I think Nate Bargatze is hilarious, so I was super excited for this book. I will note one hot tip for listeners: I typically listen to audiobooks at 1.25 speed, but because Nate's comedic timing is so on point, I think it's important to listen to this one at 1.0. This book is full of funny stories and insights - I loved the chapter about Vandy - I believe Nate Bargatze fans will enjoy it!

I first came across Nate Bargatze in 2022 when I was home sick with covid. I watched one of specials, and then another. I liked that he was different than alot of comics and didn't have to use vulgarity. He has a boyish charm about him. I couldn't believe, much to my chagrin, when I saw him in my hotel when I was in Las Vegas a few weeks later. I didn't stop him, and little did I know, his stint a year later on SNL would make him a bonafide star.

This audiobook felt like you were at one of his shows. I enjoyed his stories about growing up in Tenneesse and when he moved to Chicago. My favorite part in the book was when him and his friend helped hunt down a burgler. In the audiobook version, I did enjoy the added enhancements, like when he was "on the phone" with his friend and his wife.

I am excited to see what the future holds for Nate Bargatze.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze.

I'm a huge Bargatze fan, how can you not love him? He's so subtle and self-deprecating, his punchlines often sneak up on you. I was so excited to get my hands on his first book. They aren't quite like the short form humor that you're used to seeing on stage. Instead he tells short stories about his life. Some of them are sweet, some are hard, some are funny, laced with pain. But all of them have his southern charm and deep devotion to his life and loved ones. I really enjoyed it.

Great fun! This audio edition is read by Nate Bargatze and he does a wonderful job. Not all authors and not all comedians can do such a fabulous job. Just like his stand-up it had me laughing out loud. over and over. A wonderful escape! Thank you, Nate! I will be handing this one to everyone I meet!

I’m a big fan of Nate Bargatze’s standup specials and his appearances on SNL. I’ve also seen him live. So I was always going to read his book (or, in this case, listen to the audiobook which he narrates). It did not disappoint. His dry humor shines through and you get a good sense of his background and how he ended up where he is today. It was laugh out loud in some parts and I chuckled at others.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Hatchette Audio for the ARC!

Nate Bargatze’s "Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind" is a low-impact read that coasts on its author’s affability—it’s warmed-over comfort food, but sometimes that’s all you want.

Bargatze would be the first to tell you to lower your expectations before opening "Big Dumb Eyes." In fact, he is the first to tell you that. The introduction reminds readers that the author doesn’t like to read, and he doesn’t really have any literary ambitions or goals here. If Bargatze weren’t so charming, it would sound like an excuse for writing a bad book.

But "Big Dumb Eyes" is far from bad.

If you’re a fan of the author’s stand-up, you’ll likely enjoy the many stories throughout the collection, most of which are stage-to-page reworks with a little more breathing room. Bargatze’s voice translates well to the written word, and hearing it outside his usual medium highlights what a careful comedian he actually is. His off-the-cuff, homespun, country boy musings are artfully and intentionally crafted, and I finished the book with a greater admiration for his work.

That said, the people who are most likely to enjoy the book are the least likely to benefit from it. If you’ve seen Bargatze perform, even in YouTube clips or SNL sketches, you’ll recognize most of what’s on offer here, and the aforementioned “breathing room” can sometimes feel like flab. If readers are unfamiliar with the author, I don’t think the writing will be enough to catch their interest.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed my time with the audiobook version of "Big Dumb Eyes," but I probably won’t remember it. The book is a breezy, upbeat listen, and Nate Bargatze’s anecdotes can leave one feeling absolutely buoyant—just maybe not for too long.

Accessible, fun book by one of the best comedians out there today. I love that the author makes the book accessible to those who read in smaller bits, it is a kind and lovely way he shows his personality and empathy for those who aren’t big into devouring books in one sitting.

This was a great listen! Funny like his stand-up shows, with a little heart thrown in for good measure! Great to hear him reading new material and not just printing recycled stand-up stories. A gem! Thanks to Hachette audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen in exchange for an unbiased review.
I hate onions too…unless they are onion rings!

Nate Bargatze has been cracking my husband and me up for a few years now, so when I saw he had a book out, I was excited to get it. We appreciate his clean humor, and as Southern kids of the 80s and 90s, we can pretty much relate to all of it. While we love his stand up routines, not all of his humor translated well to book format, (even though I did this on audio.) Nate narrates it himself, and I definitely think audio is the way to go so you get his delivery. That said, in book format much of it started to feel repetitive, so I laughed less as it went on.

One thing that surprised me in this book was that it had equal parts humor and heart. I really enjoyed hearing more about his family, the testimony of his dad’s life changing salvation, and his siblings. While he jokes about his family, it is clear that they have a strong bond and loving relationship, with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.

While Nate’s standup routines remain my favorite, I do recommend this audiobook for a light read when you’re in the mood for a laugh. I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did for me!

Big Dumb Eyes releases tomorrow, May 6! Thanks to @netgalley and @hatchettaudio for my ALC!

📖 Comedy/memoir. Clean language. No sexual content. Single mention of suicidal ideation. Christian faith is mentioned.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.
I first started following Nate when my husband started sending me some reels and then showed me his history sketches from SNL. So when I saw he was coming out with a book, I knew I wanted to read it.
I’ll start by saying the audiobook is definitely the way to go since it is read by Nate himself, but if you are expecting a comedy routine then this book is not that.
This book feels like stories told by a new friend where you leave thinking, wow, his life could have been a sitcom. The stories range from his first car to his food preferences to his clown of a father and while I didn’t laugh out loud after every sentence, it did make me smile and it was a fun listen.
If you’re a fan of Nate’s standup and want to know a bit more of what made him the comedian he is today then I highly suggest picking up this audiobook.

I went into this one not familiar with Nate Bargatze or his comedy, but it was humorous and enjoyable. Love that it was clean comedy since so much comedy is vulgar now. Hearing about his family and stories was fun and made me want to look into his comedy more. The only thing that bothered me was the book had lots of repeating the same thing over and over...

Who is your favorite comedian, and why is it Nate Bargatze??

His deadpans and reverent hot takes on social awkwardness make for some of the most relatable laugh-out-loud moments AND because it's clean - you don't even have to wait for the kids to go to bed to watch!

If you're already a fan, or just need something to listen to, his first book, Big Dumb Eyes is available as a physical book and on audio, May 6th. It has all the humor you would expect with plenty of deep dives into his youth, meeting his wife, Laura, and his friend, Pee Pee (don't worry - he thoroughly addresses when and how his friend got this name).

I will say that the audio was surprisingly heartwarming and endearing. I would have a crush... BUT I don't! Because I am confident that Laura would hunt me down and also punch me in the eye with a closed fist.

Anyway, don't let this one pass you by. Big Dumb Eyes is for the readers and non-readers alike.
Nate narrates the audiobook - excellently, I might add - so if he can read it, you can too!

Special thanks to Hachette Audio for sharing an advanced listening copy with me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars, rounded up.
Nate Bargatze is so relatable! Being from the South and in his age group, many of his stories resonated with me, but I think one reason he's become so popular is that he is easy to relate to in general. I would consider this a comedic memoir, and it was fun to learn about some of his background in growing up, getting into comedy, and meeting his wife. There were a few chapters that didn't strike me as particularly humorous, but I think that's because so much of his humor relies on his great delivery, so it didn't always convey as well in written form.

If you’re a fan of Nate’s, you will enjoy this book. I love the audio version since it was like listening to his comedy shows. Lots of fun new stories that I hadn’t heard! I love all the fun stories about his childhood and parents, and his relationship with his wife. Great listen/read.

While I am glad that Nate has had such a great career thus far (he is the absolute fav of one of my very best friends!) this one just wasn't for me. More of a taste issue than anything, I think. Wishing him all the best in future!

Thank you @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for this advance listening copy. I was only vaguely familiar with Nate Bargatze before listening to this audiobook. I think that’s why it took me a bit to get fully invested in the beginning. But I ended up listening to the entire thing in one day while doing chores around the house. I appreciate his clean comedy - it even got a few laughs out of my 15 year old son when we listened together in the car. If you are already a Nate Bargatze fan, you will love this, and if he is new to you, this audiobook is a fun place to start.

If you're already a Nate Bargatze fan, Big Dumb Eyes feels like a conversation with your funniest, most relatable friend — the one who somehow turns everyday awkwardness into stand-up gold. His signature deadpan delivery comes through loud and clear, especially in the audiobook (highly recommend!).

The book is filled with hilarious, slice-of-life stories, self-deprecating humor, and random tangents that make you laugh out loud in public (ask me how I know). There’s warmth, wit, and plenty of "I do that too!" moments.

While a few bits feel familiar if you’ve watched his specials, there's enough new material and storytelling charm to keep it fresh. Big Dumb Eyes is perfect for fans of observational comedy, memoirs, or anyone who just wants to laugh without trying too hard.

Thank you to @NetGalley, @HachetteAudio, and @GrandCentralPub for the advanced copy!

DNF, I didn’t find it funny or original or interesting in any way. Just some rambling stories. Put down after 30%.

I had never heard of Nate Bargatze until I saw his Netflix special....which i then promptly watched the other 2 and made my husband watch them as well. This book was super funny! I love Nate and his BIG DUMB EYES! I would definitely recommend this book and I am so happy I got an ARC of this thank you!!

I was provided an ALC via Netgally, all opinions are my own.

Nate Bargatze is one of my favorite comics. I love that he practices clean comedy, and his almost deadpan delivery style really speaks to me. I also find him really relatable in the way he tells stories about his life and family. His George Washington skit on SNL about the weights and measures is one of the funniest things I've ever seen, no matter how many times my husband and I watch it we are in tears laughing.

I've never had the pleasure of seeing him live, so this is probably the closest I'll get in the near future but this book had me cracking up. I've seen several of his specials and this brings alot of material I've not heard before or expands on material he's used in shows. I'm a big audiobook listener so this wasn't the most words, and I was able to listen to it in a day while doing chores around the house this weekend. I loved getting to know Nate and his family just like I would in one of his specials but in an expanded way. If you are a fan of his comedic style this biography is filled with his comedic delivery with tales of his community, parents, siblings, friends and wife that you wouldn't normally hear in one of his shows.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to the day I can see Nate live in person. The final audiobook has a PDF with pictures that he describes, but they weren't available with the audio arc. I will be checking out the book once it publishes so I can get the full effect.