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There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say (Abridged) Audiobook
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(3.05) - 349 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Part memoir, part monologue, with a dash of startling honesty, There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say features biographies of legendary historical figures from which Paula Poundstone can't help digressing to tell her own story. Mining gold from the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc, and Beethoven, among others, the eccentric and utterly inimitable mind of Paula Poundstone dissects, observes, and comments on the successes and failures of her own life with surprising candor and spot-on comedic timing in this unique laugh-out-loud book.
If you like Paula Poundstone's ironic and blindingly intelligent humor, you'll love this wryly observant, funny, and touching book.
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"I heart Paula Poundstone, so I was not surprised to love this book. I laughed out loud on several occasions and enjoyed her unique weaving of her own stories with discovery of famous historical figures. Her honesty is astounding, and I look forward to whatever she produces next."
— Johanna (5 out of 5 stars)
There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say Listener Reviews
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" I listened to the audio version of this just because I ran across it at the library. Little bits of it are very funny, but overall I'm not impressed. She goes off on these boring discussions of famous historical characters, then tries to somehow link them to her own life. It just doesn't fly. "
— Jeanette, 2/20/2014 -
" Didn't pass my 50-page Test. I gave it the old college try, it just wasn't very funny or informative, and she seems really bitter and upset and kind of miserable. Which isn't going to keep me turning the pages. "
— Vicki, 2/17/2014 -
" Funny. I have never seen her perform but I saw her book, got into reading it at the store and it followed me home. I like the way she (comediana) weaves in biographies of others as her chapters--Joan of Arc and many others. Her humor is dry and hilarious! "
— Cece, 2/15/2014 -
" Funny, funny lady - I LOVE her humor! "
— Melissa, 2/3/2014 -
" I could complain that this book reads like a bunch of stand-up comedy lines strung together with little cohesive plot, but I will instead say a) Paula Poundstone IS a stand-up comic and b) the way she recalls her own history and the histories of famous people (the Wright Brothers, Beethoven, etc) is a funny and effective patchwork of disjointed anecdotes -- exactly the way I remember my own history and the tales of others. Reading this book is like dipping into someone's brain for a few hours, as she's both cramming for a history test and trying to make sense of the jumble of her own life. Entertaining with a few laugh out loud moments. "
— Julie, 1/16/2014 -
" oh, paula poundstone. so dang funny. i had to smother some serious laughter to not appear demented. "
— J, 12/6/2013 -
" Rather than a traditional autobiography, Paula has organized this book into seven chapters comparing her own life to famous historical figures. Basically, it's a really long standup routine and anyone who likes her on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me should check it out. It is quite funny. "
— Kathleen, 12/4/2013 -
" 921 Poundstone Her funny, off the wall ramblings on her adopted family, famous people, and other stuff in her life. "
— B, 12/2/2013 -
" This book cracked me up. She is hilarious and her observations on parenting are terrific. I also love her on Wait Wait Don't tell me. "
— Carol, 11/25/2013 -
" Flat out hilarious. Laughed so hard, I snorted coffee out my nose. Very funny! "
— Jeannine, 11/20/2013 -
" I really enjoy Paula's humor, and it is present in this book. Unfortunately in a few places it is somewhat whining more than anything else. "
— Todd, 11/7/2013 -
" Paula reads her own work and keeps me company on my commute to school. Using braided essay style she cleverly confesses her own flaws (serious, real), and makes witty observations about her own life in comparison with lives of historic figures: Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers, Helen Keller. "
— Rebecca, 10/19/2013 -
" Another comedian of great wit and talent, telling her story as compared to great figures in history-Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Beethoven, et al. "
— Greg, 10/17/2013 -
" This book was cute. It was funny and relaxing at the same time. (must confess I got the audio book read by the author. I think Ms. Poundstone's delivery had something to do with it.) "
— Cmuberti, 6/7/2013 -
" An odd, amusing combination of memoir & biographies of Joan of Arc, A. Lincold, Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers, Beethoven, and Sitting Bull "
— Converse, 5/18/2013 -
" I love Paula but the book wasn't same without her performance style. "
— Sarah, 4/1/2013 -
" Paula Poundstone is hilarious, and I couldn't hold in my laughter listening to her narration. She relates how she overcame a difficult time in her life while drawing (rather dubious) parallels to the lives of famous people in history. I will definitely listen to this again. "
— Zandra, 12/28/2012 -
" This was one of the funnier comedian-penned books I've ever read. Not every paragraph was sterling, but many made me laugh out loud. Which is good because I've read a few books in a row which were blah. "
— Elise, 9/2/2012 -
" not the best writer, a little disjointed. but i like the revelations into her scandals, and i feel like she as a person is relatable. just not the best read. "
— Jenny, 7/13/2012 -
" Cute and clever without being crude or crass. Thoroughly enjoyed! "
— Clearym, 4/15/2012 -
" 2 stars seems harsh -- but I guess Paula is just meant to be heard, not read. "
— Alina, 4/14/2012 -
" I like Paula, and I could just hear her voice as she went on and on about her life, and kids. My daughter went to the "Wait, Wait, Don't tell me" radio broadcast, where she was on the panel, and bought an autographed copy for my birthday. She is delightful. "
— Joyce, 1/12/2012 -
" She writes like she speaks. If you like that style, it makes the book more enjoyable. I thought the content was frank, sad and incredibly funny. She deals with her past trouble as only she can, with humor and candor. "
— Ronnie, 4/4/2011 -
" Paula Poundstone is hilarious, and I couldn't hold in my laughter listening to her narration. She relates how she overcame a difficult time in her life while drawing (rather dubious) parallels to the lives of famous people in history. I will definitely listen to this again. "
— Zandra, 3/31/2011 -
" I like Paula, and I could just hear her voice as she went on and on about her life, and kids. My daughter went to the "Wait, Wait, Don't tell me" radio broadcast, where she was on the panel, and bought an autographed copy for my birthday. She is delightful. "
— Joyce, 1/15/2011 -
" Cute and clever without being crude or crass. Thoroughly enjoyed! "
— Clearym, 11/16/2010 -
" This book was cute. It was funny and relaxing at the same time. (must confess I got the audio book read by the author. I think Ms. Poundstone's delivery had something to do with it.) "
— Cmuberti, 7/31/2010 -
" I would have liked this more as an audio book, read by the author. Her observations really need her voice! "
— Sam, 7/29/2010 -
" Liked her story as she is one of my favorite panelists on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. "
— Janet, 5/25/2010 -
" An odd, amusing combination of memoir & biographies of Joan of Arc, A. Lincold, Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers, Beethoven, and Sitting Bull <br/> "
— Converse, 4/10/2010 -
" Meh... stand-up comics aren't necessarily as funny in writing. Much of what they do is performance. "
— Heather, 4/3/2010 -
" I'm a Paula Poundstone fan and this reads just like she talks in her stand-up! Delightful! The notes on an array of historical figures in juxtaposition is informative and equally fun. I thought it a great quick read. "
— Jan, 3/19/2010 -
" Good book...enjoyed how she wove biographies of others with her life. "
— Diane, 1/11/2010 -
" I love Paula but the book wasn't same without her performance style. "
— Sarah, 10/23/2009 -
" Flat out hilarious. Laughed so hard, I snorted coffee out my nose. Very funny! "
— Jeannine, 7/16/2009
About Paula Poundstone
Paula Poundstone is an author and popular panelist on NPR’s weekly comedy quiz program Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! She tours regularly, performing stand-up comedy throughout the country. She was the first woman ever to share the stage with the president as host at the White House correspondents’ dinner. She has had numerous HBO specials, starred in her own series on HBO and ABC, is included in Comedy Central’s list of Top 100 Comics of All Time, and has won an American Comedy Award. She is the national spokesperson for the American Library Association’s United for Libraries Volunteer Network.