Customer Reviews

Just a Guy: Notes from a Blue Collar Life

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was very interesting, to say the least. Engvall wrote on his life in many subsections, making each to the point without having to add extra words to fill out a chapter. From his childhood antics, to his college antics, to his start as a comedian, to meeting his wife, this was a book that waqs hard to put down.

However, very little actually made me laugh. This is more an autobiography than an attempt at humor. You shouldn't buy this book because you want humor; you buy this book because you want to know more about Engvall.

This was very entertaining. Felt like I knew Bill personally after listening to the cds. It helped pass the time on my long car ride to and from work. I was actually less stressed than just listening to the radio.

I like Bill Engvall. Of the four Blue Collar Comedy comedians, he is probably my favorite. (Though I admit that his show on TBS is just not that funny.)

So I had pretty high expectations for this book - something more than the book by Ron White that was simply a rehash of his comedy bits, and more personal than Jeff Foxworthy's Redneck dictionaries, and something more entertaining than a book full of one-liners by Larry the Cable Guy.

I'm happy to say that Engvall met my expectations of a book about the comedian, not a book of comedy. So if you're looking for a book full of jokes, "Just A Guy" isn't for you. That's not to say that many of Engvall's stories aren't humorous - but the book is more memoir than stand-up.

But if you want to know more about Bill Engvall the person, pick up a copy. You'll enjoy the read.

An excellent book to read and reflect about the great things in being - "Just a Guy".

Bill Engvall does a great job of framing and bringing into focus life's little wisdoms which add a smiles to our daily lives which we overlook in our haste to live it up!

Bill if you ever read this review thanks for sharing the "mundane" story of your life... quoting the great GC "... it's all about coming home!"

By the way just like a guy I picked up your tome for a buck at a dollar store, couldn't believe my luck! Would love to see another book from you.

Bill Engvall has a great story here that many of us can relate to. That's what probably makes him a successful comedian. But I didn't find the book funny even though he made many attempts to make it funny. This made me think that maybe even a comedian cannot make everything funny. One's own life, when explained, is profound but not necessarily funny nor is it meant to be.

I found this book to be like a strong sprinting horse - fast out of the gate with hilarious floor-rolling stories from his youth, only to lose my interest as he entered the college and professional years. I was roaring with laughter over the stories of the misadventures of his childhood, but found his tales of college and finding his professional way to be just like a million other 'how I found my comic career' stories.

this is a great book about bill's life and what he's gone through to be the man he is today

Bill is just a (funny) guy who turned eventually into just a man, Along the way, his stories of life are well worth reading. Baby boomers won't believe any of it, thinking he made it all up -- but, hey, there are plenty of us around who remember how good life was in our good old days. It wasn't money which made us somebody but family ties and talent. Battles were won by the clever, not merely the powerful. Doxies were for the blue collar workers, but not for guys who have lives and wives. The song 'Cat's Cradle' tells it in a way every father of boys have longingly wished things had been different. CS is one example but with only two sons and the younger Charles grew up to be the best person he knew, He didn't miss as much as he bemoans. My sons are learning just how much they should have responded to family affections and duties.

Just a guy doesn't mean any guy or even a funny guy who is dependable, loving, reliable and, especially, nice. The family remembrance called "Out of the Closet" was not a joke but real life. He tells it like it was with honesty, pride, and frankness. "Just a Guy" will make you chuckle and agree if you're open minded. If it seems too spacy and impossible to be real, share it with an older neighbor. He is funny and not Everyman at all, but a special guy.

I love this book! This book is just like so many guys and he doesn't apologize for it! He hams it up and makes it both fun and funny! I'm amazed to see several reviews that aren't great: I loved it and will read it again in a few months! I bought it full price and am glad for my investment! It's on loan to a friend at this moment!

In Bill Engvall's auto-biographicall book "Just a Guy: Notes From a Blue Collar Life," the comic's particular brand of humor doesn't translate well. The sparkling wit of Bill while he's on stage is dulled by the fact that the reader can't see the preformance. Without Bill's vocal nuances and facial features, many of the jokes seem to fall flat. So, if yo uaer thinking of buying this book for its humor, I would think again. There is, however, a good deal of information on Engvall's life and childhood here. There are even a few touching moments scattered here and there among the debris of this shipwreck of a comedic work. Still, the book has some value if for no other reason than its look at Engvall's heavier side. However, this book should be shelved in "biography," not "humor."