Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers | 
pickGreat as an audiobook. I could listen to Nick speak for hours. He's so intelligent, thoughtful and down to earth. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, but it was still a winner. My favorite section was on George Saunders...who is an author I want to try. 🙂
📸 from nightreads.com
pickIts nice to break up my reading with some non-fiction occasionally. Although there are some things (like Offerman's view on fast food) that are clearly written from a place of privilege, the overall sentiment rings true and needs more accessibility. I also believe Offerman would be open to discussion of these things, making it a delightful read. I highly suggest listening to him read in his beautiful baritone for the full effect.
pickNick Offerman gives short bios of Americans who he admires for their gumption and why he puts them in this elite group.
A cool little stack from the Dollar Tree!!
I finally found time to finish Nick Offerman‘s book, & this quote may be my favorite in the book. Sorry for language. “There will always be assholes, and there will always be saints, and both can oftentimes be found within each of us. If we can make things equal based on gender and race and creed, then we can be free to just focus on the asshole/saint ratio.”
“Wendell Berry is the greatest writer ever to have sharpened a pencil.” I‘m a Kentuckian & a lot of my family is from Wendell Berry‘s county. I was mid-30‘s before I started his books, but I quickly became a fangirl. Every time I see a list of important books, I wonder why he isn‘t on there. I was very happy to see that Nick Offerman has the same opinion as me. Suggestions of where to start—The memory of old jack, Fidelity, or his poetry.
Cats are so good at disrupting our activities. Can‘t turn the page, so I guess I‘ll wait.
pickThe author tells the stories of a list of people that he admires. The premise is that the reasoning for his admiration is based on each individual having “gumption”. As defined, shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness. The premise does get lost as this becomes more about his defining his general admiration. Not that it‘s a bad thing. But the book should be called “Admiration”
pickForgot to post that finished this and loved it. I was a history nerd in school so this was up my ally. You never realize how much school omits until you seek more info on your own. I agree we could all use some gumption!
Also love Offerman‘s reviews. I don‘t ever read these because of course they are gonna put good ones on the book. These however I can get behind! 😂
Dog sitting for my cousin and do you think he cares that it‘s cold out? No so here I am doing my own #audiowalk today. It‘s a bit of workout but Nick Offerman reading this makes it easier.
While doing some holiday shopping for others, I found this for $2 and decided one thing for myself wouldn‘t hurt. 🤫 I love Offerman and very intrigued to hear him speak about the many people he chose as his inspiration.
Listening to the tagged audiobook while finishing this blanket that has been 4 years in the making 😵 I‘m not crazy about the book so far, but it‘s okay.
pickI absolutely adored this book. This book solidified my love and admirance of Offerman as just a legitimately GOOD person. This featured some familiar people such as Washington, both Roosevelts, and others. But also some people I'd never heard of like novelist Wendell Berry, who I'll be reading soon. Meandering, a little rambly, with humorous side notes and a chapter on boat building that I even surprisingly enjoyed. I highly recommend ❤
"If your doubts come up, totally allow them in the room. Allowing one's doubts to exist in the room requires courage...Own your doubts. Recognize your fallibility as humans. Admit you can never possibly know even half of everything about the natural world and so then embrace the unknown, and thereby embrace one another."
"This is a very important human truth to recognize. It feels good to despise those who are different from us. It is precisely this aspect of human nature that I am trying to arrest in myself so that I may look past our differences and such policies to focus upon what it is we all share as Americans."
I'm so glad I'm listening to this book, hearing his smooth honeyed voice, but I definitely want to buy this book and sit down and spend some time.
New Word Alert! Ver·i·si·mil·i·tude noun the appearance of being true or real. 💕
Side note: I have fallen IN LOVE with Nick Offerman. Learning that he is a huge book and history nerd and that he watches Downton Abbey makes my heart go ba-bomp! 😍😍
"The magnificent sonsabitches who founded our United States truly brandished a courage that's hard to fathom, and a serving of foresight that very well beggars my modern imagination."
I'm so excited to start this one! One of my favorite subjects, American History, written and narrated by Nick Offerman?! I'm in audio book heaven 🇺🇸 🎧
Audible 2 for 1 scores. Gumption, a narrated history of 21 of the most important historical figures in America, narrated by the amazing Nick Offerman. AND One More Thing, the cast of The Office reading funny YA short stories with a spattering of F bombs included. I'm happy with my picks!
pickI listened to the audiobook, and Offerman‘s voice is so ridiculously soothing. I need to reread this in actual book form so that I can pay more attention to the words.
#audible #audiblestats
For someone who didn't "get" audiobooks until recently, I've taken to them pretty vigorously.
Oh. Em. Gee. I love Nick.
bailedI was really enjoying this audiobook, learning a little obscure American history facts, and chuckling here and there. But doggone it, it got mighty preachy and full of foul language. I‘m a history geek so it wasn‘t much new, and he and I diverge on our opinions on what was good for our country and what wasn‘t. No need to get preached at by someone using f*** and s*** and endless sexual references. So I have bailed. 😕
pickThis was a very well written, hilariously eloquent read! After knowing nothing about him prior to listening, Nick Offerman is obviously now one of my favorite people. He has a great outlook on living and we share many similar views. A great listen!
Not normally in my genre but @jessberk13 made it sound so good and I love the fake sticker on the front that says More Words! That‘s hilarious. 😂 I got the Audible version for when I just need something to make me smile.
I started listening to this on my way to work this morning. I don‘t know a lot about Nick Offerman - I know he‘s on Parks and Rec, which I don‘t watch. I think I may have heard him as a podcast guest once. This book sounded interesting, and I‘m so glad I took a chance! He is so funny, and his unique approach to history has me totally hooked! I just finished the Teddy Roosevelt chapter and I‘m loving it so far!
pick“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
This is Offerman‘s gushing love letter to some amazing Americans who‘ve inspired him. From George Washington to George Saunders, it‘s a pretty fascinating list. Don‘t worry, there are some ladies in there as well! Superb narration as always.
How fortuitous that Megan Mullally just posted this picture of him on IG (credit unknown). 😆
Cultivating my recently-discovered #NickOfferman fandom. A famous person very entertainingly telling me about famous historical figures? Yes, please!
#Famous #ReadingResolutions
#currentlyreading #currentlylistening #audio #overdrive
pickI found this an interesting listen! Probably enjoyed it more as an audiobook because it was read by Nick Offerman himself. I enjoyed an interesting look into Americans with gumption. As expected his style is funny and from the heart! I will he glad to listen to more of his books.
pickFunny at times like you would expect from the author. But overall surprisingly earnest. Offerman talks about people he admires, meeting with many of the modern ones.
pickI debated between 3 and 4 stars for this because the parts I liked, I really liked, but it is inconsistent and disjointed. This is a book with fantastic ideas and some fun stories that do not belong together. It can‘t decide if it is a history lesson, a personal narrative, or a celebrity memoir. I did learn quite a bit about some interesting people I hadn‘t heard of before, and the man‘s voice is like butter, so four stars it is.
I don't normally do audiobooks but you #littens have inspired me to give them a go. I started this one this morning as I walked the dog. He is so hilarious. Enjoying it so far...😂
Anything written by Nick Offerman is both hilarious AND profound. Also, the hair on this man is AMAZING. His mustache, his beard......😍 #anditsagust #hairthereandeverywhere
Next up on #labsoundtrack - filling the Parks and Rec void in my life.
so-soI enjoyed listening to Offerman read this book and the stories about historical figures but did skip a couple that bored me....like boat building.
pickOfferman chose 21 Americans he felt embody gumption. I loved his humor, eloquence, and wit. I did like the first half better because since they were historical figures it was more of a witty mini biography the later ones were more essays under a topic about that person. Still entertaining but the history buff in be preferred the first half. A great audio book!
pickThough I enjoyed the beginning of it more b/c I found the historical figures more interesting than modern day people, this was a fantastic listen and man I just like Nick Offerman so much, especially when he mentions how bad gendered insults are, how shitty racism is, and how he gushes with love for his wife. Also his voice is 🔥
#NickOfferman #audiobook #nonfiction #awesomepeople #Gumption
I'm reading 3 books right now, so here are the first 3 lines / sentences. First is Gumption by Nick Offerman (on audio, so thanks Google Books for letting me screen grab that). Second is from the 3rd Skulduggery Pleasant book by Derek Landy. And last is from Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan. 😎📚👍
#currentlyreading #firstlines #AprilBookShowers #readersgonnaread #firstpage
Why yes I AM listening to this because I'm in love with Parks and Rec right now. (Late to the party, I know, but I'm on season 5 and obsessed.) Also I'm trying out the Libby app for Overdrive audiobooks, so far so good!
#NickOfferman #nonfiction #Libby #history #currentlyreading #audiobooks
My brother loves Parks and Rec, and Nick Offerman, so I got him this book. The #blurbs on the back are funny.
#bestblurbs 😆Listening to Nick Offerman read this book is its own special brand of amazing and is still one of my favorite reading experiences of this year. #seasonsreadings2016 @RealLifeReading
Willie Nelson: "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
In 1927, an unnamed journalist said, "A change has come over our democracy, and it is called 'consumptionism.' The American citizen's first importance is no longer that of citizen, but that of consumer." In 1927!
Wendell Berry: "Be joyful though you have considered all the facts."
Theodore Roosevelt: "To dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics, is the first task of the statesmanship of the day."
At the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention ... [Frederick] Douglass said that he could not accept the right to vote as a black man if women could not also claim that right..."in this denial of the right to participate in government, not merely the degradation of woman and the perpetuation of a great injustice happens, but the maiming and repudiation of one-half of the moral and intellectual power of the government of the world."
