I Was a Bad Kid: True Tales of a Deceptive Child

by Ryan Zimmerman

I was a bad kid. I didn’t realize it at the time, however, now that I think about it I really was a bad kid. On the outside, I was just a boy from Kansas growing up in the 80s, trying to mousse my mullet to its fullest potential and tight roll my jeans like all the other cool kids. On the inside though, my brain worked like a maniacal tyrant, hell bent on getting whatever I wanted. I concocted crafty plans unseen from any other child my age and carried them out with incredible professionalism and finesse. Narrated by me, these are my personal stories in "I was a Bad The True Tales of a Deceptive Child."Be prepared to laugh as I share the details of how Huey Lewis made me call 911, or learn a lesson on how to get your friend’s girlfriend to kiss you instead. See just how much I tortured my poor mom’s cooking, and what scam I came up with in order to get a shiny new 8-bit Nintendo. Lastly, watch the chaos unfold and see how one simple afternoon caused me to completely destroy my parents’ living room—all due to some checkers and my best friend.It’s nostalgic. It’s fun. It’s hysterical. It’s "I was a Bad The True Tales of a Deceptive Child."

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor

48 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2011

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

The tales in this book are not of a 'bad kid', but of a normal mischievous young lad. The stories are ones that family members may get enjoyment out of relaying to friends and family, but outside of that, I couldn't help wondering why these tales are of any interest to anyone else AT ALL. There was nothing out of the ordinary, and these tales really weren't worthy of sharing and putting into a book. As I have read in other reviews here on Good Reads, they seem like a few random tales that don't fit together, that have been bundled together to form a book. Thankfully this was a fairly short read (less than an hour) as it's really not worth the time or effort.

[Candy Robosky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tales of the ordinary kid

While I applaud the author for putting his life out there, this book is nothing more than typical kid stuff. Nothing truly deceptive except for the title. I guess if being totally honest he was deceptive but not anymore than any other kid. He wasn't "bad" but ordinary. The stories were not all that funny. He got two stars, rounded up since I can't give 1.5 stars, just for having the guts to publish a book and getting people to read it.

[Amber Dawn]

Humor

This is wonderfully funny. Full of tales that remind me more of a kids show than anyone I knew from my childhood but still believable.

[Dave Buie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I Was a Bad Kid: True Tales of a Deceptive Child" by Ryan Zimmerman offers an unfiltered look into the tumultuous journey of a deceptive child who ultimately finds his way to redemption. This Kindle edition book provides readers with a candid and reflective glimpse into the author's troubled youth, exploring the circumstances and choices that led him down a path of deception, mischief, and, eventually, transformation.

Zimmerman's storytelling is engaging and relatable, drawing readers into his world from the first page. His writing style is straightforward and conversational, making it easy for readers to connect with his experiences and emotions. The author doesn't shy away from detailing his misdeeds, which range from minor pranks to more severe transgressions. This raw honesty allows readers to understand the complexities of his character and the external factors that contributed to his behavior.

One of this memoir's strengths is how Zimmerman weaves humor into his narrative. Despite the gravity of some of his actions, the author injects fun moments, reminding readers that even the "bad kid" had a sense of humor and a youthful spirit. These moments of humor provide a well-balanced perspective on his childhood, making the book enjoyable.

As the story unfolds, Zimmerman takes readers on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. His willingness to confront the consequences of his actions and take responsibility is a central theme in the book. Here, the narrative shines as readers witness the author's transformation from a deceptive child to a young adult grappling with his past and striving for a better future.

While "I Was a Bad Kid" is a captivating memoir, it does have a few minor shortcomings. The narrative's pacing sometimes feels uneven, with specific chapters delving into lengthy anecdotes while others seem rushed. Additionally, some readers may wish for a deeper exploration of the author's emotional and psychological struggles during his journey toward redemption.

"I Was a Bad Kid: True Tales of a Deceptive Child" by Ryan Zimmerman is an engaging and thought-provoking memoir that offers readers a glimpse into the complexities of a troubled youth's life.

Zimmerman's candid storytelling and ability to infuse humor into his narrative make this book enjoyable and relatable. While it has its pacing issues and could benefit from deeper introspection at times, it ultimately delivers a powerful message about resilience, redemption, and the enduring spirit of the human journey. This book is recommended for anyone who enjoys memoirs that explore the darker corners of a person's past while illuminating the path to personal growth and self-discovery.

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book proves what I have always suspected - lima bean phobia is directly related to the Y chromosome.

I can happily eat lima beans every day, but I've seldom met a man who would touch them. Apparently, American mothers and grandmothers have spent millions of woman-hours trying to force little boys to eat lima beans. If that effort had gone into finding a cure for cancer or working for disarmament or even making side-walk chalk drawings, the world would be a better place and grown men wouldn't wretch at the mention of a harmless vegetable.

This little book is simply the author's (probably exaggerated) memories of his boyhood. It's very uneven. Sometimes it's laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes it drags. If you grew up in the 1970's and 1980's you will probably enjoy his stories. I was already grown by then, so I saw no similarities with my childhood. It did impress on me that one of the few advantages of growing up in a big family is that the parents skip the "food wars." With a large brood, you just throw the food on the table and let them fight for it. The picky eater weakens and is ejected from the nest by the stronger fledglings. It's nature's way.

[Veronica Noechel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad little novelette, but as I've noted about similar books, the big question I'm left with is, "why are you telling me this?" I didn't feel like there was enough of a unifying theme to these anecdotes to make a cohesive book from them. As individual works of creative non-fiction, the stories weren't bad. The writing was clean and reasonably interesting, but the maddening thing was the teaser sentences referring to other, much more interesting sounding stories, that we're told are being saved for another book. What are they being saved for? Why not make this a better book and include them here? There's no point in hoarding your best work for something else. It makes the reader think, "well, why am I reading this book when all the good stories are somewhere else?"

[Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short collection of tales from the author's childhood. It was a cute and entertaining read. I will say I have never seen so many 80s references in one passage before, but it was spot-on in terms of accurately describing the times. It really took me back to a simpler time. I'm looking forward to the sequel he mentioned.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short but funny collection of stories of a mis-spent youth. Zimmerman reminds the reader about the joys and horrors of childhood from all the tricks one uses to get out of eating vegetables to passing notes in class and taping songs off the radio. Nostalgia reigns supreme, especially if you were a bad kid too.

[Meredith Kaupp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this as a free kindle book. If you were a kid in the 80's, you'll definitely be reminded Of some of your own hijinks. It was a more innocent time, though, and this "bad kid" seems pretty tame to me.

[Nakul Prabhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun filled book. It was really astonishing to find out that a kid put so many wicked ideas of his, into action to get the things he wanted. :) I myself could relate to a few of them. I did get such ideas in my childhood, but I never actually put them to action. :P

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really funny book that is full of nostalgia. Has some great laugh out loud moments. Was a very enjoyable read and took me back to some of my antics when I was younger. Too short though. The author says he has more material in the book but says he will write it in a sequel. I hope he does.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!! What a devilish child he was!!

[Deanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read with some funny parts

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny and fun read. Everyone should download it and read it by the pool this summer :)

[Janine Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really short but it made me laugh. If you grew up on the 80's it will mean more to you.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free Kindle books. Having grown up in the 80s the stories were fun to read.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. Definitely brings back some memories. Fun short read.

[Maryellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a funny story!

[Nadja Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny! I loved being brought back to the 80's and remembering all of my deceptive plots as a child. Highly recommended! :-)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short funny read. The stories jumped around a lot but in general was delightful.

[Telisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brought back lots of childhood memories

[Christa Franz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some of the stories reminded me of things from childhood, but it was not clear as to why the author shared the stories. They were really nothing out of the ordinary.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short book. The writing is a bit contrived, but funny and nostalgic, too. 10/4/13

[Kimberly Sinkovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY GOOD

I enjoyed this book VERY much. It made me laugh that's for sue. it also brought back memories :) Thanks for that !!

[melanie burgmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny read

Very funny. I could relate to his stories. Loved the songs referenced and the video games referenced. I laughed out loud throughout the book!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, and it was free on Amazon.