how he processed 2020-2021 ish and rehashing all of the terrible things of that time with a few being; covid, masking, riots, black lives matter, elections, January 6th etc. I honestly just don't want to keep going back to that time. Everything that he shared was good and valid and makes great points! Absolutely. He shares New Testament quotes about how Jesus handled situations and how we should follow his example of goodness towards humanity (also agree 100%). But I just don't want to read more about how people feel or have processed 2o20 and how to bet better. It's not because I want to ignore it, but I have processed it myself and am ready to move forward.

I didn't realize that he is a public speaker and and avid follower of Jesus. He makes it very clear that even if you don't believe in Jesus, we can still learn from him as a wonderful example. This book was almost a self help, self reflection, attempt to pump you up to do better type book.

He also shares multiple points along his social media journey, which, I kinda don't care about, probably because I haven't followed him and I'm not connected to those stories that clearly affected many people.

Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the advance e-copy of this book.

First, if you’re not following Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit) on Instagram then stop what you’re doing. Go to his page. Check it out. Click follow. Then come back. I’ll wait.

Welcome to the #instafamilia

Thank you to Waterbrook Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy of Carlos’s new book: How to Human which comes out next week. Of course my copy didn’t have the forward by one of my favorite humans Sharon McMahon (@sharonsaysso) so I’m going to have to pick up a hard copy too!

How To Human is a reminder of how we should treat each other. Not how we interact with our friends or those who think like you or look like you but everyone. While there is a Christian perspective, this is a “big tent” and is meant for everyone. Carlos would be the first to say you don’t have to believe what he believes.

If the last few years have been hard, if you’ve questioned your faith in humanity and basic human decency, if you’ve wondered how we can bridge the divide that seems to widen every day, you need to read this book.

Most of this book was processing events from 2020. I liked what the author had to say. People more than ever need to learn how to human. But personally, I did not enjoy his book- it didn’t offer anything new and I didn’t prefer his writing style.

The book is written in a way that assumes you have been following the author on socials. If you are not, instead of explaining in the moment there are a LOT of “but we’ll get to that later.”

There’s also nothing new from what I have seen him share on his socials. Honestly there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s gotta make money. People like his message on IG, maybe writing is another way to get out a message that people connect with. It just wasn’t anything new.

The author is a a great speaker and the book is written in that way. With short sentences like “Duh” and starting sentences with “Like”. Which personally isn’t my favorite way to read.

I’ve been a follower of the author, Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit), on Instagram for several years and consider myself part of the #instafamilia he’s encouraged on that platform. This book reminds the reader of how to focus on what we all have in common and not on what divides us. This book does have a religious aspect, but I think the overall book would also be a good read for those that don’t consider themselves religious. One topic that’s repeated throughout is “don’t stand on issues, walk with people.” This is the true way to impact the lives of others – and be a better version of ourselves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.