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.

So fun! I love Nate Bargatze and getting to hear him in book form was a great experience. I'm not the biggest audiobook person but hearing this in his own voice I felt just added to the experience!

Nate Bargatze is a comedian I only really know about because my husband thought he was funny—and, after watching several of his comedy skits together, I’ll admit that he made me laugh. As far as Big Dumb Eyes is concerned, I feel like I’ve officially reached a point where I’m exceedingly done picking up books written by comedians. For whatever reason, somehow near every single time that I’ve tried to read one of these the comedians simply cannot figure out how to transfer their stand up into the format of a book. It’s not a Bargatze problem, exactly, since it’s happened time and time again for me. So, unless I’m inherently interested in their life and what made them who they are, I don’t know that I can continue reading them.

Even comedians who I deeply adore—Jack Whitehall comes to mind—just couldn’t write a book that can make me laugh.

All of that said, I’m not sure whether Bargatze’s goal with this book is comedy or if it’s just to write about his life. And it’s tough to write a review for a memoir considering how personal these things are—but I can say, unquestionably, I’m not even a little bit interested in this man’s life. He’s far more religious than I’d realized and I have a long history of not caring about that sort of thing unless it’s coming from a place of toxicity (and at that point, I’m just mad). I’m happy Bargatze has a pleasant experience with religion and that he loves his life, but my goodness I was just so painfully bored the entire time.

Perhaps the most interest piquing aspect of the book was the competitive relationship Nate has with his brother and how they both tried to pass this on to their daughters with absolutely abysmal results. It was a short, quippy moment in the book that really didn’t matter all to much in the grand scheme of things. And now that I’ve finished it, I’m just kind of sat here wondering what else I could have done with all that time that would have been more enjoyable. And I do think that this is partially a me problem since I’m not generally a memoir person unless something truly profound or interesting or devastating happens to be the centerpiece of the book.

Nate is a pretty average guy—kind and goofy with a positive life—which is good for him and his family. But it also doesn’t make for incredibly compelling storytelling.

I think the biggest gripe I have with the book, however, is how it repeatedly jumps around timelines based on random theming of various chapters. One second reading about his childhood, then his daughter, then how he met his wife. There’s no telling which point of his life is going to come next because chronologic formatting was not the goal here. Not sure why, but it definitely interrupted the flow. I also…really just didn’t care for the blank page thing. This is even more jarring in audiobook format—for all the reasons Bargatze references (not really sure how you reference blank pages in an audiobook, but elevator music sure isn’t it).

Nate does an alright job of narrating—his voice is at least pleasant to listen to. I don’t think it really translates the comedy in the way that some might expect, though. I mean, again: I didn’t laugh once during this book.

Who isn’t a fan of Nate? I’ve enjoyed his standup specials and SNL appearances and thought this would be a fun audiobook to listen to. I think listening to Nate narrate the book really allows him to get you to feel his stories. I never really knew about the history with his dad, and it was such an interesting story. This was Nate on a whole new level, and I recommend it to his fans.

I want to express my gratitude to Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for providing this audiobook for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I’m a fan of Nate Bargatze’s laid-back, deadpan humor, so I was excited to check out *Big Dumb Eyes*. Overall, I enjoyed it—it definitely made me laugh, and Nate’s signature clean, observational comedy shines through in this. If you’re looking for a solid, feel-good comedy experience without anything raunchy or over-the-top, this is a great pick.
That said, I was a little disappointed that many of the jokes felt familiar. As someone who follows Nate’s stand-up pretty closely, I’d already heard a lot of the material in some form. While it’s still fun to see it packaged in a polished book, it didn’t feel as fresh or surprising as I’d hoped.
Still, *Big Dumb Eyes* delivers exactly what it promises: a lighthearted, relatable comedian who knows how to get big laughs from everyday life.

Rating: 3.5 stars
I’m a longtime fan of Nate Bargatze—we even saw him live on his most recent tour—so I was really excited for this book! Big Dumb Eyes is a collection of personal stories told in Nate’s familiar, laid-back style, with plenty of observational humor and some fun food-related bits throughout. I listened to the audiobook, which Nate narrates himself, and that was definitely a highlight—it really felt like an extended stand-up set throughout the whole book!

Some of my favorite moments were in stories like “The Biggest Little Speed Trap in Tennessee,” where Nate shares hilarious small-town stories of growing up and run-ins with local police (his mom’s “Not today, Po-Po” line had me laughing out loud), and “I Am Definitely Not Shopping Right Now,” which perfectly captures his deadpan humor and the kind of silly debate every couple has. Another standout was the story about his first apartment, which was overrun with rats—his dry delivery made an otherwise gross situation genuinely funny, and I do NOT find rodents funny, so that's something!

That said, while there are great stories and familiar laughs, the overall pacing felt uneven, and it didn’t fully hold my attention from start to finish. It’s definitely enjoyable, especially for fans, but it didn’t have quite the same spark or tightness as his stand-up. A fun listen if you love Nate’s style, but it’s a bit lighter in impact than I expected.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audio of Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze.

I've enjoyed Nate Bargatze's stand-up, so thought this would be a great audio. It was enjoyable, and I did chuckle at times, but this is no stand-up show. It's reflections and life stories, which are wonderful, just don't expect to tear up with laughter.

I'm a HUGE Nate Bargatze fan! I had the honor of seeing him live last fall and will be going to his next show this fall. Getting to preview this audiobook with him being the narrator was just like a 6 hour live comedy show of his--what a treat! I think the audio version really adds to the narrative because he knows how to deliver his message. I have been waiting for this book to come out and it lived up to my high expectations! 5 stars!! **I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Nate Bargatze is one of my favorite comedians and I loved this audiobook so much. I love that Bargatze is a clean comedian so you don’t have to worry about little ears hearing things they shouldn’t, except maybe the chapter on elf on the shelf but in all fairness he did warn us. The blank pages were hilarious. I am so glad I listened to this and will likely listen again. Highly recommend this book!

Big thanks to NetGalley for an advance listen copy of Big Dumb Eyes!

To preface this, I have never experienced Nate Bergatze standup before diving in to his book. To be completely honest, I only really wanted to listen because I currently live in the town he grew up in. It was like reminiscing with an old friend for me.

The stories weren’t anything to write home about, but I don’t think profound was the expectation. This also isn’t a standup special. Some of the chapters will make you laugh, but others are just cute or heartwarming.

The production on this audio version is fantastic! I love when an author reads their own book, so that was already a plus, but there were additional sounds/effects used to add to the story that would definitely have been missed in a physical copy.

I have seen all of Nate's comedy specials and follow him on social media. So, I jumped at the chance to review this book in audio form read by the author. Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the chance! This is my honest review.

Have you ever had to stop your book (that you are listening to in your headphones) and explain to someone why you are laughing so hard? Well, that was me pretty much the entire time I was listening to this book! Nate is funny and his comedy has always been just pure, clean fun. I enjoyed this book even more though because you can tell that he spent a lot of time and energy creating it and was excited to read it for the audience. He talks a lot about his family in his stand up but this was like a deep dive that got you into more detail of shenanigans with his friends and family. This book was my non-fiction read for the month of May. An easy, no-questions-asked 5 stars!

Big Dumb Eyes
Written and narrated by Nate Bargatze

Every time I am scrolling Instagram, I find myself stopping on Nate Bargatze to listen to his hysterically funny straight faced jokes. When I had the opportunity to listen to him narrate his own book, I was all in and boy am I glad I did! Laugh out loud funny, Nate delivers relatable stories with humor that everyday people can enjoy. From his childhood friend Peepee to his marriage proposal, I found myself totally invested in the next story! This is just what I needed. Time to relax, unwind and laugh with the best comedian out there! If you need a good laugh, no one can deliver like Nate. You will love it!

A very fun book. I listened to the audio version which was read by Nate. He did a fantastic job of keeping the flow and making it funny throughout. I also liked all the extra commentary to help with things that are had when you are listening instead of holding a physical book. I would highly recommend this for someone who is looking for some laughs and some reminiscing about childhood. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

I feel like if you like Nate Bargatze's humor and comedic delivery, you will enjoy this memoir. Nate narrates the audiobook, and I would strongly recommend the audio format. By listening, you are able to get the full Nate humor! Also, Nate kindly includes a couple of blank chapters so you can "get your head above water." 😂

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

If you are a fan of Nate Bargatze, then this book is made for you. Even if you've never heard of the "clean" comedian, you should give it a try. This book is filled with humorous stories from his life, that are very entertaining.
He has stories about his childhood, and growing up with a dad that's a professional clown. He also goes into his start into stand-up. My favorite story was about him making the "NBA".

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy. I think audiobook is the best way to read this book. Hearing Nate tell his stories in his own voice is amazing. It feels like he's taking directly to you.

I highly recommend this audiobook, it's good clean fun, and it will have you laughing.

Ist halt Nate Bargatze. Lustig, aber nicht wirklich komisch. Entspricht nicht meinem Geschmack, aber ich war neugierig auf das Buch. Werde es ans Lager nehmen, mal schauen, ob ich das Publikum habe. dafür.
Danke.

Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind by Nate Bargatze- 3⭐️

This book was super nostalgic for me because I got into reading audiobooks by listening to comedic short stories such as Bossypants, Yes Please, and One More Thing (on a CD I borrowed from the library like a true millennial). I really enjoy Nate Bargatze’s stand-up routines. While this book was enjoyable, it was just okay. My favorite story was the Disney World one 🤣. I definitely recommend listening to this on audio because Nate does an amazing job telling stories in his unique way.

I am so very glad I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of Big Dumb Eyes. I'm sure that reading it with my eyes would have been great, too, but the audiobook was fantastic. In addition to the content, and Nate's delivery, being top-notch, I really enjoyed the handful of "special effects" that were incorporated (such as making phone calls/conversations SOUND like phone calls). Another thing I appreciated was how seamlessly the footnotes were incorporated; it was done so well that I didn't even realize there WERE footnotes, until I started flipping through the ebook to find the pictures that get referenced (but weren't included with the review copy of the audiobook).