Gnu makes money by producing videos for the internet.
(Photo: IMAGO/Future Image)
Dusseldorf Gnu – this does not mean the predator-plagued large African antelope. Although: yes. Because the stage name of Germany’s most popular gaming streamer is borrowed from the wild animal.
In civil terms, Gnu’s name is noted as Jasmin Sibel, but something is still missing there too. No wonder: With more than 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube, privacy is a good that deserves protection.
Gnu makes money by producing videos for the internet. Essentially, she films herself – while playing computer games, and for some time now also doing sports or in comedy formats. She’s a star in a vibrant entertainment industry that’s carved out pop culture around gaming. And she has now written a book that immediately became a “Spiegel” bestseller.
The author herself, who is a professional in the field of moving images, calls it the “let’s play of her life” but got help from the journalist Lisa Ludwig when writing.
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“Let’s Play” is the name for videos in which gamers record unfiltered what they experience in a computer game. The description thus applies well to the book, which does not opt for any literary genre – and is also often shaky when it comes to the thematic focus.
More or less chronologically, Gnu traces her career in “You can do it (not)” – from schoolgirl to independent entertainer. In many passages it is quite gripping because it is highly personal. But the book can hardly live up to the claim of a career guide. Those interested in the subject will only be happy in one chapter towards the end.
Gnu’s book is all about: Gnu. And about Jasmine. Kept almost in diary form, it’s a major ego trip. That’s not bad per se – but has a comparatively special target group: people who can identify strongly with the experiences and content of the author.
Gnu (with Lisa Ludwig): You can (can’t) do it. About loss of control, fighting spirit and insatiable hunger.
Riva publishing house
Munich 2022
288 pages
20 Euros
Gnu tells in detail about the development – and overcoming – of her eating disorder, which accompanied the 32-year-old until a few years ago. And she reports on a young woman growing up, which is characterized by assault, emotional and physical abuse and aesthetic pressure.
They are things that the author of these lines cannot empathize with – which makes it all the more important that they are written down. Reflecting on sexisms like those described and, above all, not repeating them is a battle that is far from being won.
Even if some parts of what the author calls “soul striptease” seem so highly individual that they seem to serve the reader’s own processing more than the added value: the descriptions could certainly provide younger women in particular with a tool for certain Recognizing and classifying behavior patterns in oneself and others: How do I deal with the pressure of expectations from third parties? What if I feel ashamed of my appearance or even my personality? Do I have to fulfill roles and clichés? How do I recognize people who harm me?
Gnu’s observations are supplemented by guest contributions by co-author Ludwig and by Max “HandOfBlood” Knabe, Alicia Joe and Lara Loft, all big names in the German YouTube scene. Above all, they address how difficult it is even for successful people not to let others determine their self-image. They are important classifications – especially for growing readers. In other words, the book may seem meaningless to you, but not to your children.
However: it is incredibly difficult to follow the central theme of the book. Because his biggest weakness is his language. The authors often work with insertions of the type “we’ll get to that” or “we’ve already talked about that”. Unfortunately, this also leads to redundancies that would not have been necessary given the abundance of events that are presented.
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The gaze sometimes wanders over the pages – also because the style is not only simple, but at times clumsy. There is little room for nuances and subtleties, almost everything is pronounced. 100 fewer pages and a more pointed narrative would have done the biography good.
All in all, “You can’t do it (can’t)” is required reading. But the book should be helpful as a guide, especially for younger readers – a bit like “Bravo” in book form, without wanting to belittle it. After all, adolescents don’t want to hear some very simple truths from their parents, but from friends and role models. Gnu can be both for her fans. And if her story encourages others – then it also has a justification as a book.
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