If you only read one book in your life, it probably shouldn’t be this one. However, if you’re not operating an inexplicable one-book policy, these stories are funny, touching, and more than worth your time.” — John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
“Josh Gondelman is a great comedian, super nice, and now the author of a terrific bunch of essays. How annoying.” — Jim Gaffigan, author of Food: A Love Story and Dad is Fat
“Josh Gondelman is a human cardigan and this book is like a warm, consensual hug.” — Samantha Irby, author of Meaty
“Josh Gondelman is one of the most original hilarious voices out there today. This book will hook you and make you laugh and laugh.” — Amy Schumer, author of The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo
“Nice Try makes me wish I was friends with Josh in high school. His take on the world is something we need more of— it’s optimistic, observant, sincere, and insanely funny. Read this book.” — Hasan Minhaj, host of Patriot Act
“Josh Gondelman is a comedian who looks like an author, so this book makes a lot of sense. Like him, it’s hilarious, excellent and fun.” — Pete Holmes, author of Comedy Sex God
“Josh Gondelman reinforces what I love so deeply about his writing: chock full of wit, so wonderfully hilarious, and unafraid to be vulnerable and honest. Yes, he is known as one of the nicest dudes in comedy, but he’s also one of the most funny and consistent. This book will not disappoint, so stop reading this blurb already and read the book!” — Phoebe Robinson, author of Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay
“Reading Nice Try is like carrying around a good friend with you, someone who’s funny and compassionate and always reminding you to do better. If you’re lucky enough to read Josh Gondelman, you’re sure to leave the experience a happier, kinder person. (And as a real bonus, you’ll laugh, too.) There’s good in the world yet — Nice Try is a great reminder of that.” — Scaachi Koul, author of One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter
“Josh Gondelman is hilarious. This book proves he clearly wouldn’t have survived if he wasn’t.” — Judd Apatow
“I laughed on every single page of Josh’s book and insisted on reading much of it aloud to whoever was sitting next to me. I did not always know those people, but I choose to believe they loved it too.” — Jill Twiss, author of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
“Like the best conversation with your smartest, funniest friend, these essays leave you feeling a little bit better about the world. Gondelman doesn’t flinch from self-examination or the complexities of life, but navigates both with such warmth and wit that I miss his company already.” — Cynthia-D’Aprix-Sweeney, author of The Nest
“Gondelman’s chops as a comedy writer are on full display throughout, and his observations are hilariously spot-on… [His] fun, witty book is a marvel of emotional depth and cutting one-liners.” — Publishers Weekly
“[A] sweet and laugh-out-loud-funny memoir… [Gondelman’s] whip-smart observational humor pierces through at every turn… This reads like a delicious, extended season of The Wonder Years .” — Booklist
“A quick and amiable read… Nice Try reaches [its] revelation gradually, through poignant stories of bungled pet adoptions and recognizing that anger is a valid emotion even for a self-described pushover.” — AV Club
Gondelman celebrates a lifetime of good intentions — sometimes gone wrong — in this funny and heartfelt collection of personal essays. — USA Today
“Both witty and matter-of-fact, Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results encourages readers to take solace in Gondelman’s mishaps and keep trying until desired results are achieved… This hilarious and heartfelt essay collection reminds readers to be who we want to be.” — Shelf Awareness
Josh Gondelman is one of the most original hilarious voices out there today. This book will hook you and make you laugh and laugh.
Josh Gondelman is a human cardigan and this book is like a warm, consensual hug.
Reading Nice Try is like carrying around a good friend with you, someone who’s funny and compassionate and always reminding you to do better. If you’re lucky enough to read Josh Gondelman, you’re sure to leave the experience a happier, kinder person. (And as a real bonus, you’ll laugh, too.) There’s good in the world yet — Nice Try is a great reminder of that.
If you only read one book in your life, it probably shouldn’t be this one. However, if you’re not operating an inexplicable one-book policy, these stories are funny, touching, and more than worth your time.
Nice Try makes me wish I was friends with Josh in high school. His take on the world is something we need more of— it’s optimistic, observant, sincere, and insanely funny. Read this book.
I laughed on every single page of Josh’s book and insisted on reading much of it aloud to whoever was sitting next to me. I did not always know those people, but I choose to believe they loved it too.
Josh Gondelman is a comedian who looks like an author, so this book makes a lot of sense. Like him, it’s hilarious, excellent and fun.
Josh Gondelman is a great comedian, super nice, and now the author of a terrific bunch of essays. How annoying.
Josh Gondelman is hilarious. This book proves he clearly wouldn’t have survived if he wasn’t.
Josh Gondelman reinforces what I love so deeply about his writing: chock full of wit, so wonderfully hilarious, and unafraid to be vulnerable and honest. Yes, he is known as one of the nicest dudes in comedy, but he’s also one of the most funny and consistent. This book will not disappoint, so stop reading this blurb already and read the book!
Gondelman celebrates a lifetime of good intentions — sometimes gone wrong — in this funny and heartfelt collection of personal essays.
A quick and amiable read… Nice Try reaches [its] revelation gradually, through poignant stories of bungled pet adoptions and recognizing that anger is a valid emotion even for a self-described pushover.
Like the best conversation with your smartest, funniest friend, these essays leave you feeling a little bit better about the world. Gondelman doesn’t flinch from self-examination or the complexities of life, but navigates both with such warmth and wit that I miss his company already.
author of The Nest Cynthia-D’Aprix-Sweeney
[A] sweet and laugh-out-loud-funny memoir… [Gondelman’s] whip-smart observational humor pierces through at every turn… This reads like a delicious, extended season of The Wonder Years .
Both witty and matter-of-fact, Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results encourages readers to take solace in Gondelman’s mishaps and keep trying until desired results are achieved… This hilarious and heartfelt essay collection reminds readers to be who we want to be.
[A] sweet and laugh-out-loud-funny memoir… [Gondelman’s] whip-smart observational humor pierces through at every turn… This reads like a delicious, extended season of The Wonder Years .
Gondelman celebrates a lifetime of good intentions — sometimes gone wrong — in this funny and heartfelt collection of personal essays.
Like the best conversation with your smartest, funniest friend, these essays leave you feeling a little bit better about the world. Gondelman doesn’t flinch from self-examination or the complexities of life, but navigates both with such warmth and wit that I miss his company already.
author of The Nest Cynthia-DAprix-Sweeney
2019-06-09
Working against the adage that "nice guys finish last," Gondelman has done well for himself. Happily married, he has sustained a career onstage, on TV, and in print after spending his earliest days following college teaching preschool. Though comedy is often considered a cutthroat arena, a survival-of-the-fittest challenge where the comedian must either kill or die, the author seems to suggest that there are other paths to perseverance. Early on, he confesses, "for a comedian, ‘nice' can be shorthand for someone's work being bland. And on a personal level, ‘nice' is about as meaningful as saying someone ‘has decent breath' or ‘is usually punctual.' " Throughout the book, the writing risks blandness, as Gondelman rarely aims for comedic punch, settling for gentle taps. In many ways, he brings to mind Bob Newhart of Tom Papa, a gentle man with a wry sense of humor who makes himself the butt of most of his jokes. Gondelman remembers that well into his 20s, he was considered not merely nice but " ‘too nice,' which is a very sweet euphemism meaning ‘simply not a person I am interested in having sex with in the foreseeable future.' " When he did meet a woman who was interested in him, it was through exchanges on Twitter, where he also received a career boost by collaborating on an account titled Modern Seinfeld, offering pitches for the series that had ceased to exist, and somehow attracted 800,000 followers. He also gained some traction on social media with his "Twitter Pep Talks," offering personalized encouragement to strangers in need. Somewhere between grade school and marriage, an expanse that he covers in detail, he began performing stand-up and eventually found great success writing for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver , Desus & Mero , and other programs.
Gondelman describes performing as an opening act for more famous comedians, and this book could easily be read as a warm-up for a much funnier one to come.
Comedian Josh Gondelman recounts his life in an amusing and recognizable manner. He exudes a charismatic and authentic vocal quality that is identical to his stand-up persona. Through essays and lists, Gondelman shares candid stories of mishaps in his life and explains in a signature style how he overcame them. His career and romantic catastrophes are some of the most entertaining stories to soak up and chuckle over. His voice has a welcoming tone and a natural flow when delivering his hilarious adventures. Listening to his antics is intriguing and relevant to today’s world. Gondelman's honesty, comedic spin, and relatable moments all make this a worthwhile listen. D.Z. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2019 - AudioFile
Comedian Josh Gondelman recounts his life in an amusing and recognizable manner. He exudes a charismatic and authentic vocal quality that is identical to his stand-up persona. Through essays and lists, Gondelman shares candid stories of mishaps in his life and explains in a signature style how he overcame them. His career and romantic catastrophes are some of the most entertaining stories to soak up and chuckle over. His voice has a welcoming tone and a natural flow when delivering his hilarious adventures. Listening to his antics is intriguing and relevant to today’s world. Gondelman's honesty, comedic spin, and relatable moments all make this a worthwhile listen. D.Z. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2019 - AudioFile
