A collection of comedic essays about life – from cats to childhood to being a parent. Some of the stories had been smiling and others were a bit boring to me. He is a curmudgeon and I tend to like this type of humor. I did like the essays that focus on universal annoyances about other people (like Larry David) so felt relatable on many levels. Obviously because he is writing from his own perspective, I could not relate to some of the “being a guy” stories. But there is a good mix for all audiences.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Comedian Tom Papa discusses a variety of topics(20+) from relationships to your cat plotting to kill you to general musings on life. I did laugh in many places(not deep belly laughs but the jokes still made their mark) and it was a nice lighthearted read.




Publication Date 06/06/23
Goodreads Review 06/06/23

I’m a long time fan of Tom Papa and I was eager to read his collection of essays. We have the same views on lots of things although some of his were a little more cynical than expected and at times, just mean, but overall an easy, fun read. If you’re looking for depth this is not it but if you’re looking for simple reads to pass the time, it’s for you. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

We’re All in this Together…So Make Some Room by Tom Papa ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A big thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC. This one comes out June 6.

Organized as a series of essays, this book humorously explores what it means to be human. You can read these in any order. Read a few, sit this down, pick it back up later - it’ll all work.

I found myself laughing out loud a few times, and I also found myself reminiscing on my own life and people who have made an impact on me. Some of my favorites were:

Dad is Flying the Plane
Quit Complaining
Cats - Ancient Menace
Some Things That Can Kill Us
A Wise Ancestor Called Grandpa

All in all, if you’re looking for a light read to make you laugh and give you some other mixed in emotions about being human, this one is for you.

This is my first time to read a book by Tom Papa. The book is a series of humorous essays. I like that it’s a book you can just dip into when you need a little pick me up. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to delve into a story and like a short essay.

Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Always funny, I enjoyed this latest collection of essays by comedian Tom Papa.

Papa has a way of getting to the heart of real people, trying as hard as we can to get through this messy life. His humor is thoroughly relatable, laugh out loud funny, and self-deprecating enough to hit the perfect balance of interest and reality. The section about choosing wine was my favorite, so honest and real.

I listened to this as an audiobook with the author narrating. This allows the listener to hear his inflection and the emphasis he puts on various things, which makes the book even more funny overall.

If you're looking for a light, enjoyable, humorous collection of essays, then look no further because Tom Papa always delivers.

This comedy book features 37 essays of the comedy of everyday life, truly DO bring us all together, as we laugh at our shared experiences and daily life. If you can't laugh at the absurdities in life, what CAN you laugh at? Tom brings his irrelevant humor to the written page with ease- it's very hard NOT to hear his voice, or see him in your head, performing these essays as part of his comedic act. Best taken in small bits, I'd recommend reading 1 or 2 essays at a time, and letting the book last longer. They're quick reads and perfect for killing time while waiting for appointments, for the kids to get out of class/daycamp etc. Also great for gift giving this Father's Day- many a dad just might recognize themselves in these funny essays!

I rarely read books that are a collection of essays. I had just seen Tom Papa live doing his stand up routine so I decided to read this book. This is a funny, poignant book that contains humor, but is very personal..

Tom Papa is highly observant and writes about relatable situations with a unique perspective. He does this with humor and understanding. Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 enjoyable stars, rounded up to 4
“We belong to something greater – an ongoing story that has been written throughout time and has now been handed off to us. Whether we like it or not, we’re all in this together.”

We’re All in this Together is a collection of essays, most entertaining and/or thought provoking. Papa’s humor is generally subtle, not ROFL. (Rolling on the Floor Laughing.) He picks everyday things and expounds. “And where have all the electric can openers gone? There was a time when they were on every counter, now it’s been decided, without a single meeting, that the handheld works just fine and the counter space should be used for the latest air fryer they say we can’t live without.”

I enjoyed what Tom said about beer. “Beer is your unpretentious friend. Beer blends in. Beer doesn’t impose. Beer is comfortable on a back porch.” Contrasting the light and entertaining, I like that he speaks his mind about serious stuff. “People who don’t laugh go to war with themselves, with their neighbors, with their enemies, because they lack a release valve.” He also mentions, “I never saw Trump laugh once.”

Tom throws in his thoughts about current events and serious stuff. “As institutions change, human rights are challenged or taken away, and digital isolation cuts us off from one another, we need to find new ways to connect.” We’re All in this Together can help us do that. (I also think it would be an excellent road trip book for a couple. While generally clean, some of the material is not suitable for elementary school children.)

“To laugh at oneself is to protect oneself and at least make survival more enjoyable.” Thanks, Mr. Papa, Netgalley, and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and making survival more enjoyable.

Tom Papa has created and entertaining book of 37 short essays and I enjoyed reading them all. He style of observational humor is a favorite of mine and I love when there is something that I really connect to from my own experience. This is a book you can drop in and out of and doesn't have to be read in order. I had fun picking through some topics I thought I would enjoy at first.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced readers copy to enjoy. This is my honest review.

Thank you St Martin's for We're all in this together from Tom Papa (via netgalley), this is a fun read, just right for someone wanting a summer by the pool kind of book, something you can pick up and read an essay and then pick up again later, not worrying about losing the thread of the book since it is a fun set of related but individual essays.

There are themes that resonate with many readers and a deft touch that made me laugh often but also feel like someone sees the silliness that I see in the world around me; adulthood is an odd time and I love observational humor, it validates all the random thoughts I have in my head.

This was a nice change of pace for me, I tend to read a lot of longer novels and thrillers and romcoms in the Summer, it was great to have something different to read at bedtime in particular!

I enjoyed reading Tom Papa’s essays. I felt like they were entertaining and observant, based on “everyday” things.

I didn’t really know much about Tom Papa. A funny comedian’s take on things we all deal with everyday in our lives. It’s a fast paced and funny read, I did find myself laughing out loud at times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion. 3.5⭐️

This book features a collection of 37 different essays which range wildly on topics, from drinking too much to trying to avoid people you know in public. Some were in the 3 star range, most were in the 4 star range, and a few hit the 5 star range. While Tom Papa is known as a comedian, this book didn't have quite as much humor as I was expecting. However, many of the essays were very relatable and struck a chord with me, and I'm sure they'll strike a chord with anyone who reads it. I think that's what makes this collection so good. There's at least one essay that everyone can relate to. It may be a different essay for each person, but everyone will be able to see themselves in at least one, if not multiple, essays. I haven't listened to or read much of Tom Papa's work, but I will definitely check more out after this.

This book is not what I was expecting. Actually, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I thought it would be like his standup act. What I found is a very compelling, relatable, and poignant book that is very funny, but offers more than just laughs. A self-described middle-aged father, he talks about random stuff that we all deal with, offering a fresh perspective that may make, say standing in line at the airport, less onerous. He offers insight into his own life but made it relatable to my own. In a weird way, even if it’s not a self-help book in any way, it made me think. His style is hilarious and fun and funny. It is not political in any way, so no one will be aggravated. I’m not sure how to write this review, so I’ll just say that the book is fantastic, emotional, and full of laughter.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this collection of humourous essays by one of the funniest comedians working today.

With som much going wrong in the world it is very hard to be a nice person, especially in comedy. Punching down seems to be the trend now, or going out on tour and making fun of all the horrible things that one has been accused of. Observational humor is tough, because observing the world right now is a miserable experience, and people are trying to get away from that. Which makes Tom Papa a rarity and important to comedy. Papa is funny, without the slander, and generally seems to like humans, which is something that comedy has always had a problem with. Papa limns his own experiences, and makes them universal. I'm not a father, nor married, but still laugh at his jokes about parenting and marriage. Papa makes people laugh, and is kind. Which is a rare strength today. This collection We're All in This Together . . . So Make Some Room shows this.

The book consists of thirty-seven essays, many about him, his family relations and experiences on the road and life. A few might seem familiar from his podcast or comedy shows, but are given a lot more room in essay form. All are funny and are really nice pieces to start the day, or even better too wind down from a day of just getting through life. Some of my favorites was one on cats, which for some reason I kept laughing through, and on how he dodges people he knows in public, something that I am quite guilty of and again made me laugh out loud. Others range on how long pants can be worn before washing, cars, kids and family problems.

I enjoyed the writing quite a bit. The essay form really gives Papa a chance to broaden some ideas, give more examples and expand on some themes that a regimented stand-up show or even podcast might not allow. The language, the way Papa uses words and phrases, setting up the joke and carrying the reader through the piece, until he hits with a big laugh, surrounded by smaller chuckles. This kind of writing takes real skill, some honed from working in front of crowds, but being able to translate this to the written page is quite impressive. I have read a lot of books by comedians, some are just their sketches written down, some are just a series of jokes, almost a laugh a page. These essays take time, and really deliver. Papa seems very comfortable in writing longer pieces, I hope he tries his hand at novels as I think he would be quite good at them.

A great book for a bad day. There is a pleasant feeling that comes from reading these essays, something that is rare in comedy now. I mentioned that one can read these after bad days, and I think that is the nicest thing I can say. A very funny collection, and one that will make a lot of people quite happy.

I like a memoir, whether I know the author or not, so when I was offered this in ebook to read and review, I accepted and started reading on my kindle… picking up and putting down each short story, as it’s not one of those intertwined novels that needs to be read sequentially or quickly to keep it fresh in my brain.
But, I realized I’d rather hear the audio narration of Tom Papa himself and when I saw the audiobook up for review, I had to request it. This did not disappoint.
His cadence was great. His delivery calm and genuine. He isn’t crude and doesn’t scream like some comedians, so I appreciated that. His stories were interesting and heartfelt, talking about his grandparents and breaking out of his small town and his love of Christmas.
I’ve never really watched any of his standup, but I’ll definitely look him up now and I think this is a great set of stories that pretty much anyone would enjoy. Definitely recommend.

We’re All in This Together is a collection of essays covering various topics. The essays can be read independently from each other and in any order. The book reads like a comedy routine. But I didn’t find it to be that humorous.

Some notable essays for me were: Don’t Eat That, Sleeping Together, There’s No Cure for a Hangover, and Surviving Childhood.

Somehow I expected a lot more than a few chuckles. So this book was somewhat disappointing. Two okay stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

I've watched Tom Papa's standup comedy specials so many times, I have them memorized. There's something about listening to stories about his family that make it feel like there's someone else out there who understands. I doubt other people have his stories embedded into their brains the way I do. That's important here because his books are those same stories with a lot more detail. Plus, there are plenty that even I haven't heard before.

Readers of Generation X age who grew up before cell phones and the internet will easily relate to a lot of the life lessons and anecdotes in We're All in This Together...So Make Some Room. If you also happen to be a New Jersey reader, you'll find a bit extra in the nostalgia department. Papa's fondness for his home state, the Garden State, is discussed often in his books.

If you were surrounded by drunk family or simply crazy people even when sober, essays like Quit Complaining and Don't Swim Alone will strike a chord. It could be that wacky grandma who morning drinks with her bridge club or your dad who never consumed a glass of water in his life. Bonus points for relating if there was always food. Food and drinking—the two mainstays of family interactions.

Something that became clear to me when reading We're All in This Together...So Make Some Room that I didn't garner from Papa's standup specials, is that he has a beautiful imagination and has had it since he was a child. Most kids have this until they're forced to be serious and grow up which our society sees as being mutually exclusive from playing in the woods and visiting the fairies. The chapter, What Gnomes Can Teach Us, is a breathtaking look inside the child's mind. It's a reminder that Once Upon a Time, we believed. We may not have believed in Santa Clause, but we believed in something. Unicorns. Magic. Gnomes in the garden. Or that our cats know exactly what we're saying. Tom Papa was connected to the natural world as a child in New Jersey's woods and shores. A copse of trees wasn't just a place waiting for the next buyer to chop them down and build a strip mall or condos. Those trees were places where a kid could climb, spy, play Tarzan, and get away from adults—all without the worries of things like Lyme Disease. You didn't need marijuana or shrooms as a kid.

There's also a chapter akin to the show The Good Place which starred Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, and William Jackson Harper. It's called The Good and the Bad. It shouldn't take a tragedy like 9/11 to bring people together and be a little nicer to each other. Tom Papa has had enough experience mingling with other humans in airports, hotels, resorts, and the streets of New York and LA to know that people are gross and selfish. He says the world would be better if we just had better manners. And I agree.

However, I only say "Sir" or "Ma'am" when I'm being facetious and snarky to people who don't know that inside my head, I think they're annoying d-bags. As Papa says, the world is also filled with scumbags who use politeness as a weapon. Those people are courteous and put-together as they revoke basic human rights from others. The difference is whether you can be genuine in your politeness. Say "Excuse me" when you knock into someone; hold the door for the person behind you (if they aren't 50 feet away of course); essentially, don't be a Grade A a-hole.

Summary:

Tom Papa's We're All in This Together...So Make Some Room is the kind of book that would make a great gift. Father's Day is coming up. The recipient doesn't need to know who this author is. They'll be fine going into it without any pre-conceived notions. Some of the chapters are the perfect word count for one of Dad's trips to the bathroom.

Comedian, author, actor, and podcaster ("What a Joke" with Fortune Feimster) Tom Papa's newest book "We're All in this Together: So Make Some Room" (St. Martin's Press, 2023), is chock full of essays and humorous tidbits, I thought I was a comedy fan (maybe I didn't know as much about Papa due to his "clean comedy" label?!) but with his keen observations and slice of life retellings I laughed and chuckled because he was so spot on in far too many instances. In a chapter about cats and their special mystical powers of control over households (terrifying accurate), he referenced cat owners as Cat Ladies. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Tom is sitting on a goldmine pet co-owner/parent name: Cat Papa. He should take it out for a spin!

Good day? Read a bit from this book! Crappy day? Read a bit more from this book! Grab a drink, a snack, and sit with your cat (or dog). And let your worries roll on by since "we're all in this together!"

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital ARC!