Nick Offerman

Let me just say, Daddy Nick can whisper sweet musings into my headphones as I walk the beach at Myrtle Beach anytime he wants. Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is a beautifully reflective audiobook, delivered by the man himself, Nick Offerman. If I didn’t already have a crush on him, this book would definitely seal the deal. He brings such charm and warmth to the narration—it’s like he’s right there hiking alongside you, sharing his deep thoughts about nature, society, and the show more delicate balance between the two.

This book was written during the pandemic, and you can feel Nick’s contemplative side as he takes us on hikes across the country, from the remote wilderness to farming homesteads across the pond. His reflections on the morality of modern life and its intersection with the natural environment hit home in a meaningful way. It’s a beautiful meditation on the way we live and the consequences of how we treat the planet and one another.

One of the most thought-provoking aspects of the book is Nick’s call to shop local and be mindful of the environmental burden we place on the Earth, especially when it comes to sourcing our food. He advocates for sustainability, for slowing down, and for taking the time to connect with nature. As someone who loves the outdoors, I appreciated how these ideas resonated with me, especially as I walked the beach, reflecting on the importance of slowing down and truly appreciating the world around us.

On a personal note, I also have to say that while Daddy Nick is everything, I think the only thing I might love more than him is Lady Offerman herself, Megan Mullally. Their relationship is everything.

In summary, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is a heartwarming, thought-provoking read (or listen) that pairs perfectly with a peaceful stroll through nature. Nick Offerman’s storytelling style is engaging, humorous, and thought-provoking, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in nature, sustainability, and finding deeper meaning in our modern lives. show less

Listened to this on audio, read by Offerman himself. First, I'd listen to him narrate the phone book, he's excellent. Second, I loved this book, but from reading some of the reviews afterword, I might be in the minority, but this book so worked for me. In the first section he tells the tale of his trip to Glacier National Park with Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) and George Saunders. The second part is the experiences he and his wife, Megan Mullaly have with a new RV as they travel across the country to show more visit their families during the pandemic. Sure he's part of the "liberal elite", he recognizes his privilege in his stories and he wear's his politics on his sleeve. But his love of nature and his pull no punches, folksy style was very engaging for me. Recommend show less

I’ll preface this by saying I only know Mr. Offerman from his work on Parks and Rec. I’ve never read his other stuff, but I will probably give him a second chance. When he stayed on point with his “pastoral observations” he was interesting and somewhat funny, at times. I expected more, but, unfortunately he also went on many political and other side rants, which took away from the topic of his book and often made him seem hypocritical at best, and that is from someone who has no show more political leanings. You can’t preach inclusivity and then togetherness and then spew divisiveness in the next breath. Sorry, just doesn’t work for me and this book definitely missed more than it hit. I was hoping for better, but maybe I just didn’t know what I was looking at. show less

Yes, I admit it, I love Nick Offerman. I didn't at first, not when all I knew was early Ron Swanson before I understood the character, and while I was conflating him with the actor who portrayed him. But then Ron grew on me, and I came to understand Nick's work in a larger sense, and now virtually everything of his I see or read makes him dearer to me.

While Gumption does have a personal slant to some degree, it's not autobiographical like Paddle Your Own Canoe. Rather, it's a highly show more personal, utterly subjective look at Americans who Offerman believes had/have gumption, a trait that I think he identifies as a very American one. He begins with George Washington (of course) and it's an interesting and amusing profile, but the chapter on James Madison is one of the more informative ones and should be a must-read for Civics classes. (Do schools even still teach Civics? Sometimes it seems as if that went by the wayside not long after I graduated from high school.)

Later chapters are populated with the likes of Frederick Law Olmstead (designer of Central Park), Frederick Douglass, Wendell Berry, and Willie Nelson among many other heroes in Offerman's pantheon. In each case he discusses why these people should be included, and again, in many cases the personal trumps the objective, though he makes good cases for everyone.

I came away from this book with a long reading list, which is the ideal outcome for a book like this, at least in my opinion. I want to know more about Olmstead, I've begun reading a Michael Pollen book, and am enjoying the heck out of it, I'm listening to Willie Nelson again with new appreciation.

Not everyone is going to find Offerman as endearing as I do. He's more liberal than not, and that puts a lot of backs up (not that he cares) and he is a practical man who understands human frailty. I love the guy, weird as he often seems. Or maybe because he seems kind of odd. I like odd. I was raised with odd.

Give it a shot. If you can, listen to the audiobook which is read by Nick to get the full force of his personality. If you're like me, he'll have you giggling almost immediately, and laughing out loud often. show less