I am a big fan of Nate Bargatze’s comedy, so I was eager for the opportunity to read his memoir. His stand up comedy has always displayed his hilarious storytelling ability, and so I was interested to see how this would be relayed into paperback format. Now, to be totally honest, I listened to the audiobook format of Big Dumb Eyes. And I think that is an important detail because if I were to review the book content itself, I’d likely give it three stars. I feel like you have to hear it told in Nate’s style and voice to really appreciate the stories. There is something about his pronunciation and syncopation (which he himself acknowledges in the book) that really brings the stories to life. I imagine the stories would otherwise be quite flat in the paperback formatting.
So, the book itself is fine. It was interesting to hear some stories about his family growing up and what life was like for Nate. But if you are interested in Big Dumb Eyes, I think the key is to go at the audiobook. Is it on par with his stand up? No. No, not even close. But if you do appreciate his comedy already, then you will connect with his humor and storytelling regardless. The book, too, is complete with pictures connected to the story, which I also appreciate. I know for comedians there is always some embellishment, but Nate’s stories are clearly personal and authentic. The provided pictures not only give a fun behind-the-scenes look into the comedian’s life but corroborates each stories’ authenticity, as well. For this reason, I gave the audiobook an extra star.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to read through this advanced reader’s copy in exchanged for my honest review and opinion.
