This book definitely follows the footsteps of his comedy! I liked this one, it was relatively entertaining and i do like his style of subtle comedy. However, I just don't know if this was meant to be a book - it felt like he was really pulling at strings to put these stories together. Maybe some people's lives are just not meant to be written down? Although charming, it never really made me laugh out loud and I don't think it will be all that memorable.

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.

I think this one needs to be read via audiobook! I feel like you would miss out on the delivery without hearing Nate talk. I love Nate’s comedy and I enjoyed this very much. It’s light and I really needed a read like this at the moment. Also, I’ve been in Nashville most my life so I get all the local references which makes it that much more interesting for me. We’d love to have you, Nate, on our local podcast (Hendersonville) if you’re ever interested. The NexGen Podcast, it’s just a couple of dudes talking about random topics. Be blessed in all you do.

3.5 stars - I would recommend this in audiobook form. I thought much of it was funny and similar to his comedy style. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to people who don't watch his stand up performances. Mostly because there's nothing really moving or original in this but it's good for fans of his work.

I love Nate and was thrilled to receive an advanced reader copy of his book. I don’t know what it is about comedians reading their essays on audio, but I’m just a fan! This was nothing revolutionary but still worth it if you’re a fan of Nate’s. It had me chuckling. Thanks to Net Galley, Hachette Audio, and Grand Central Publishing for the copy!

I just finished Big Dumb Eyes and let me tell you—this man might be the king of stand-up, but now he’s gunning for your bookshelf too.

Nate Bargatze has been my favorite comedian for years, so I had high hopes diving into his book. At first, something felt off. The timing? The rhythm? The missing laughs? I was worried the absence of a live audience had dulled his shine…

Plot twist: I had the audiobook still playing at 1.5x speed from the snail-paced book I’d just finished. Once I returned to normal speed, the magic kicked in—Nate’s signature timing and delivery were back, and I was laughing like a weird person alone in my car again.

The audiobook (read by Nate himself) gives you his familiar tone, his dry delivery, and all the charm we know and love. There’s a full chapter on college football I could’ve lived without (because I don’t speak “sports”), but the stories about his upbringing, his family, and his hilarious outlook on life were absolute gems.

If you’re a fan of Nate, this book is a no-brainer. It’s funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly personal. While it doesn’t knock Bossypants from its pedestal, it’s a solid silver medal in my “comedian memoirs” collection.

Big Dumb Eyes hits shelves in May—preorder it, listen to it, or read it, just don’t make my mistake and let the Chipmunk-Speed version throw off the vibe.

My thanks to NetGalley, Nate Bargatze and Hatchette Audio Books for the ARC of this book.

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Nate is one of my family’s favorite comedians. His book is funny and enjoyable for the entire family (except for chapter 28). At the beginning of chapter 28 he announces that we should skip the chapter because he talks about the Christmas Elf. And I am very thankful for this announcement, as I was listening to his audiobook with my 9 year old.

He covers some of the same stories that he uses in his stand up act, but the stories are more in depth. There is a lot of new content too.

Though this is not as funny as his standup routine, it is a great book and I recommend for anyone who likes his comedy, or family friendly comedy in general.

I had so much fun listening to Nate Bargatze and his hilarious, relatable life stories. The way he could take everyday situations, personal experiences, and observations, and weave them into entertaining stories, was completely captivating. He talks about life as a non-genius, but in my experience, intelligent people are definitely the funniest, and he proves that with every story. Nate's skill, wit, and unique perspective about family, friends, and growing up in the south, has so much heart that it will resonate, and will easily have you laughing out loud. His deadpan delivery adds even more humor to his performance so I had to make sure not to speed up the recording. I definitely recommend this entertaining audio!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an advanced listening copy of Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze! He’s one of my favorite stand up comics to watch currently, so I was excited to get the chance to listen to his memoir a little early.

If you’re familiar with his work, you‘ll know what to expect: plenty of self-deprecating humor and stories about his family, friends, and life growing up. I’m always interested to learn how people found their path to the comedy world and what drives their humor.

The best part about this book is that it’s read by Nate Bargatze himself, so it’s like listening to an extra long standup set where you can pick and choose the order of the chapters you want to listen to and what sounds the most appealing. To be able to hear the stories told by Nate himself with his particular delivery style is *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼

I think Nate Bargatze is a funny comedian and I enjoy his standup. I was so excited to get this audiobook because I think this kind of book is meant to be listened to rather than read. I enjoyed it just like I knew I would and think his fans will not be disappointed. There were a few things he talked about that was used in his newest comedy special on Netflix and I’m sure some others but overall it was really funny and enjoyable. I highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an advanced copy. 4 ⭐️

A memoir being released by my favorite comedian? Yes, please. If you are already a fan get a copy. If you aren't a fan yet, you will be after you read this book. I recommend the audio and be sure to check out the pics in the PDF.

We have tickets to see Nate in KC this September. Can. Not. Wait! 🤣

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC and to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC. Such a delightful read. Love the clean content!!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The way I instantly downloaded and listened to this one the second I was approved.....Nate is my favourite comedian whether it's his Netflix special or hosting SNL. He's hilarious and a clean comedian (no swears). This book is like him telling funny stories for 7 hours straight. Can't go wrong. If you love laughing grab this one immediately.

If you’re a fan of Nate Bargatze and his comedy style, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. Some stories felt familiar from what I have seen in his stand‑up, but there were also plenty I hadn’t heard before—so I feel like there was a solid mix of stories for longtime fans and new fans alike. This was a really easy read and I had a fun time with it!

I also really, really recommend the audiobook. Nate narrates it himself, and his delivery makes everything so much funnier. I can’t say how the same words land on the page without his voice, but having him tell the jokes and stories took it to another level for me.

I am obsessed with Nate Bargatze’s stand up, and absolutely LOVED listening to him narrate his own book! It felt like I was sitting down with him while he told stories from his life. I loved getting to see more behind the scenes stories about him, but also his parents. It’s definitely a must read book for anyone who likes fun storytelling!

"Big Dumb Eyes" by Nate Bargatze is a collection of stories about Nate and his family and friends.

As a fan of his stand-up and podcast, I recognized some of the stories, and often they are delivered very similarly, so some fans looking for all-new content might be disappointed by this.

Some of the content is a bit uneven and took me out of the flow of the book. There are also a few portions where the tone goes a little darker, such as mentioning his abusive grandmother. He also brings up religion a few times, which is understandable as a southern comic who is known for his clean content, but it tends to lean a bit heavier at times. He also spends the beginning of the book talking about his disdain for books, and at times, it seems as though he's stretching for content to fill the pages (or the run time in the case of the audiobook). I've heard a few comedians do this in their books, and I'm never sure what the intent is in calling that out, but for me, the joke never lands. There is also a pretty big chunk on his devotion to Vanderbilt sports that drags a bit without being very funny.

The standout stories for me were about his time spent living in Chicago and New York, as these stories were new to me, and they were among the funniest.

I listened to the audiobook, and if you're going to pick up this book, I highly recommend choosing the audiobook because I'm not sure how well Nate's dry, sarcastic sense of humor will translate to writing. His narration is full of energy and his signature southern drawl delivery. The production is very high quality, sounding like it was recorded all in one session and using a few sound effects to punctuate certain parts of the book.

Fans of Nate will likely enjoy this book, though they may find some of the content to be repetitive. It's an enjoyable listen, especially if you like his stand-up and podcasts. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Like most readers, I am a big fan of Nate Bargatze and had high hopes for this book. I have read other biographies from comedians and enjoyed those especially Colin Jost from SNL. This was not that. I don't think it helped that it was in no way chorological or in any order. Just sort of random stories and thoughts. Some stories were better than others, but nothing jumps out as particularly interesting or funny. The random breaks for readers were odd even in audiobook form. I think my favorite part was that Nate read the audiobook since I like his style. I don't know if I would really recommend this book to anyone since I am unsure who the audience is that this is intended for.

I tend to listen to audiobooks while I WFH and this did not disappoint. As a fan of Nate Bargatze from watching his specials on Netflix I was very excited to get an ALC for this. I was giggling the whole way through

A delightfully funny look through the life of Nate Bargatze. It’s like spending an extended comedy special with him, especially if you’re listening on audio! He does a great job narrating his own words, obviously, and he puts all the right inflection as if he was giving the stand up right before you. If you love his comedy, you’ll love his book. Highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

If you’ve watched any of Nate Bargatze’s standup, you know he is funny!! And this book is no exception! It’s a bunch of stories from him growing up to getting married to becoming a father. This was a very enjoyable lighthearted listen. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook to get the whole experience!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Nate Bargatze gives us a hilarious and fun look into his life as well as into his past. He gives us numerous personal stories as well as quirky confessions that lead us into a glimpse of his life as a comedian. I loved hearing about his love for Vandy (even though I say GO VOLS), and have to agree with him that onions are indeed disgusting. Being from East Tennessee myself, I loved hearing about his life living in Tennessee and understood a lot of what he was talking about and how certain words were said or pronounced. I enjoyed hearing about the stories of when his dad was a magician and I could truly tell that he loves his family and his childhood.

I listened to these stories with an audiobook and I highly recommend doing the same. I loved the funny "blank pages" music and there are times when he is actually telling you specific ways to say certain words or terms. If I were reading the book only, I would have missed these small, hilarious additions. If you are a fan of Nate Bargatze in any way, or just want to read hilarious confessions of a comedian, then check this one out! And try the audiobook as well!!