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Me, Myself & Bob: A True Story about Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables
by
Phil Vischer
This is a story of dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. With trademark wit and heart, Phil Vischer shares how God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.
Larry. Bob. Archibald. These VeggieTales stars are the most famous vegetables you'll ever eat. O
...morePaperback, 260 pages
Published
February 5th 2008
by Thomas Nelson Publishers
(first published January 9th 2007)
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One thing that took me by surprise was how funny the first couple of chapters were, I guess I was thinking that it might be a little depressing, due to the nature of where the company ended up. I had heard bits of and pieces of Phil Vischer's story, but hadn't heard the whole story, and so I was anxious to read this book. This book was inspiring, I was amazed at what really went into Veggie Tales and how it all started to come together, where they got their ideas, it was all so fascinating. I...more
This is story of the rise and fall of Big Idea Productions, the company behind our beloved VeggieTales, and the lessons its founder Phil Vischer learned from the experience. If you were raised on VeggieTales like me (the "I Can Be Your Friend" song is stuck in my head as I type this) you'll appreciate the references to the creation of familiar characters and plots. If you're new to the world of Bob & Larry, you'll still enjoy the saga of a man building his company and the journey it to...more
I have enjoyed the Veggie Tale movies from almost the beginning of Big Idea. It was so refreshing, as a Christian, to view fresh, creative and top quality programming. And though I was already an adult and didn't yet have kids when Bob and Larry first entered my life, I absolutely loved them (blue slushies away!!!). I was quite shocked to find out a couple of years ago that the original Big Idea company had come to a demise and that Phil Vischer was no longer in charge (we had noticed some di...more
I'm a huge fan of VeggieTales, and this autobiography of its creator, Phil Vischer, explains the inception, rise, and fall of its company, Big Idea. I have to admit, I wasn't all that crazy about the book at first. While there were some interesting bits of information (like how he met his wife Lisa, "Larry" voice Mike Nawrocki, and composer Kurt Heinecke), a lot of the first half of the book was filled with technical details that made my eyes glaze over. The author also comes off as a ...more
I downloaded a sample of this book months ago after hearing Vischer on the radio (Focus on the Family?). I was completely unaware of all the troubles the Big Idea company had, and when they mentioned his book I knew I wanted to read it.
I am not usually a big fan of biographies, but every now and then the mood strikes me. This particular biography was great for me. It was short(ish) and definitely sweet. Vischer writes with such an ease the reader can't help but be swept along.
...more
I am not usually a big fan of biographies, but every now and then the mood strikes me. This particular biography was great for me. It was short(ish) and definitely sweet. Vischer writes with such an ease the reader can't help but be swept along.
...more
After reading this book, Phil Vischer's one of my heroes! Insightful, humorous, wise...and totally relatable. I grew up on Veggietales, and I think it's something that strengthened my faith. I can still sing the songs and remember the lessons..."God made you special, and He loves you verrry much!" This was a great behind-the-scenes story to Phil Vischer and Veggietales. He shares his struggle with realizing how to serve God, even through failures and letdowns. A lot of times, people wh...more
Joanne
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Joanne by:
Chris
Shelves:
non-fiction,
ignite-ames-2011-talk
Vischer is the creative force behind VeggieTales, which I adore and which tanked as a company shortly after they released Jonah. This is his story of how he got interested in animation, how the company got started, how the company failed, and what he learned through it all. Vischer's over-riding question is: if you're doing what you think God wants you to do, how can God let you fail? The last two chapters are most evocative of this question and Vischer's answer to it.
The book's ...more
The book's ...more
I've always loved Veggietales (PJ and I used to hire them even before we had kids ;-). I just counted the number of Veggietales DVD's/videos we own... 14. A few years ago I heard the rumour that Veggietales had gone into liquidation, that everything had hit the fan, and had wondered why God allowed it to happen. This book explains why.
It is excellent, and I believe it is a 'must read' for anyone who has had big dreams for God... started to see them come to pass, only to see them fall...more
It is excellent, and I believe it is a 'must read' for anyone who has had big dreams for God... started to see them come to pass, only to see them fall...more
What a fantastic book!! Vischer is, surprise, a really great writer and the story of his failures is so heartbreaking and yet inspiring. It's wonderful to see a Christian rise above his failures and how the world measures his success to focus on how God views him. The last three chapters alone are so wonderfully insightful into what God wants from us. He doesn't want us to be a worldly success, although that might be part of His plan. He wants us to be wholly and perfectly reliant on Him!!! He w...more
I expected nothing less than very entertaining writing from the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer. He delivers.
His story is full of his beliefs and faith, trust in God and a desire to change the world for God's sake. He wanted to be the Christian Disney, bringing kids to Him through entertainment.
This story is also an explanation of the rise and fall of his company, Big Idea.
As a huge Veggie Tales fan, it was good for me to understand why a seemingly successful company cou...more
His story is full of his beliefs and faith, trust in God and a desire to change the world for God's sake. He wanted to be the Christian Disney, bringing kids to Him through entertainment.
This story is also an explanation of the rise and fall of his company, Big Idea.
As a huge Veggie Tales fan, it was good for me to understand why a seemingly successful company cou...more
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I like this book for a number of reasons. One is that, as a business lawyer and law professor, I find the saga of the demise of Big Idea very interesting. Another is the Vischer's witty and honest self-reflection and confession about the meltdown of Big Idea. I gave the book 4 stars because I would disagree with many of his theological conclusions, but would still highly recommend the book. I would expecially recommend it to Christian business lawyers and law students. It demonstrates the n...more
This is a fascinating look into the story not only of Phil Vischer's life, but of the rise and fall of Big Idea Productions. It answered a lot of questions for me about how the company got off track, why they drowned the market with Veggie Tales products, and how something that seemed unbelievably successful could come crashing down. You have to read all the way to the end, however, to discover the redemptive lessons which Phil Vischer learns about himself and God's purposes for his life or you...more
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I loved this book but I think I loved it because I love Veggie Tales so much. It was so interesting to find out all that went into Larry and Bob and the morals behind the project. I found myself so sad that it all came tumbling down. I remember when Jonah came out in the theatres specifically saying to my husband I wanted to go see it in the big theatre because I wanted them to get my money. I think that is the only time I have thought such a thing. I love that Phil has looked for the posit...more
My youngest kids grew up with Dave and the Giant Pickle and Madame Blueberry. They were wonderful videos with messages every parent would be happy with. I always wondered what became of VeggieTales.
This book, written by the founder of VeggieTales, is a nice read. Mr. Vischer does a great job of describing how VeggieTales came to be, as well as how things ended up going wrong. He maintains a nice level of humor throughout the book....even through the parts that muct have been ha...more
This book, written by the founder of VeggieTales, is a nice read. Mr. Vischer does a great job of describing how VeggieTales came to be, as well as how things ended up going wrong. He maintains a nice level of humor throughout the book....even through the parts that muct have been ha...more
Surprisingly engrossing and inspirational. Whenever I thought Phil was getting a little too full of himself (hey, I'll admit it, he is holier than I am, but does he need to rub my face in it?), he brought the ego balloon back down again with an analysis of how he screwed up. (Big Idea, the home of VeggieTales, went bankrupt, and this book details the story of the rise and fall of what really was a Christian ministry aimed at kids and families.) If you're familiar at all with VeggieTales, this is...more
Wendy
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Christians, VeggieTales fans, everyone
This book was different than I expected, but I ended up loving it! I didn’t know the story behind VeggieTales; I loved to see Phil Vischer’s natural sense of humor – this guy is hilarious!! – to relate to his growing up in the 80’s, and to gain insight into not only his, but all of our’s relationship with God.
I thought there were some very poignant and profound thoughts in here. Though near the end I became a bit depressed reading about so great a failure of so great an idea, there ...more
I thought there were some very poignant and profound thoughts in here. Though near the end I became a bit depressed reading about so great a failure of so great an idea, there ...more
Great story telling with inspirational lessons at the end.
I do love VeggieTales. Of all the videos my kids watch, I would rather have them watch VeggieTales. I had an ah-ha moment about grace and the Atonement while watching VeggieTales the Movie back in 2004. My sons (then 4 and 2) also learned about mercy and compassion through Jonah. My older son in younger years would cry out in the middle of a tantrum, and its consequence of time out in his room: "I want mercy". ...more
I do love VeggieTales. Of all the videos my kids watch, I would rather have them watch VeggieTales. I had an ah-ha moment about grace and the Atonement while watching VeggieTales the Movie back in 2004. My sons (then 4 and 2) also learned about mercy and compassion through Jonah. My older son in younger years would cry out in the middle of a tantrum, and its consequence of time out in his room: "I want mercy". ...more
Like Veggie Tales? Have a dry sense of humour? Are you a computer nerd or a business person? Wonder how "Christian" companies are run? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then this book is for you.
Phil Vischer's true tale of how he came to build - and bust - his Veggie Tales empire is alternately funny, painful, and thought-provoking. He takes us through each step along his journey of making his dream of telling computer-animated, wholesome and Bible-...more
Phil Vischer's true tale of how he came to build - and bust - his Veggie Tales empire is alternately funny, painful, and thought-provoking. He takes us through each step along his journey of making his dream of telling computer-animated, wholesome and Bible-...more
Just then, something happened that could go down in history as one of those pivotal moments - those providential, existential occurences that hold winthin them the potential to change the course of humanity: My wife walked by. She walked by the spare bedroom, looked in, noticed her husband playing with a computer-generated candy bar, and uttered thos immortal, life-giving words: "You know, moms are going to be mad if you make their kids fall in love with a candy bar."...more
That's w
I would give this more than five stars if I could. Phil somehow manages to make computer programs and business interesting (of course I've always had an interest in animation, not that it's anything I want to do). So there's interesting facts about making the VeggieTales (such as 'Why Veggies?'), you get an idea of what it's like to build and lose a company, and there are several important lessons learned on the way. I found this a very entertaining and inspiring read all the way through.
I loved this book so much. I watch VeggieTales with my daughter (2) all the time, and I really appreciated getting to know what went on behind the scenes. My heart broke for Phil Vischer, but there was such a valuable lesson to be learned in his story. I loved his writing style and felt like he was sitting right there talking to me. It felt a lot like the series itself - welcoming and friendly, with a very important message to get across (of course, this book is geared towards a much older crowd...more
I love Phil Vischer, what a wonderful man! His story is amazing, although he places a little too much blame on Big Idea's downfall on others...but then makes it up by blaming the whole thing on himself in an ending chapter. After Big Idea was sold, I really think VeggieTales went downhill. Just goes to show the genius is not always the winner. Vischer's new endeavor is JellyTelly.com, and it's AWESOME! We particularly like Dr. Schniffenhousen "Isn't that amazing?!"
I thought this was going to merely a fun read. Well! This is a great book on business, too. The first 3/4ths is very entertaining but gets more and more serious. Then the final chapters really pack the punch because you have lived through his business failing. He took seriously that God might have major lessons for him in it all. I highly recommend this book to even those who don't like VeggieTales.
As a child of the VeggieTale generation, this is a fascinating look inside the man and the company who created it. Vischer's insights into his own life, his parents marriage and his business are invaluable, never mind the fact that it is hilarious.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to go into business, but especially those who are looking to run a Christianity-based business.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to go into business, but especially those who are looking to run a Christianity-based business.
This book is written by the guy who conceptualized the popular Christian children's series Veggie Tales. It is an interesting glimpse into his creative & entrepreneurial mind. It is also the story of how even big, successful companies can fail, and why. You don't have to like Veggie Tales, or even be familiar with it to understand the book.
What an interesting and inspiring book! I happened to pick this up last minute for something to read while Charlie had his skating lesson, and what a pleasant surprise! I could not put it down!This is the story of the man behind Veggietales. I would recommend this to any Christian reader or business owner.
It was really interesting to go through his travels of founding Big Idea, but it has kind of ruined VeggieTales for me. I don't like knowing about the struggles to produce it, I just want to enjoy it without all that added background knowledge. Still...he writes well and it was insightful and a good read.
This.book.was.awesome! I learned a lot, there was a lot of 'meat' behind the veggies. Nuff said, till my book club buddies and I talk.
I love everything Wendy said about the book! As I read the book, I posted my tidbits, because like Jana said, I knew I would forget! But one of the lasting points from this book was at the end when Phil talks about the name of his new company, Jellyfish. He compares us to jellyfish, in that they cannot move without being compelled by their surro...more
I love everything Wendy said about the book! As I read the book, I posted my tidbits, because like Jana said, I knew I would forget! But one of the lasting points from this book was at the end when Phil talks about the name of his new company, Jellyfish. He compares us to jellyfish, in that they cannot move without being compelled by their surro...more
I appreciated this humble journey through amazing ups and downs in a highly competitive market. Mr. Vischer shares openly about his successes and failures and the value of lessons learned. After reading I sure ended up with an even deeper appreciation of the beloved Veggie Tales.
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