Nerd Do Well [Import] [Hardcover]

Simon Pegg (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 2010

The unique life story of one of Britain's most talented and inventive comedians, star of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Star Trek.

Zombies in North London, death cults in the West Country, the engineering deck of the Enterprise: Simon Pegg has been ploughing some bizarre furrows in recent times. Having blasted onto the small screens with his now legendary sitcom Spaced, his rise to the UK's favourite son status has been mercurial, meteoric, megatronnic, but mostly just plain great.

From his childhood (and subsequently adult) obsession with Star Wars, his often passionate friendship with Nick Frost, and his forays into stand-up which began with his regular Monday morning slot in front of his 12-year-old classmates, this is a joyous tale of a homegrown superstar and a loval boy made good.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"hilarious, inventive and anarchic" The Times "A beautifully written and very funny account of how a normal but very talented bloke who loves TV, comedy and films ended up a huge TV, comedy and film star. Truly heartwarming stuff." heat "An enjoyable romp through Pegg's first stabs at comedy and theatre. And for fans of Spaced, his rant at George Lucas for messing up his Star Wars legacy will be worth the cover price alone." News of the World "Extremely funny ... As charming as the man himself!" Grazia "Fascinating ... an enjoyable read" Observer

About the Author

SIMON PEGG is an actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer and author. Best known for his roles in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, he also plays Scotty in the Star Trek francise. This is his first book.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Century (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846058112
• ISBN-13: 978-1846058110
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,519 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars There is No "i" in Team, But There is An "i" in Simon Pegg June 13, 2011

By Leah

Format:Hardcover

If you're familiar with the cult film hits "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz," seen him act in the mainstream flicks "Star Trek" and "Paul," or even heard of the TV series "Spaced," then NERD DO WELL will appeal to your senses since it is penned by none other than the star of these titles, Simon Pegg.

What Mr. Pegg has done with this work is blow everything you thought you knew about him out of the water. His love of entertaining people is present throughout this memoir, complete with a totally true life story where he is an action hero. Told with that "dry British humo[u]r," things you always wanted to know (making up hilarious scenarios or when he met his comedic partner in crime, Nick Frost) and a few you didn't are revealed in this pages as we travel with Mr. Pegg on his quest to become a comedic actor. But you're most likely reading this to relish in your inner nerddom, because, as the title does suggest, Simon Pegg is one of the biggest nerds out there. Think you have the knowledge about the real deal behind Luke Skywalker? Or have the know how on action movies? Chances are, Mr. Pegg and his dear friends know more than you.

Prepare to check real life out the door when you pick this book up as we travel to the final frontier, to a galaxy far, far away, all the way to a mystical place called England, where an adult boy waits for his next adventure.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simon Pegg is the Man January 8, 2011

By Erik Bateson

Format:Hardcover

This book splits the difference nicely between giving a straightforward autobiographical overview of the man behind "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," and other great comedies, injected with a dose of Mr. Pegg's acute comedic sensibilities. I have always enjoyed watching Simon Pegg in interviews because he is the kind of celebrity that is so missing today: down-to-earth, intelligent, polite, and genuinely funny as hell. Well worth reading.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars For hardcore Simon Pegg fans only October 19, 2011

By J-Dubs

Format:Hardcover

I consider myself a pretty hardcore Simon Pegg fan. I, like many Americans, discovered him through Shaun of The Dead and ended up watching the majority of his other work and always enjoyed it (especially Spaced, which i believe is his best work).
As far as the book goes, it's pretty much for devout Simon Pegg fans (the kind that has listened to all his audio commentaries and still want more). The book is average. It has some funny stories and interesting info i never knew about the guy but like many mediocre biogrophies, the book focuses far too much on his childhood/teenage years (about 50-60% of the book actually). And i also found his chapter intros involving his robot servant to be more annoying than funny, although it had a few funny bits i guess.
I certainly dont regret reading the book, its a quick read as i easily finished it in 2 days. But I wish it focused more on his thoughts on the film industry and his career.

So all in all a decent read, but if you only know Simon from Shaun of the Dead or you're just a casual fan, you'll probably want to avoid reading this, however you should pick up the Spaced DVD.

Simon is a great actor/writer and i'm glad to see he's been getting more mainstream attention in America. Hes a intelligent/hilarious guy who's done some great work and i hope his success continues.

Cheers