I must admit that Human is a very different book than I am typically drawn to. Truth be told, I rarely read non-fiction novels (and since working for a startup company rarely find time to read for personal enjoyment at all). That said, I think that Human quite succinctly captures several aspects of the human condition that myself (and likely most others) are all too familiar with as we walk (sometimes in darkness) through the days of our lives. An unfortunate reality is that these feelings of pain, suffering, loss and loneliness are interwoven into the very fibres of our existence as humans. Through experiencing these “negative” emotions, however, we are able to reflect and grow; to make “progress” if you will.

While the author walks us through what might be described as a typically mundane series of events, the emotions behind these events clearly run much deeper. I get the sense that these emotions are intrinsically tied to her personal experience, but also posit that most (or at least many) of us have had very similar experiences (ie: witnessing someone struggling and feeling the need to help only to not do so). In this, she is not alone. Where she differs from most of us, however, is that she took the time to try and wrangle these thoughts and feelings and put them down on paper. I expect that this was immensely rewarding and valuable in terms of her ability to understand and grow from these experiences. I further suspect that in addition to assisting in her growth and progress as a human, that it will give others the opportunity to learn from and relate to her experiences and feelings so that they can reflect and grow as well. I was surprised by how much of myself I discovered in and amongst these pages and am not at all disappointed that I made time to read this, despite not being something I would likely reach for off of the shelf. Reading Human has also led me to reflect on why I typically turn to fiction for my entertainment. Perhaps I too am looking for “darkness”, seeking an “escape” from the pain and loneliness that we humans experience in the facets of every day life.

Thank you to the author, Vanessa Ferlaino, for sharing these feelings and for making herself vulnerable so that we can all take progressive steps in better understanding ourselves as humans.

- Matthew Michaelis, COO of Dispension