Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living
by Nick Offerman
On This Page
Description
Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman shares his humorous fulminations on life, manliness, meat, and much more in his first book.Growing a perfect moustache, grilling red meat, wooing a woman—who better to deliver this tutelage than the always charming, always manly Nick Offerman, best known as Parks and Recreation’s Ron Swanson? Combining his trademark comic voice and very real expertise in woodworking—he runs his own woodshop—Paddle Your Own Canoe features tales from show more Offerman’s childhood in small-town Minooka, Illinois—“I grew up literally in the middle of a cornfield”—to his theater days in Chicago, beginnings as a carpenter/actor and the hilarious and magnificent seduction of his now-wife Megan Mullally. It also offers hard-bitten battle strategies in the arenas of manliness, love, style, religion, woodworking, and outdoor recreation, among many other savory entrees.
A mix of amusing anecdotes, opinionated lessons and rants, sprinkled with offbeat gaiety, Paddle Your Own Canoe will not only tickle readers pink but may also rouse them to put down their smart phones, study a few sycamore leaves, and maybe even hand craft (and paddle) their own canoes. show less
Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
I wanted to like this more than I did. Paddle Your Own Canoe is not without its charms, and I even agreed with some of what he had to say about his approach to life (this is not a traditional memoir; it's what Offerman terms a "guide to delicious living"). Offerman clearly adores his wife, and has some fun anecdotes and some amusing turns of phrase. I listened to this in audiobook, and that's probably the best medium for it.
Yet the book could easily have been edited down by a third and been the better for it. Nor does it help that while Offerman is upfront (almost performatively so) about the fact that most people are assholes and he is no exception, he doesn't always seem aware of ways in which he has been an asshole. For instance, I show more don't think stalking your ex-girlfriend and following her all the way to Jamaica is as amusing a story as Offerman does. The tale of how he and his male co-workers used to compete to see who could masturbate most during the work-day made me really uncomfortable for his female co-workers, and no, Mr Offerman, you weren't just "lucky" when you got away with getting high and shop-lifting when you were in college. You were a straight, white, middle-class guy in central Illinois. show less
Yet the book could easily have been edited down by a third and been the better for it. Nor does it help that while Offerman is upfront (almost performatively so) about the fact that most people are assholes and he is no exception, he doesn't always seem aware of ways in which he has been an asshole. For instance, I show more don't think stalking your ex-girlfriend and following her all the way to Jamaica is as amusing a story as Offerman does. The tale of how he and his male co-workers used to compete to see who could masturbate most during the work-day made me really uncomfortable for his female co-workers, and no, Mr Offerman, you weren't just "lucky" when you got away with getting high and shop-lifting when you were in college. You were a straight, white, middle-class guy in central Illinois. show less
My first thoughts as I began reading Nick's book (I call him Nick. He's my TV boyfriend, deal.) was SOULMATE!!!! I mean, here's a man who both is and is not Ron freakin' Swanson, making him the best of both worlds, in my opinion. And he has manly facial hair which... okay, I don't really like moustaches, but it is manly. Also, he's originally from Chicago. Yes he is, he's from Minooka IL, which as you should know is Chicago by default because it's north of Kankakee. Technically Chicago is bounded by Kankakee in the south, Lake Geneva in the north, and the Mississippi in the west. And there's a bigass lake to the east which is ours too. This is not my fault, I didn't make the rules.
Then I calmed down and admitted that Nick might not be show more my soulmate because he seems to have found one in Megan Mullally, a perfectly hilarious woman to whom I willingly relinquish any soulmate claims on Nick. Instead, I believe him to be a kindred spirit. He's smart, he's funny, and he doesn't give a damn what people think of him. I like his politics, I like his attitudes, and I like his style. If that's not a kindred spirit, I don't know what is.
I've seen reviewers complain that this book is anti-religion, and I'm here to tell you it's not, not at all. Offerman (I just put my reviewer cap on over my fangirl cap, so now I'm being all review-y.) says upfront that religion is a good thing when you keep it in your church, your family, your heart. When you try to put it into your government, when you try to use it to define your society, that's his line in the sand. (Mine too.) That doesn't make him anti-religion, that makes him anti-authoritarian and anti-jerk, which in my book is a good thing.
I've seen reviewers complain that this book is profane. I resist the word in this context because of its Puritan-level prissiness. Offerman's language is bawdy in the best sense of the word; a big, Falstaffian lot of cussin' and good, honest sexual innuendo, neither of which will kill, maim, or otherwise do jack to another human being. Or to put it into perspective, he's not shooting people, is he? So calm the hell down.
What he is doing in this wonderful, hilarious book, is telling the story of his life, crediting his family, particularly his parents, his friends, and his wife with making him as good a man as he is able to be, which seems pretty darn good to me. From his origins in Minooka, to his college years in Champaign-Urbana, to theater in Chicago, and then to film and television in Los Angeles, Offerman gives us not only his own story, but an insight into how a working actor becomes a working actor. In his case it involves high production values, and a good bit of weed.
One of my favorite stories is how he developed a running joke about proposing to Mullally, first by accident, then as a series of practical jokes, and finally for real. Their romance warmed the heart of an old cynic like myself, and made me laugh.
I don't really know if you'll love this book the way I do. I hope so. I hope you will love it and leave a message saying, "We must be kindred spirits." Because there's nothing better in the world. show less
Then I calmed down and admitted that Nick might not be show more my soulmate because he seems to have found one in Megan Mullally, a perfectly hilarious woman to whom I willingly relinquish any soulmate claims on Nick. Instead, I believe him to be a kindred spirit. He's smart, he's funny, and he doesn't give a damn what people think of him. I like his politics, I like his attitudes, and I like his style. If that's not a kindred spirit, I don't know what is.
I've seen reviewers complain that this book is anti-religion, and I'm here to tell you it's not, not at all. Offerman (I just put my reviewer cap on over my fangirl cap, so now I'm being all review-y.) says upfront that religion is a good thing when you keep it in your church, your family, your heart. When you try to put it into your government, when you try to use it to define your society, that's his line in the sand. (Mine too.) That doesn't make him anti-religion, that makes him anti-authoritarian and anti-jerk, which in my book is a good thing.
I've seen reviewers complain that this book is profane. I resist the word in this context because of its Puritan-level prissiness. Offerman's language is bawdy in the best sense of the word; a big, Falstaffian lot of cussin' and good, honest sexual innuendo, neither of which will kill, maim, or otherwise do jack to another human being. Or to put it into perspective, he's not shooting people, is he? So calm the hell down.
What he is doing in this wonderful, hilarious book, is telling the story of his life, crediting his family, particularly his parents, his friends, and his wife with making him as good a man as he is able to be, which seems pretty darn good to me. From his origins in Minooka, to his college years in Champaign-Urbana, to theater in Chicago, and then to film and television in Los Angeles, Offerman gives us not only his own story, but an insight into how a working actor becomes a working actor. In his case it involves high production values, and a good bit of weed.
One of my favorite stories is how he developed a running joke about proposing to Mullally, first by accident, then as a series of practical jokes, and finally for real. Their romance warmed the heart of an old cynic like myself, and made me laugh.
I don't really know if you'll love this book the way I do. I hope so. I hope you will love it and leave a message saying, "We must be kindred spirits." Because there's nothing better in the world. show less
Nick Offerman graced our screens for seven wonderful seasons as Ron Swanson on the much-loved TV show Parks and Recreation. In Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living, he regales the reader with the years prior to and including part of that happy period, which happen to be just as fascinating and hilarious as you would expect.
In his memoir and guidebook, Offerman provides wise words of advice for all members of society, particularly adults in the working world. While his bluntness about his personal beliefs and political affiliations could be off-putting to some, he makes it very clear that he does not want to push his opinions on the reader, which I found to be very admirable and refreshing. Offerman also show more touches upon his experimentations with drugs, which fascinates to say the least, but in my opinion, is probably not ideal for the ears and eyes of children.
If you were not already aware, the man is the epitome of funny. His tales of woe, happiness, and…well, downright stupidity (we all have those moments), massively amuse. You can parse out a lot of wisdom from his mistakes and successes. Offerman frequently acknowledges his ultimate triumph, obtaining the love and affection of his lovely wife, Megan Mullally. Frankly, his adoration for her takes the breath away. Forget Wesley and Buttercup, adios Romeo and Juliet, the love between Nick and Megan is the ultimate love story.
If you’re an aspiring actor, this is also the book for you. Offerman’s path to success was not an easy one, and he charged through many obstacles on his way to obtaining the elusive network television show contract. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream at the studio executives (that’s normal, right?), but at least you’ll know that it doesn’t end in failure.
Offerman is also a huge proponent of self-reliance and fulfillment. He does not molly-coddle or beat around the bush when it comes to following your passion as a career. Few careers “pay off” right away, some careers take time, and many will never be your primary source of income. In fact, he proudly considers himself both an actor and a wood-worker. Ultimately, Offerman emphasizes that if you use your brains, talent and creativity to find a job that you like, and if you are willing to apply grit and hard-work to that chosen profession, you’ll live a full and happy life.
Nick Offerman’s Paddle Your Own Canoe gifts the reader with a thought-provoking look into a professional actor’s life and work. While he shares many similarities with his most well-known character, do not expect to hear from Ron Swanson. In fact, Offerman’s life provides an even deeper sense of entertainment and wisdom because it’s real. Grab a beer, grill some bacon, sit back, relax, and give this one a read! show less
In his memoir and guidebook, Offerman provides wise words of advice for all members of society, particularly adults in the working world. While his bluntness about his personal beliefs and political affiliations could be off-putting to some, he makes it very clear that he does not want to push his opinions on the reader, which I found to be very admirable and refreshing. Offerman also show more touches upon his experimentations with drugs, which fascinates to say the least, but in my opinion, is probably not ideal for the ears and eyes of children.
If you were not already aware, the man is the epitome of funny. His tales of woe, happiness, and…well, downright stupidity (we all have those moments), massively amuse. You can parse out a lot of wisdom from his mistakes and successes. Offerman frequently acknowledges his ultimate triumph, obtaining the love and affection of his lovely wife, Megan Mullally. Frankly, his adoration for her takes the breath away. Forget Wesley and Buttercup, adios Romeo and Juliet, the love between Nick and Megan is the ultimate love story.
If you’re an aspiring actor, this is also the book for you. Offerman’s path to success was not an easy one, and he charged through many obstacles on his way to obtaining the elusive network television show contract. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream at the studio executives (that’s normal, right?), but at least you’ll know that it doesn’t end in failure.
Offerman is also a huge proponent of self-reliance and fulfillment. He does not molly-coddle or beat around the bush when it comes to following your passion as a career. Few careers “pay off” right away, some careers take time, and many will never be your primary source of income. In fact, he proudly considers himself both an actor and a wood-worker. Ultimately, Offerman emphasizes that if you use your brains, talent and creativity to find a job that you like, and if you are willing to apply grit and hard-work to that chosen profession, you’ll live a full and happy life.
Nick Offerman’s Paddle Your Own Canoe gifts the reader with a thought-provoking look into a professional actor’s life and work. While he shares many similarities with his most well-known character, do not expect to hear from Ron Swanson. In fact, Offerman’s life provides an even deeper sense of entertainment and wisdom because it’s real. Grab a beer, grill some bacon, sit back, relax, and give this one a read! show less
Started this as an audiobook with my daughter as we drove from Massachusetts to NYC and back during a little father-daughter Broadway excursion for her 19th birthday. We made it through the first half of the book, and once I flew home I finished it off in the printed form as the audiobook narration had mentioned I was missing out on illustrations.
Offerman is a pretty easy guy for me to relate to as we both grew up Catholic in the rural Midwest, just three years apart in age and 150 miles in distance. From the book, I find that we have a lot of attitudes in common when it comes to politics and other people. His drinking, drug use and asshole hijinks though remind me more of my brothers.
Anyhow, this is a pretty straightforward and show more entertaining celebrity memoir, fluffed out with some philosophizing sure to please Ron Swanson fans. I was a little surprised that Parks and Recreation is mentioned almost in passing with Offerman getting cast on the show in only the last 40 pages or so. Perhaps he was planning on getting a second volume out of his experiences there at a later time?
So don't go into this expecting a lot of celebrity gossip, as Offerman spends most of the time writing about his family, and his high school and college years. Still fun though. show less
Offerman is a pretty easy guy for me to relate to as we both grew up Catholic in the rural Midwest, just three years apart in age and 150 miles in distance. From the book, I find that we have a lot of attitudes in common when it comes to politics and other people. His drinking, drug use and asshole hijinks though remind me more of my brothers.
Anyhow, this is a pretty straightforward and show more entertaining celebrity memoir, fluffed out with some philosophizing sure to please Ron Swanson fans. I was a little surprised that Parks and Recreation is mentioned almost in passing with Offerman getting cast on the show in only the last 40 pages or so. Perhaps he was planning on getting a second volume out of his experiences there at a later time?
So don't go into this expecting a lot of celebrity gossip, as Offerman spends most of the time writing about his family, and his high school and college years. Still fun though. show less
This is really enjoyable and I love Nick Offerman, but I'm a bit more than halfway through and have thirteen different books going at once and it's getting hectic so I need to give it up for now. I fully intend to finish this at some point, and then to read Gumption as well. Offerman (aka Not Ron Swanson, as is one of the primary messages of this book) is hilarious and disgusting and thoughtful, and if I had to pick my favorite part so far it'd be his thoughts on religion, which are excellent. Examples:
As I have asserted, much of the Bible holds excellent lessons in the pursuit of modesty and living as a straight shooter, but I would invite you all to investigate the WHOLE DOCUMENT. Leviticus, for example, is commonly referred to asshow more
"easily the most fucked-up book in the Old Testament." I believe it was none other than the Lord God Almighty who instructed us to "love thy neighbor as thyself." Wise words from the King of Kings. Unfortunately, he spake this phrase smack-dab in the middle of the book of Leviticus...show less
The flagrant double standard espoused in Leviticus should surely be enough evidence for us to take the Bible's trustworthiness out of the equation. When I am instructed by the all-knowing Jehovah to profess an ostensibly "equal" brotherly love within the same pages where I am instructed to murder my fellow man or woman for engaging in a love act, I can't help but look elsewhere for guidance. I am choosing to enlist instead the book of my own common sense.
_____
I'm going to type this in boldface to try to make it as clear as possible: If you read the Bible and go to church, or subscribe to any other religion, that is fine with me. I like nice people, and if you are endeavoring to be one, I say, "Great!" I, too, am endeavoring to be a nice person. The thing that makes me mad is when a person suggests that I CANNOT be a nice person or live a life of goodness WITHOUT reading the Bible and attending church. To sum up—churchgoers: fine and dandy; those who try to force it on me and my fellow Americans: assholes. Areas in which "they" try to force it on us: premarital sex abstention, abortion laws, birth control, gay marriage. The fact that creationism can even be a conversation is a goddamn shame and blight upon our nation's character.
Jesus was a great and wise man; we get it. His teachings are an excellent set of guidelines by which to conduct oneself; copy that. But you don't get to bring your church book into the city, county, state, or national policy discussion! Put that shit away! ... You use your religious (or not) writing of choice at home, or in a place where people gather to imbibe your religion of choice. Hopefully, this practice teaches you decency, common sense, and goodwill toward your fellow men and women. THEN, you take that decency and put it to good use when drafting legal policy! Leave your church out of it! If I were to coin a phrase, I don't know, I might suggest A SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, just like old Tommy Jefferson did. Time to re-up that shit. Forgive my eloquence.
I really thought this was going to be epic. However - like a lot of reviewers, it seems - my experience of Nick Offerman's memoir Paddle Your Own Canoe consisted primarily of the disappointment of finding out that my sketchy assumptions of what the book would be like turned out to be very wide of the mark.
Like many, I came to this book as a fan of the TV comedy Parks and Recreation and, in particular, Offerman's show-stealing interpretation of the character Ron Swanson. I expected (somewhat naïvely, to be sure) a sort of Swanson autobiography rather than an Offerman autobiography. Parts of Offerman's life are mined for the Swanson character, and it is rather interesting to read how Offerman became the man he is today, and how he show more developed his interests in woodworking and so on. There are intermittent attempts to fulfil the book's subtitle and provide manly lessons and 'fundamentals for delicious living', but for all the words expended in this pursuit Offerman's philosophy boils down to: Find something you love. Work hard. Get lucky. That's a worthy philosophy, but it doesn't make for very enlightening reading. Offerman worked hard for his luck, to be sure, but despite his humble upbringing he did have a lot in his favour. He grew up in a stable and nurturing environment in which he learned how to stand on his own two feet. He seemed to quickly adapt to new challenges (early on, it seems like he mentions on each page a new skill he took to like a duck to water, like playing an instrument or something). He was fit and athletic, so never had a problem with girls and, by extension, with self-confidence. Everyone liked him, including his 'bullies' (sorry, Nick, but if 'Biff' was the closest you got to being bullied, then you don't know what it means to get bullied). Even in his career, he struggles to explain how he got his breaks (meeting his soul mate who became his wife, meeting the right casting directors and so on) and attributes it to luck. As I said, it is clear Offerman worked hard, but he also had a number of innate advantages and also, yes, some lucky breaks. Anyone looking to Offerman's philosophy as a way of living their life in anything other than broad sweeps is likely to be disappointed. There's a lot to be said for working hard, treating people with respect and being yourself (i.e. 'paddling your own canoe') but it won't necessarily lead to delicious living. If you 'be yourself', people - more specifically, your peers - may still not like you. If you treat people with respect, some - even those you might not expect - will still treat you poorly. If you work hard, you may still not get rewarded, even in the long run. You should still endeavour to behave with integrity and live up to your own standards but there's a reason, as Offerman freely admits, why people call him 'the Lucky Bastard'. He's lived his life according to his own principles, and he won. Many won't.
I'm not apologetic about my little rant just there as Offerman sure indulges in his own. Paddle Your Own Canoe is almost equal parts memoir and manifesto, as he comments at length (sometimes even in BOLD CAPITALS and with exclamation marks!!!) on things like organised religion, modern technology, environmentalism, the state of modern-day America, the legalisation of marijuana and the dearth of people making things with their own two hands. I found I agreed with a lot of what he was saying, but his opinions are all rather run-of-the-mill and I certainly wouldn't have paid to read them had I known. They read like blog postings. The memoir bits are more approachable, although Offerman's life story is nothing special. Don't get me wrong, he seems like a fine man with a lot of integrity, but there's not much in his life history that stands out.
A major problem I had with these memoir bits, however, was Offerman's unrelenting procession of thank-yous and I-couldn't-have-done-it-without-yous to everyone who has ever helped him in his life. It seems rather miserly of me to criticise a man for paying generous tribute to his friends, but he does it a lot. Significant chunks of the book read like an Oscar-acceptance speech or an extended-to-book-length Acknowledgements page. He thanks the people in his life so much that one gets the suspicion at times that he's directly addressing them, like he wrote the book only for a small circle of friends rather than a general audience. The reader feels shut out at times.
However, my biggest disappointment with Paddle Your Own Canoe was that I expected the book to be a riot to read. I quickly realised that Offerman was not Swanson, but I still expected some sort of barnstorming, damn-your-eyes anecdote-telling. However, this is not the case. For a book marketed more in the 'Humour' section rather than the 'Autobiography' section, it's just not that funny. I love Offerman's deadpan comedy on Parks & Rec, but then again he has great writers feeding him lines (he knocks them out of the park, don't you doubt it). Furthermore, his style doesn't translate well to the page. Paddle Your Own Canoe is not a riot in the same way a Ron Swanson scene is; it is more in line with the sort of good-natured light chuckles you might get from sharing anecdotes with a genial chap at a bar. Enjoyable enough, but not the sort of thing you go out of your way for.
I love Nick Offerman. Who cannot love a man who brought Ron Swanson to life, and who starts his book with a Tom Waits quote? And I did enjoy reading Paddle Your Own Canoe, a perfectly acceptable and amiable read. But for the vast majority of readers, it won't be what they expect or even want all that much. It is a good insight into the acting profession and provides decent acting advice, but that's not really why people seek it out. I imagine most people sizing up this book are looking for humour in general or at least a humorous, tongue-in-cheek commentary on manhood and masculinity. Many will be Parks and Recreation fans, but Offerman doesn't even talk about his experiences on the show too much. Though mentioned throughout, only one short chapter is dedicated to it, and even then it's just to go on about how amazing the writers and the cast and the crew are and how lucky he is. I liked the book, and Nick Offerman is most certainly one of the 'good guys', so you forgive him a lot of stuff. I just wish, as a reader and as a fan, there wasn't so much I felt I had to forgive. show less
Like many, I came to this book as a fan of the TV comedy Parks and Recreation and, in particular, Offerman's show-stealing interpretation of the character Ron Swanson. I expected (somewhat naïvely, to be sure) a sort of Swanson autobiography rather than an Offerman autobiography. Parts of Offerman's life are mined for the Swanson character, and it is rather interesting to read how Offerman became the man he is today, and how he show more developed his interests in woodworking and so on. There are intermittent attempts to fulfil the book's subtitle and provide manly lessons and 'fundamentals for delicious living', but for all the words expended in this pursuit Offerman's philosophy boils down to: Find something you love. Work hard. Get lucky. That's a worthy philosophy, but it doesn't make for very enlightening reading. Offerman worked hard for his luck, to be sure, but despite his humble upbringing he did have a lot in his favour. He grew up in a stable and nurturing environment in which he learned how to stand on his own two feet. He seemed to quickly adapt to new challenges (early on, it seems like he mentions on each page a new skill he took to like a duck to water, like playing an instrument or something). He was fit and athletic, so never had a problem with girls and, by extension, with self-confidence. Everyone liked him, including his 'bullies' (sorry, Nick, but if 'Biff' was the closest you got to being bullied, then you don't know what it means to get bullied). Even in his career, he struggles to explain how he got his breaks (meeting his soul mate who became his wife, meeting the right casting directors and so on) and attributes it to luck. As I said, it is clear Offerman worked hard, but he also had a number of innate advantages and also, yes, some lucky breaks. Anyone looking to Offerman's philosophy as a way of living their life in anything other than broad sweeps is likely to be disappointed. There's a lot to be said for working hard, treating people with respect and being yourself (i.e. 'paddling your own canoe') but it won't necessarily lead to delicious living. If you 'be yourself', people - more specifically, your peers - may still not like you. If you treat people with respect, some - even those you might not expect - will still treat you poorly. If you work hard, you may still not get rewarded, even in the long run. You should still endeavour to behave with integrity and live up to your own standards but there's a reason, as Offerman freely admits, why people call him 'the Lucky Bastard'. He's lived his life according to his own principles, and he won. Many won't.
I'm not apologetic about my little rant just there as Offerman sure indulges in his own. Paddle Your Own Canoe is almost equal parts memoir and manifesto, as he comments at length (sometimes even in BOLD CAPITALS and with exclamation marks!!!) on things like organised religion, modern technology, environmentalism, the state of modern-day America, the legalisation of marijuana and the dearth of people making things with their own two hands. I found I agreed with a lot of what he was saying, but his opinions are all rather run-of-the-mill and I certainly wouldn't have paid to read them had I known. They read like blog postings. The memoir bits are more approachable, although Offerman's life story is nothing special. Don't get me wrong, he seems like a fine man with a lot of integrity, but there's not much in his life history that stands out.
A major problem I had with these memoir bits, however, was Offerman's unrelenting procession of thank-yous and I-couldn't-have-done-it-without-yous to everyone who has ever helped him in his life. It seems rather miserly of me to criticise a man for paying generous tribute to his friends, but he does it a lot. Significant chunks of the book read like an Oscar-acceptance speech or an extended-to-book-length Acknowledgements page. He thanks the people in his life so much that one gets the suspicion at times that he's directly addressing them, like he wrote the book only for a small circle of friends rather than a general audience. The reader feels shut out at times.
However, my biggest disappointment with Paddle Your Own Canoe was that I expected the book to be a riot to read. I quickly realised that Offerman was not Swanson, but I still expected some sort of barnstorming, damn-your-eyes anecdote-telling. However, this is not the case. For a book marketed more in the 'Humour' section rather than the 'Autobiography' section, it's just not that funny. I love Offerman's deadpan comedy on Parks & Rec, but then again he has great writers feeding him lines (he knocks them out of the park, don't you doubt it). Furthermore, his style doesn't translate well to the page. Paddle Your Own Canoe is not a riot in the same way a Ron Swanson scene is; it is more in line with the sort of good-natured light chuckles you might get from sharing anecdotes with a genial chap at a bar. Enjoyable enough, but not the sort of thing you go out of your way for.
I love Nick Offerman. Who cannot love a man who brought Ron Swanson to life, and who starts his book with a Tom Waits quote? And I did enjoy reading Paddle Your Own Canoe, a perfectly acceptable and amiable read. But for the vast majority of readers, it won't be what they expect or even want all that much. It is a good insight into the acting profession and provides decent acting advice, but that's not really why people seek it out. I imagine most people sizing up this book are looking for humour in general or at least a humorous, tongue-in-cheek commentary on manhood and masculinity. Many will be Parks and Recreation fans, but Offerman doesn't even talk about his experiences on the show too much. Though mentioned throughout, only one short chapter is dedicated to it, and even then it's just to go on about how amazing the writers and the cast and the crew are and how lucky he is. I liked the book, and Nick Offerman is most certainly one of the 'good guys', so you forgive him a lot of stuff. I just wish, as a reader and as a fan, there wasn't so much I felt I had to forgive. show less
Best for:
People who like humorous essays and who don’t mind a lot of cursing and blue humor. Not for people looking for a lot of Parks and Recreation content.
In a nutshell:
Actor Nick Offerman shares his thoughts on this book that is part memoir, part philosophical treatise.
Worth quoting:
I spent a lot of time noting things said in the book that frustrated me, but I didn’t actually type out any quotes that stuck with me.
Why I chose it:
I was looking for a funny audio book read by the author, and I have enjoyed Offerman’s work as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, so figured I’d check it.
Review:
First things first: if you are picking this up to hear about Offerman’s time on Parks and Recreation, put it back down. Other than a few show more minutes spent discussing his casting on the show, and one anecdote in the very last chapter, there’s really nothing in here about his time in his arguably most famous role. To which I say - good for him. I’m fairly certain his publishers knew many people would be drawn to the book because of his work on that show, while he just wrote whatever he wanted.
That said, without what I was admittedly looking for, the book was still at times both interesting and entertaining. There is a lot in here that is funny, and also wise. But there is also so much that frustrated the hell out of me, because Offerman sounds so … ignorant. Like, a very well-meaning but out of touch elder. Some notes on this:
- When he talks about food, he says that everyone can get fresh food anywhere, and shames people for serving their kids fast food, with ZERO acknowledgment that access to fresh food isn’t universal, that it’s expensive from a cost perspective, but also that it takes loads of time to cook everything from scratch. This book is a few years old, but this take belongs in the last century, not this one.
- He values work with his hands, and I appreciate that, but he is so dismissive of work that doesn’t fit that narrow definition that it’s a bit exhausting. He also buys into that absurd idea that we all just need to ‘find work we love,’ as though every job out there is super fun if we only just find the right one. Dude, you play dress-up for a living. That’s cool. And necessary - TV and movies have helped keep me going during the nightmare of this pandemic. But there are a lot of shit jobs out there, and a lot of people do them.
- At one point he talks about the problems of marketing and consumerism, and he sounds a bit like a freshman who has just taken his first Comms 101 class.
- He talks about an interaction with the police and makes this claim: ‘don’t run,’ as though that is some how a guarantee of safety. No recognition at all that his whiteness makes his encounters with the police much less fraught.
- He briefly touches on the idea of ‘scent’, which makes me wonder if he’s one of the white celebrities who prides himself on not washing regularly.
- Finally, his commentary on women wearing make-up and getting cosmetic surgery were pretty ignorant and misogynistic. Like, first off, make-up isn’t FOR YOU dude. And for those who feel the pressure to wear make-up to impress dudes, that’s the patriarchy buddy. Same for cosmetic surgery - he talks about how his wife hasn’t had any and how it’s a shame women will do that to themselves, and yet says NOTHING about why women might feel pressured to do that. It’s just so frustrating.
I wouldn’t really recommend this to anyone, but if you already own it and are thinking of reading it, as long as your expectations aren’t too high, I’d imagine you might enjoy it.
As an aside: if you, like me, have thought of giving this to your dad for Christmas some year: don’t. I am mortified now, considering the number of times Offerman discusses various forms of sex. I do think my dad appreciates more raunchy content than my mother would like in the house, so hopefully he at least got a kick out of it. But ooof, that’ll teach me to gift a book I haven’t read.
Recommend to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it show less
People who like humorous essays and who don’t mind a lot of cursing and blue humor. Not for people looking for a lot of Parks and Recreation content.
In a nutshell:
Actor Nick Offerman shares his thoughts on this book that is part memoir, part philosophical treatise.
Worth quoting:
I spent a lot of time noting things said in the book that frustrated me, but I didn’t actually type out any quotes that stuck with me.
Why I chose it:
I was looking for a funny audio book read by the author, and I have enjoyed Offerman’s work as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, so figured I’d check it.
Review:
First things first: if you are picking this up to hear about Offerman’s time on Parks and Recreation, put it back down. Other than a few show more minutes spent discussing his casting on the show, and one anecdote in the very last chapter, there’s really nothing in here about his time in his arguably most famous role. To which I say - good for him. I’m fairly certain his publishers knew many people would be drawn to the book because of his work on that show, while he just wrote whatever he wanted.
That said, without what I was admittedly looking for, the book was still at times both interesting and entertaining. There is a lot in here that is funny, and also wise. But there is also so much that frustrated the hell out of me, because Offerman sounds so … ignorant. Like, a very well-meaning but out of touch elder. Some notes on this:
- When he talks about food, he says that everyone can get fresh food anywhere, and shames people for serving their kids fast food, with ZERO acknowledgment that access to fresh food isn’t universal, that it’s expensive from a cost perspective, but also that it takes loads of time to cook everything from scratch. This book is a few years old, but this take belongs in the last century, not this one.
- He values work with his hands, and I appreciate that, but he is so dismissive of work that doesn’t fit that narrow definition that it’s a bit exhausting. He also buys into that absurd idea that we all just need to ‘find work we love,’ as though every job out there is super fun if we only just find the right one. Dude, you play dress-up for a living. That’s cool. And necessary - TV and movies have helped keep me going during the nightmare of this pandemic. But there are a lot of shit jobs out there, and a lot of people do them.
- At one point he talks about the problems of marketing and consumerism, and he sounds a bit like a freshman who has just taken his first Comms 101 class.
- He talks about an interaction with the police and makes this claim: ‘don’t run,’ as though that is some how a guarantee of safety. No recognition at all that his whiteness makes his encounters with the police much less fraught.
- He briefly touches on the idea of ‘scent’, which makes me wonder if he’s one of the white celebrities who prides himself on not washing regularly.
- Finally, his commentary on women wearing make-up and getting cosmetic surgery were pretty ignorant and misogynistic. Like, first off, make-up isn’t FOR YOU dude. And for those who feel the pressure to wear make-up to impress dudes, that’s the patriarchy buddy. Same for cosmetic surgery - he talks about how his wife hasn’t had any and how it’s a shame women will do that to themselves, and yet says NOTHING about why women might feel pressured to do that. It’s just so frustrating.
I wouldn’t really recommend this to anyone, but if you already own it and are thinking of reading it, as long as your expectations aren’t too high, I’d imagine you might enjoy it.
As an aside: if you, like me, have thought of giving this to your dad for Christmas some year: don’t. I am mortified now, considering the number of times Offerman discusses various forms of sex. I do think my dad appreciates more raunchy content than my mother would like in the house, so hopefully he at least got a kick out of it. But ooof, that’ll teach me to gift a book I haven’t read.
Recommend to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it show less
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Books recommended by Calgary Public Library staff
1,588 works; 4 members
Author Information
21+ Works 3,372 Members
Nick Offerman was born in Minooka, Illinois on June 26, 1970. He received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993. He is an actor, and carpenter. He is best known for the role of Ron Swanson in the NBC series Parks and Recreation. He has also appeared in several films including Miss Congeniality show more 2: Armed and Fabulous, The Men Who Stare at Goats, The Kings of Summer, and We're the Millers. He is the owner of the Offerman Woodshop, where he builds canoes and dining room tables. He released an instructional DVD in 2008 entitled Fine Woodstrip Canoe Building with Nick Offerman. His first book, Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living, was published in 2013 and made The New York Times Best Seller List in 2015. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living
- Original publication date
- 2013-10-01
- People/Characters
- Nick Offerman; Ron Swanson; Megan Mullally; Catherine Ann "Cathy" Offerman (nee Roberts, mother of Nick Offerman); Frederic Dames "Ric" Offerman (father of Nick Offerman); Laurie Offerman (show all 39); Raymond Offerman; Marilyn Dames Offerman; Mike Roberts; Eloise Roberts; Don Roberts; Michele "Aunt Micki" Roberts; Dan Roberts; Ryan Roberts; Wendell Berry; Joe Foust; Pat Roberts; Robin McFarquhar; Shozo Sato; Mike Shannon; Rob Ek; Steve Pickering; Keanu Reeves; Donald Gibb; Eddie Mekka (Carmine "The Big Ragu" Ragusa); Scott King; Debra Messing; Sean Hayes; James Burrows; Courtenay Valenti; Sandra Bullock; Amy Poehler; Rob Corddry; Jeff Bridges; Chris Pratt; John Cusack; Michael Schur; Greg Daniels; Adam Scott
- Important places
- Illinois, USA; Minooka, Illinois, USA; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA; Urbana, Illinois, USA; Jamaica (show all 10); Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, Illinois, USA; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA; Tokyo, Japan; Paris, France
- Epigraph
- A gentleman is someone who can play the accordion, but doesn't. --Tom Waits
- Dedication
- To Megan, my wife, cherry blossom, and legal property, who teaches me life every day.
And to her mother, Martha, who has taught us both beauty and humor. She also taught Megan class but got to me too late. - First words
- Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Where do I begin chapter 1?
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)At the end of the tale, I can't imagine you'd ever wonder why they call me the Lucky Bastard.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Don't while it away masturbatin' in the ditches.
Put yer tackle away and hitch up your britches.
Then provision your boat with several pork-pulled sandwiches.
Indulge in savory meatstuffs, paddle your own canoe. - Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 791.4502 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Movies, TV, Video Motion pictures, radio, television, podcasting Television
- LCC
- PN2287 .O275 .A3 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Dramatic representation. The theater Special regions or countries
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 1,155
- Popularity
- 21,649
- Reviews
- 39
- Rating
- (3.47)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 6