 Related Products Best Sellers Related Products | | Home Sleepwalk with Me: and Other Painfully True Stories | |
|  | |  | | | Sleepwalk with Me: and Other Painfully True Stories | | | | | | | |
List Price:
| $24.00 | |
Our Price:
| $16.64 | |
You Save:
| $7.36 (31%)
| | Shipping: | Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | |
*Shipping:
| |
| | | SKU:
1439157995-U | | In Stock | | Availability:
Usually ships in 1 business days | | |
|
| | Description | Hello, I am Mike Birbiglia and I want you to read my book. Too on the nose? Sorry. Let me dial it back. I’m Mike Birbiglia and I’m a comedian. You may know me from Comedy Central or This American Life or The Bob & Tom Show, but you’ve never seen me like this before. Naked. Wait, that’s the name of another book. Also I’m not naked as there are no pictures in my book. Also, if there were naked pictures of me, you definitely wouldn’t buy it, though you might sneak a copy into the back corner of the bookstore and show it to your friend and laugh. Okay, let’s get off the naked stuff. This is my first book. It’s difficult to describe. It’s a comedic memoir, but I’m only 32 years old so I’d hate for you to think I’m “wrapping it up,” so to speak. But I tell some personal stories. Some REALLY personal stories. Stories that I considered not publishing time and time again, especially when my father said, “Michael, you might want to stay away from the personal stuff.” I said, “Dad, just read the dedication.” (Which I’m telling you to do too.) Some of the stories are about my childhood, some are about girls I made out with when I was thirteen, some are about my parents, and some are, of course, about my bouts with sleepwalking. Bring this book to bed. And sleepwalk with me. | |
| | Product Details | | Author: | Mike Birbiglia | | Hardcover: | 208 pages | | Publisher: | Simon & Schuster | | Publication Date: | October 12, 2010 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 1439157995 | | Product Length: | 8.75 inches | | Product Width: | 5.75 inches | | Product Height: | 0.75 inches | | Product Weight: | 0.63 pounds | | Package Length: | 8.5 inches | | Package Width: | 5.75 inches | | Package Height: | 0.79 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.71 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 151 reviews |
| |
| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 151 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 40 found the following review helpful:
 Funny Guy Funnier Book Oct 13, 2010
By alan stein
This is a book you're going to love. If you're a fan of Mike from his many venues, his CD's, Off Braodway show, Comedy Central or late night TV appearences, then this is a book you need to get. If you don't know Mike this is a book that will get you searching for his old CD's. Mike is a keen observer of the human condition, much like Seinfeld or Larry David without the narcissism or meanness. He seems to stumble, sometimes literally, into everyday situations and sees the irony and absurdness in human interactions. He takes these events and weaves them into stories that will have you laughing out loud, so you need to be aware of your surroundings if you're reading this book in public. He has perfected the awkward character, probably because he is an awkward character, who says just the wrong thing at the wrong time, or who finds he's one beat too late, but his sincerity and honesty will have you rooting for him. I loved this book and I think you will too.
23 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Genius Oct 14, 2010
By Burnzieny
I got this book because I had seen Mike's live show and was blown away. The book does not disappoint. It's jam packed with even more Mike hilarity. He's is one of the funniest people alive, and is also whip smart. He has you laughing out loud one moment, then moved almost to tears the next. Great, great stuff.
19 of 21 found the following review helpful:
 A good start Nov 10, 2010
By Rob Weychert
I became a fan of Mike Birbiglia after hearing a handful of his stories on This American Life and The Moth. But before I could get around to checking out one of his albums or seeing one of his performances, Sleepwalk With Me was published, so I picked it up expecting great things. And in some ways, it is great. Just not quite as great as I expected.
In the AV Club interview that persuaded me to buy the book, I took notice when Birbiglia explained that his writing's guiding principle is that it not be about him so much as it be about the audience. And indeed, having been born into a very Catholic family in a northeastern suburb in the late '70s, much of this book is about me. But somehow I find the childhood anecdotes that make up its first half to be so familiar as to be uninteresting. Acting mostly as a character witness, they provide a good framework for what's to come, but despite their relatability, they are generally inessential. It is with Birbiglia's more unique adulthood experiences in the book's second half that the pages really start turning. The titular story of his sleep disorder, a strong finish, is worth the price of admission all by itself.
Birbiglia's self-awareness, gift for mixing humor and candor, and total lack of cynicism make this an engaging read throughout; I just wish it was less uneven. It's a good first book that I'm confident will lead to a great second one.
13 of 15 found the following review helpful:
More than just a writer Nov 05, 2010
By iamseamus
First off I'd like to say that even though I was a Birbiglia fan before this book came out, I am a very stingy person when it comes to money. The only reason I bought it was because it was cheap on Amazon. And thank God it was. This book was awesome. I'd heard a couple of the stories on This American Life and on an NPR promo. He also includes larger stories in his life that give you the full story behind some of his jokes, the "like fun" comes to mind as well as something in my bladder joke he does. But these are entire stories taking up huge chunks of chapters, so it's not like you've heard all of it and he's rebranding his jokes. Of course if you saw the Off-broadway show with the same title then you have heard it all.
What I like so much about this is the same thing I like about Birbigs' comedy. It's not like every other comic where he provides observational commentary or rants on something for ten pages. To know this guy's comedy is to know the actual guy Mike Birbiglia because most of his comedy is based on personal and embarrasing things. He reveals a lot about that, which is actually a recurring theme in this book, and sometimes you feel bad for/with him and other times you can't help but laugh out loud at a book. The narrative's very readable to the point where you can almost hear his voice reading it to you. It's more than a comedian writing about embarrasing stuff to make us all laugh. It's an entire insight to his life and creates a deeper more shared experience with the reader.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Laugh out loud funny Oct 15, 2010
By humor me
I have heard a lot about Mike from a friend so I looked him up online and found his appearances on Letterman and routines from comedy shows. I also listened to one of his segments on this American Life. He has some hilarious jokes and now I am a big fan. I bought the book to gain some insight into his life and into the life of a comedian. How does somebody want to become a person that tells jokes for a living? Where does a comedian get his material? And then what is it actually like to be comedian?
This book is great. It is easy to read and laugh out loud funny in many chapters. Mike also touches on a lot of those topics I was wondering about. He also touches on some topics I definitely would not touch upon especially with anybody else in the room. Definitely worth reading and looking forward to seeing one of his shows.
See all 151 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| |
| |
| |  | |  |
|
Top Sellers - Updated Daily Customers who bought items in your cart also bought | You may also like ... |
