The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level by Chris Hardwick

Dec 08, 2012 Jenny Stanfield rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comedic-humour

Well, everyone who know me knows of my love for the Nerdist network and Chris Hardwick. He is hilarious, witty and an amazing host/interviewer.

This book is helpful in a number of ways - in fact, the ways that the book are divided into (Mind, Body, Time). I especially liked the list and explanation of the tools/software used during the book's writing and production (shout out to Evernote!)

I have to admit, I got a little annoyed at the CAPS LOCKS TO BE SUPER EMPHATIC thing that is peppered libera...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Maddy Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually listened to the unabridged audio version of this book The Nerdist Way read by the author and was impressed by both the knowledge and humor it contained. In fact, after listening to the audio book, I am certain that if I had read The Nerdist Way, I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much. Hardwick's writing style is conversational with lots of side notes, rabbit trails, and sarcasm, which translates much better via audio than the page in my opinion. Because of the wealth of informatio...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Kater Cheek rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't remember what enticed me to pick up this audiobook, except that I'm kind of a sucker for self-help books, and one that is designed to be used by "nerds" has a cute angle. I've never heard of Chris Hardwick, and am not familiar with any of the shows he brags about having been a part of, but I presume that most readers are fans of his. From what I gleaned from the book, he's a comedian and tv personality who also has a blog.

It must be daunting to write a self-help book, because there are s...more I can't remember what enticed me to pick up this audiobook, except that I'm kind of a sucker for self-help books, and one that is designed to be used by "nerds" has a cute angle. I've never heard of Chris Hardwick, and am not familiar with any of the shows he brags about having been a part of, but I presume that most readers are fans of his. From what I gleaned from the book, he's a comedian and tv personality who also has a blog.

It must be daunting to write a self-help book, because there are so many out there, and it's hard to add anything new. Hardwick's contribution is to borrow the concept of a character sheet from role playing games, and make one for yourself. That way, when you accomplish something, you can add it to your character sheet and feel a sense of accomplishment. In the book, he reminds you of this by saying "character size!" I didn't understand until like the 6th time he said it that he meant "these are things for your character sheet." Maybe it makes more sense in text.

I have to assume that most of the jokes worked better in text. In addition to the cringe-worthy habit of reading out urls (including the http://) he also reads out hashtags. I found this very annoying. He did say a couple of things that were funny (like the allegory of playing chess with an ape) but in general, most of his asides sounded like the random manic ravings of a 15-year-old who just drank a 6 pack of energy drinks. One of them, about the "Back To The Future" movies, made absolutely no sense. It seemed to just come out of left field. How did that make it past the editors?

I liked Hardwicks' idea of a character sheet, though I don't really think I'll use it. It's a valuable tool to have a running tally of your accomplishments, if for no other reason, so you can update your resume easily and have something to say at your annual review. Actually writing down your alignment is a little weird, since not only is the D&D alignment system skewed, but people's self-reported descriptions of their attributes can be highly subjective depending on the state at the time of recording. Eg. I'm prettier when I'm ovulating, I'm smarter when I'm well rested, and I'm stronger when I've had a good breakfast. Also, whom are you comparing yourself to? How do I decide how much xp something gives me? It's awfully subjective.

I didn't like Hardwick's focus on physical fitness. True, physical fitness is important, and he seems to be presuming that is main reader is a smart, physically under-developed brainiac who can quote from memory the stats of various spacecraft but wouldn't know Vitamin B-12 from a B52. I get it. But if you're trying to inspire people who respond to exercise like slugs do to salt, don't tell them how they have to hire a personal trainer and work out three to five times a week and how they have to have stretching and weight lifting and also cardiovascular fitness too, oh, and make sure you're getting a gazillion vitamins and 8 glasses of water and 10 servings of vegetables every day. Too much! I'm one of those annoying people who will happily discuss my exercise routine at the drop of a hat, but even I felt overwhelmed by Hardwicks' hard-sell. Just tell people to walk half an hour a day, and eat a piece of fruit a day. That's it. Exercise is pretty awesome, and it makes you feel better, and it has amazing anti-depressive properties, but telling people they have to do ALL THAT STUFF is going to turn everyone off. Once people start a little bit of exercise and eating right, the rest of it will follow.

Also, the exercise routines Hardwick includes in the book do not belong here. Not only does he lack the credentials to coach people, but there are many other books out there that do it better. It would have been better to just list a few suggested book or video titles. I skipped past all of the excercise description sections. BORING.

Some of his advice for getting your email and physical clutter into shape seemed useful, if a tad obvious, but Hardwick's career advice was so pointedly directed at a very specific type of freelancer that it didn't seem terribly useful to anyone not in his field.

If you like Hardwick's comedy, you might enjoy this for the entertainment value, and if you're a nerd who can't seem to get yourself motivated, the idea of giving yourself experience points for skills you improve or possess is charming. Otherwise, I can't say that Hardwick has much to offer the overglutted celebrit self-help sub-genre except for the usual ticket of entry "somewhat famous + repaired self-inflicted life-ruining problem."

It's not a bad self-help book for people with problems getting their act together. If you know this guy and think he's funny, this might be a help to get your life back together.(less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Claire rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, auto-biography, reference-how-to

Hmm. I would have given this a three if he'd left out his handful of sexist jokes which popped up like periodic road blocks saying, "Why are you giving this book your time?!" It's a fair question since it's another self-help book where the author's credentials are only his experiences.

My impression of Chris Hardwick from a few episodes I've seen of The Nerdist on BBC-A are that he is not sexist. I believe he was sincere when he wrote that he wants to help people feel better with his book.

Why the...more Hmm. I would have given this a three if he'd left out his handful of sexist jokes which popped up like periodic road blocks saying, "Why are you giving this book your time?!" It's a fair question since it's another self-help book where the author's credentials are only his experiences.

My impression of Chris Hardwick from a few episodes I've seen of The Nerdist on BBC-A are that he is not sexist. I believe he was sincere when he wrote that he wants to help people feel better with his book.

Why then include some sexist jokes? They feel like the jokes male comedians still feel compelled to tell if only to bond with each other. Or as a way to bond with other men in general. The various dick and balls jokes would fall in this realm too.

It would be easy to say I'm overreacting, but I bring it up because it made me feel that this book was aimed at male nerds rather than all nerds. Also the sexist jokes, and let me stress here that there were only about 5-10, were nonetheless off-putting and did not make me feel better. I leave that to Chris Hardwick to consider.

Intentional or unintentional sexism aside, there's quite a bit of value to the book. It's broken into three sections: Mind, Body, and Time. In them, Hardwick relays stories from his journey and shares his nerd-style approaches to changing from drifting, drunk chubster to successful, sober fit guy. I wasn't familiar with his past, so I found a lot of these back stories really interesting. He talks about aimlessness, panic attacks, and drinking among other things.

Though I grokked 95% of his nerdy references, I think his exercises (he calls them "charactercizes") favor people into RPGs. (His book is peppered with tasks to help the reader put his suggestions into action.)

I really enjoyed his interview with Trainer Tom in the Body section. There are even workouts with diagrams. They are actually described quite well.

My favorite thing from the book is, "Oh, lizard almonds! Won't you EVER learn?! Now, back to the cave with you, or I'll make you stare at yawning kitty videos for a half hour!" (For context, check out the grey box on page 40, hardcover edition.) It's in the Mind section which I found most useful with its tips to trick your brain into productivity and out of anger, anxiety, and the like.

For me, this book is very much a take what's useful and ditch the rest affair. What's useful will vary from nerd to nerd, but may make this book worth a look.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Good, and definitely written in the voice of Chris Hardwick, nerd extraordinaire, and a guy whose career I've been following since the early 90s. I give this book an A for effort but a B overall.

Personally, for me, the meat is in the first section, where I highlighted damn near everything. I kinda wish Chris had offered up the best weight loss advice I ever heard - do what works for you - but instead it was the same old obvious stuff I've always heard and which never helped me lose a pound. Yes,...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nerdist was a lot of fun to go through. I'd been listening to Hardwick's Nerdist podcast for quite a while, so his announcement of a productivity book felt like something I could make use of. One of the central points of the book is taking the laser-focus of the nerd brain and refocusing it on productive tasks.

Yes, we dedicate ourselves to learning all the races mentioned in Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars or Hitchhiker's Guide, but what if we could take that same energy and redirect it...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Jaime rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction

I generally don’t read self-help books, but I picked this up because I am a fan of Chris Hardwick. Hardwick, who some may recognize as being one of the hosts of MTV’s Singled Out way back in the 90s, spent much of his 20s partying, drinking, and generally ruining his life. What happened when he hit 30 is best expressed in his own words:

"Then, when I hit thirty, I began to look around at my life: I was consuming a baby elephant’s weight in alcohol EVERY DAY. I lived in a shitty apartment near UCL...more I generally don’t read self-help books, but I picked this up because I am a fan of Chris Hardwick. Hardwick, who some may recognize as being one of the hosts of MTV’s Singled Out way back in the 90s, spent much of his 20s partying, drinking, and generally ruining his life. What happened when he hit 30 is best expressed in his own words:

"Then, when I hit thirty, I began to look around at my life: I was consuming a baby elephant’s weight in alcohol EVERY DAY. I lived in a shitty apartment near UCLA … my place was always a mess, I had ruined my credit, and I had no real work prospects. I had become a thing I had always feared–the fat, drunk guy who used to be on television."

Hardwick quit drinking in 2003 and started trying to improve his life. Now he has multiple projects on the go, including a successful (and extremely entertaining) podcast, a new podcast network, and several TV gigs.

The secrets to Hardwick’s success aren’t anything new. Basically, he was able to harness his innate nature (his nerdiness, so to speak) and use it to his advantage. And that’s what this book is about.

His techniques aren’t going to appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy the quantitative over the qualitative, you may find some ideas here. In general, he is advocating identifying your goals and developing a way to track your progress in a visible way. He also talks a lot about how to deal with the generally obsessive "nerdist" brain, something which I could relate to. It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one who thinks the way you do. In the final section, he talks a lot about his diet and fitness, even providing a starter fitness plan that is modeled after what he has done with his trainer.

One thing you can’t forget is that Hardwick is a comedian. The tone of the book is funny and descriptive, even during the more serious parts.

All-in-all, I enjoyed the book, even if I won’t adopt some of the more time-consuming tracking techniques. However, there is one big ding against it. Hardwick spends a fair amount of time on the development of a "character tome" that is the heart of his goal-tracking technique. He sends readers to a web site for sample templates, but that website is not functional. We’re now almost 3 months after the release of the book, and that’s really not acceptable.

Good thing it’s hard to be mad at Hardwick for long.(less)

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Jan 06, 2012 Paul Lunger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Comic Chris Hardwick is probably the last person I would've thought of to write a self help book for nerds, but believe it or not it works. Across nearly 300 pages he dumbs down the idea of what it takes to succeed & puts it into a guide that is designed for those of us who may or may not be all that people smart. Each section focuses on a different area of the person from mind to body to time. What makes this even more unique is that he takes asks the reader to treat life as if it's a gigan...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Meghan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the idea of this book a whole lot. Hardwick's definition of "nerd" is right on: nerds are those with hyper-self-awareness, with minds that tend towards fixations. Obsessions. Whichever. Reading this book I was reminded of so many people I know, brilliant bright people with brilliant bright minds who are sometimes waylaid by their own processing speed. Hardwick's idea is to take the speed, to take the self-awareness, and to turn it into the asset. Like, I have all these awesome pointy kniv...more I like the idea of this book a whole lot. Hardwick's definition of "nerd" is right on: nerds are those with hyper-self-awareness, with minds that tend towards fixations. Obsessions. Whichever. Reading this book I was reminded of so many people I know, brilliant bright people with brilliant bright minds who are sometimes waylaid by their own processing speed. Hardwick's idea is to take the speed, to take the self-awareness, and to turn it into the asset. Like, I have all these awesome pointy knives! They are so pointy and they stay sharp for long periods of time! Should I stab myself with them, or should I stab the world? The book is about how to stab the world.

If you liked my pointy knife metaphor, you'll be way into this book. Because there's a lot of that. CONCEPT! FOLLOWED BY A CHEESEBALL METAPHOR! With lots of capital letters and dick jokes. Obviously I am into that! But sometimes it is exhausting. Also sometimes the book felt hastily written, as though it needed one more pass. For all his great ideas, Hardwick has a tendency to work off of the platform that if it worked for him, it'll work for you. And sometimes that's fine, sometimes you want a guy who's been through it to just point to the thing and say "THING! SOLUTION! STOP ARGUING WITH ME!" But sometimes I was just flat out shaking my head, in particular over the fitness chapter, which was bizarrely loaded with very specific information that I think is not all entirely true (or at least, information that is reported but still debated by science [eg. don't eat after Xpm or your body won't process it]).

Like most self-help books, it lends itself to a solid skim-read. Take what you need and leave what you don't. There's stuff in here that made me just light up, stuff I've already quoted about a hundred times to people. The chapters about anxiety and confidence are in particular really great. I learned some mind-tricks. I'm using 'em. And Hardwick writes in such a good, earnest, positive-but-not-saccharine way! I think that's rare and I think that's important. Glad I read it.

(less)

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Nov 19, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chris Hardwick is like the geeky big brother I never had, showing me where I'm headed in ten years if I keep thinking like I do. Not that I expect to be famous like him, but I hope to get to the point where I am consistently creating and publishing rather than just consuming geeky media. His advice was great reassurance that I'm on the right track, and his anecdotes made me feel better knowing that what I see as a personal burnout phase could have been so much worse.

The book is broken into thre...more Chris Hardwick is like the geeky big brother I never had, showing me where I'm headed in ten years if I keep thinking like I do. Not that I expect to be famous like him, but I hope to get to the point where I am consistently creating and publishing rather than just consuming geeky media. His advice was great reassurance that I'm on the right track, and his anecdotes made me feel better knowing that what I see as a personal burnout phase could have been so much worse.

The book is broken into three sections on taming your busy mind, taking care of your body, and time management. That technically makes it a self help book, but it is written by a standup comic/TV host so it doesn't sound like a self help book while you're reading it. Have you ever read a self help book that speculated as to whether the Doctor is of Chaotic Good or Neutral Good alignment? This is probably the first one to use the language of my generation's popular geek culture, and I'm glad I downloaded the Kindle version so I could digitally highlight and bookmark all the good bits into a browsable list.

The Mind section of the book explains how Hardwick thinks of his life like one long D&D game, complete with character tome to track his progress. Accountability and success tracking was something I've had trouble with, so his idea of making a table top roleplaying character sheet and hand drawn progress bars for your own real life To Do "quests" was a welcome piece of advice. I now keep a digital character tome on my iPad in an app called SketchpadHD that lets me both type and doodle notes.

I can't comment much on the Body section of the book as I have some personal health issues that make working out a more complicated issue than it is for most people. Hardwick presents some advice from his personal trainer plus descriptions of exercises from which Your Milage May Vary. I thought it was the weakest section of the book, but it DID inspire me to return to my yoga routine. And he makes a good point that consistency with a fitness habit is more important than how hard your workout is. Just stretching is better than no physical activity at all.

The Time [and money] Management section is not terribly new if you already read self help books, but it's all good advice and I thought Hardwick's story of how he got out of credit card debt was inspiring. And actually, the section about super villainy WAS new. I won't spoil it for you, but super villains are actually good role models in the right context.

I highly recommend this book to anyone geeky, anyone who likes to laugh, anyone burnt out on self help books, or anyone who has ever hated themselves even a little for just a moment. You need this book like you need a hug from the geeky big brother you never had.(less)

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Nov 15, 2011 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars

I know what you’re thinking. Why in the hell would I take self-help advice from the former co-host of MTV’s dating game show “Singled Out”? Well, fair point, but consider this. Shortly after the show ended, Hardwick fell onto hard times: alcoholism, weight gain, wrecked credit, inconsistent employment, and the kicker: he was working as an intern at “The Daily Show” when Jon Stewart told interview guest (and former “Singled Out” co-host) Jenny McCarthy that Hardwick was the guy who fetched everyo...more I know what you’re thinking. Why in the hell would I take self-help advice from the former co-host of MTV’s dating game show “Singled Out”? Well, fair point, but consider this. Shortly after the show ended, Hardwick fell onto hard times: alcoholism, weight gain, wrecked credit, inconsistent employment, and the kicker: he was working as an intern at “The Daily Show” when Jon Stewart told interview guest (and former “Singled Out” co-host) Jenny McCarthy that Hardwick was the guy who fetched everyone’s coffee. But now, Hardwick is sober, thinner, and can be found touring as a comedian, writing magazine articles for Wired, hosting several shows (including AMC’s “Taking Dead” and BBC America’s “The Nerdist”), and even writing and starring in Nickleodeon’s “Back at the Barnyard”. He’s also the driving force behind Nerdist Industries: a quickly growing collection of websites (including nerdist.com), podcasts, the aforementioned BBC America show, live stand-up shows in Los Angeles, and now a book, The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (in Real Life). Now are you curious to hear how he turned his life around?

I think we are all pretty familiar with the stereotypical nerd: D&D playing, anxiety prone, not in good physical shape, and over-thinker. He can beat all his video games. He can fix your computer. He has every action figure known to man. Hardwick wondered why a lot of these qualities lead to self-sabotage. Over-thinking leads to beating yourself up by replaying past mistakes over and over in your head. Anxiety can lead to panic attacks, which lead to increased anxiety, which lead to–you guessed it–more panic attacks. And well, the consequences of less than stellar health are pretty obvious.

So Hardwick wondered what if you could take these nerdy qualities of intense focus, obsessiveness, and intelligence and use them for self-improvement? Hardwick’s conclusion is that they can be used to create instead of destroy. And thus was born the concept of the “nerdist”: a creative nerd. The Nerdist Way is a list of tips and techniques to help nerds become nerdists.

The book is broken down into three areas: getting your mind right, getting your body right, and improving your productivity. The first part discusses ways to decrease anxiety and prevent panic attacks before they get going. He also lists ways to turn your mind outward so you can focus on your creative goals instead of beating yourself up.

The second part is a run-down of his health regimen. Hardwick includes his own before and after photos so you can see the effectiveness. This section is nothing new really, if you’ve picked up a few fitness books, but it does conveniently offer programs you can do in a gym, at home, and when travelling with only a couple pieces of equipment that fit in your carry-on.

The third part contains tips for getting your house in order financially and getting organized. I didn’t need the credit section (#humblebrag), but if you do, Hardwick outlines a solid credit-improvement plan. The organization tips are simple, and effective as well. Hardwick wants you to minimize stress and wasted time, so you’re free to not only do what you want, but also find ways to make those creative endeavours grow and reinforce one another.

It’s a quick read, rich in tips described using Hardwick’s humor and enthusiasm. The three parts may not hang together perfectly, but if you are able to incorporate even a few of them into your life, you will be better off for it. As Hardwick concludes his book, you will be ready to go out, try new things, face your fears, and become the nerdist you were always meant to be.

Full disclosure: I’m a Hardwick fan. I subscribe to his podcast; I’ve seen his live comedy; I DVR his shows. So I was predisposed to like the book. But the more I read it, the more I saw myself in it. Yes, I suffer from panic attacks. Yes, I mentally beat myself up all the time. And yes, while in graduate and law school, I put on a ton of weight I am only now shedding, years later. But I’ve already put some of his tips into practice. I was able to calm myself when I felt a panic attack coming on. I’ve become more driven and organized with my creative endeavors. And I’ve faced down the fear that comes with growth and risk. It’s exciting being a nerdist.(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 MissSusie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio, funny-stuff, non-fiction

This was surprisingly a very good self-help book; I am not saying that I didn’t think this book was going to be entertaining I just wasn’t sure that the advice he was going to give would be good. I am a big fan of Chris Hardwick and have been for awhile and even more so with his show the Talking Dead.

I really liked his nerdist way of self improvement I thought his advice for a character tome was great and XP points when you are on track, I thought this was a fun way to keep track of your success...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Whereismyrobot Purdin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I want a mini Chris Hardwick to sit on my shoulder and tell me everything is going to be okay! This book is a self-help book that brisks through all the self-help advice almost anyone could need; health, addiction, living your dreams, etc. (thought he does claim that he is no expert, but someone who has lived through these things.) I definitely related to Hardwick and it was a fun listen (I have it on audio. Thanks, audible.com!) I just started getting into Nerdist podcasts, so I will definitely...more

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Nov 23, 2011 India rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great chapter for obsessive over-thinkers: Dr. Xaviering Your Mind

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Apr 19, 2012 Andrew Wade rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am getting ever closer to my thirties. At twenty-seven I am legit in my late twenties and as such I am feeling the sudden pangs of "HOLY FUCK I AM GOING NO WHERE IN MY LIFE / I NEED TO DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE / I AM BECOMING A FAT SLOB / WHY AM I SUCH A LOSER?" And on and on. These questions harass me in all caps in my head and give me a mental headache which sometimes reduces me to tears. I have never been much of a self-help book fan. They give me the creeps, to be honest. Don't know why the...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chris Hardwick is like the geeky big brother I never had, showing me where I'm headed in ten years if I keep thinking like I do. Not that I expect to be famous like him, but I hope to get to the point where I am consistently creating and publishing rather than just consuming geeky media. His advice was great reassurance that I'm on the right track, and his anecdotes made me feel better knowing that what I see as a personal burnout phase could have been so much worse.

The book is broken into thre...more Chris Hardwick is like the geeky big brother I never had, showing me where I'm headed in ten years if I keep thinking like I do. Not that I expect to be famous like him, but I hope to get to the point where I am consistently creating and publishing rather than just consuming geeky media. His advice was great reassurance that I'm on the right track, and his anecdotes made me feel better knowing that what I see as a personal burnout phase could have been so much worse.

The book is broken into three sections on taming your busy mind, taking care of your body, and time management. That technically makes it a self help book, but it is written by a standup comic/TV host so it doesn't sound like a self help book while you're reading it. Have you ever read a self help book that speculated as to whether the Doctor is of Chaotic Good or Neutral Good alignment? This is probably the first one to use the language of my generation's popular geek culture, and I'm glad I downloaded the Kindle version so I could digitally highlight and bookmark all the good bits into a browsable list.

The Mind section of the book explains how Hardwick thinks of his life like one long D&D game, complete with character tome to track his progress. Accountability and success tracking was something I've had trouble with, so his idea of making a table top roleplaying character sheet and hand drawn progress bars for your own real life To Do "quests" was a welcome piece of advice. I now keep a digital character tome on my iPad in an app called SketchpadHD that lets me both type and doodle notes.

I can't comment much on the Body section of the book as I have some personal health issues that make working out a more complicated issue than it is for most people. Hardwick presents some advice from his personal trainer plus descriptions of exercises from which Your Milage May Vary. I thought it was the weakest section of the book, but it DID inspire me to return to my yoga routine. And he makes a good point that consistency with a fitness habit is more important than how hard your workout is. Just stretching is better than no physical activity at all.

The Time [and money] Management section is not terribly new if you already read self help books, but it's all good advice and I thought Hardwick's story of how he got out of credit card debt was inspiring. And actually, the section about super villainy WAS new. I won't spoil it for you, but super villains are actually good role models in the right context.

I highly recommend this book to anyone geeky, anyone who likes to laugh, anyone burnt out on self help books, or anyone who has ever hated themselves even a little for just a moment. You need this book like you need a hug from the geeky big brother you never had.(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, humorous-writing, self-help

I didn't pick this up intending to get anything out of it besides some laughs from Chris Hardwick. He is the only reason I picked up this book. I like him on Talking Dead, which I stumbled on after getting hooked on The Walking Dead. Thank you, The Walking Dead! You have introduced me to one of my new favorite people.

I have probably never read a self-help book in my life. I've never felt like I needed one. But I appreciated many of the thoughts and advice offered in this book, and I ended up buy...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Rob Kaas rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's too early to tell if the system put forth in this book will actually help improve my quality of life (I've only just started), but I can say that it is an incredibly fun read. Hardwick has a way of pointing things out in a tone of voice that is funny and helpful, but also very informative. Not once while reading this book did I feel like he didn't provide me with enough information on a topic, even at points where the sections were rather short, he offers resources (other books that go more...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

I should start out by warning that I have a small celebrity crush on Mr. Hardwick, therefore, my review will be slightly biased. That being said, I will try to control myself and write a fair review.

This book is essentially a self-help for nerds, though the main points can be helpful to anyone. The difference with this book is that he addresses everything through a nerdy point of view...from the aspect of a person that was likely bullied as a kid, obsesses over video games, TV shows, sci-fi, fa...more

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Mar 03, 2013 C.C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

I wanted to love this book. I'm a fan of all things Nerdist, but for a few reasons, this book left me disappointed. One reason is that I don't care for Hardwick's writing style. He writes exactly like he speaks on hi podcast, so it comes across as authentically Hardwick, but, as is often the case, something gets lost in the translation from spoken humor to written. A second issue I had is that Hardwick, often seems to lose sight of the metaphors he has constructed. He switches into sup-metaphors...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I never heard of Chris Hardwick before seeing reviews here on good-old-goodreads, but being as I am an older female version of a nerd who is going through a particularly frustrating period of disenfranchisement and general malaise, I thought this book might speak to me. It does, on many levels. I fully understand his description of the nerd as being a hyper-aware, obsessive with an ongoing inner monologue and addictive tendencies. Check, check, check and check. These attributes can lead to a ver...more I never heard of Chris Hardwick before seeing reviews here on good-old-goodreads, but being as I am an older female version of a nerd who is going through a particularly frustrating period of disenfranchisement and general malaise, I thought this book might speak to me. It does, on many levels. I fully understand his description of the nerd as being a hyper-aware, obsessive with an ongoing inner monologue and addictive tendencies. Check, check, check and check. These attributes can lead to a very rich inner life, but the message of his book is that you can use them to break out and live a rich outer life as well, and, more importantly, feel that it is deserved. He also addresses anxiety and panic and the ever narrowing of the world that accompanies such obsessive fears as claustrophobia plaguing the nerd psyche, and offers very constructive and helpful advice regarding this phenomena.

On the whole, I like his message and I see his book as a sincere and honest attempt to connect nerds with the world as he emphasizes their/our social and personal value. He recounts several stories of oppression (which is what it is) from his own life that are highly relate-able and suggests that these events are the things that make nerds stronger and more viable. His strategies are interesting and I think probably quite effective if you put them into practice.

He advises physical health and fitness, a message that is imperative to those of the nerdist bent. He points out, quite rightly, that one can be a nerd and also be healthy and good looking. I loved his description of the most common nerd physique: "Nerds slouch, they won't look you in the eye, they stare at the floor mostly, and they seem to be on a mission to wrap their entire bodies around the center of their chests." His suggestions regarding getting into good physical condition are important and the pictures of himself (particularly the before and after) are inspiring. I'm sure that his grade eight dream hottie, Michelle Carter, now wishes she had been a lot nicer to him back then.

I found it interesting and fun to read, although being a female mid-twentieth century nerd is a far cry from 21st century nerdism, and some of his references and advice didn't speak to me personally, but you can't be all things to all people. I was not a big fan of the caps-lock expressive style of writing, but once again, I'm not the target audience. All, in all a good book and important to the niche which has long been overlooked. (less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, social-commentary, self-help

This book definitely spoke to me. I liked the "character tome" idea as laying out goals and "stats" is very effective for me. As a girl who's played a lot of RPGs and obsessed over fulfilling tasks and completing and gaining levels, applying that to my life appealed to me. It made it seem really fun too!

So far as gaining control over anxiety, health, and finance issues, I think Hardwick gives lots of good advice. He's done his research and makes acquiring information and changing habits accordin...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Cassandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

RATING: 3.8

I will start this review with the disclaimer that I am a SUCKER for self-help books. I'm not necessarily a self-help junkie, but it serves to inspire me and force me to think about my life, whether or not I agree with the 'self-help' being offer.

Anyway, I enjoyed Hardwick's nerdy self-help book. It didn't break new ground and much of the advice (goal-setting, basic fitness and nuition, self-esteem boosting, etc) is run-of-the-mill, but his approach was perfectly nerdtastic. His goal s...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-books

Very entertaining book - Chris is definitely a smart/funny guy. I think this really deserves 3.5 stars... why cant you enter half stars? That really frustrates me...

Anyway, definitely an interesting (i.e. very nerdy) approach to the self-help book. He definitely provides some good insights/recommendations/guiding principles but the RPG-style "character tome" idea was a little much for me (even though I am a pretty big nerd).

As I said, very entertaining overall and worth a listen (I "read" this a...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book turned out to be a self help book. Not necessarily a bad thing since the guy who wrote it gets paid to play with gadgets, go to Comic-Con and even dated Lisa Loeb. Threes things I've strived to do at some point in my life. So he's probably worth listening too. Sadly, Chris is also a bit of a go getter and I was disappointed to learn he's accomplished all he has without sitting on his couch playing video games and stuffing his face with Cheetos all day. This book has some sound tips an...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Craig Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an excellent self-help book for those of the nerdy persuasion. I would not recommend it, though, for just anybody - it's written by a nerd FOR nerds. Trust me - if you're one of those people that says "I'm kind of a nerd" because you play Call of Duty sometimes, or Mario Kart, then pass this book, because reading it will only make you realize one thing: you are not as nerdy as you thought. In fact, you're quite boring. Go read a book on being less boring.

Anyway, Hardwick draws from his...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think I thought this would be more memoire, less advice, but basically this is a straight-up self-help book. Not what I expected, but a good read nonetheless. Chris Hardwick has a really specific voice/point-of-view even if I don't totally buy the "I'm really a nerd" thing from a guy who looks like that and used to be huge on MTV. Regardless, he definitely did fall from grace and could have ended up another celebrity has-been, but instead he turned his life around through some really simple (y...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

I liked this quite a bit. I do like Chris Hardwick, even though I got a little burned out on the Nerdist podcast for a while when they went through a big growth spurt with the tv show etc. So, I found some of his jokes and stuff pretty funny - the tone was consistent with the podcast, so if you don't like that, then don't bother.

Nothing terribly groundbreaking in terms of self-help in this book, but reiterated some good basic foundational pieces. I did pick up some new perspectives and tips tha...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I first started reading Chris’s self-help book for nerds, I thought, “no! he’s stolen my idea for the Gamer’s Guide for Real Life!” Then I realized that there was room for both on the shelf. Chris Hardwick, known for being the host of Web Soup , the Nerdist podcast and now the Nerdist channel on Youtube, lays down more swearwords than an HBO special. His book caters to men, not in a bad way, just in a way that made me feel like I was intruding on a talk he was having with some dudes. He has...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of the Nerdist podcast, which is hosted by Chris Hardwick, the author of this book. The book is a humorous self-help book aimed at nerds. When I say it is humorous I mean that it is written in an engaging and amusing style. It still contains a plethora of useful information particularly for anyone who really is in need of some self-help. The book is broken up into three sections focusing on Mind, Body, and Time. In each Hardwick shares stories from his own life along with advice o...more

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title link	preview: The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level
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