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The All Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man: A memoir.
It’s a different kind of memoir. Hilarious. Troublesome. Risky. Introspective. Revealing. And so wonderfully… human.Brought to you by the author of the widely-acclaimed Single Dad Laughing and Dan Pearce Knows Nothing blogs.
The All-Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man will make you laugh as often as it makes you squirm (in all the right ways) as Dan shares his sidesplitting life stories, moments of incredible stupidity, colossal mistakes, and the awesome (albeit sometimes strange) lessons learned through it all.
This engaging collection of narratives shines a light on some of the most difficult and most liberating dynamics of the human experience. Dan recounts awkward childhood love, getting his bare butt glued to a log in the woods, setting his family’s house afire, ungloriously handling his first set of knockers, being ratted-out by his child, moments of douchey self-importance, and many other fantastic stories which will keep you flipping pages with wild abandon. Odd religious mandates, betrayal, childhood bullying, a struggle to feel lovable, morbid obesity, self-harm, family and societal pressure, relationship struggles, compulsive dishonesty, dealing with infidelity…
All of it led, and often in such comical ways, toward getting healthy and eventually accepting and loving himself as the overly ridiculous, always-faulted, usually-laughing, human he is.
The All-Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man will make you laugh as often as it makes you squirm (in all the right ways) as Dan shares his sidesplitting life stories, moments of incredible stupidity, colossal mistakes, and the awesome (albeit sometimes strange) lessons learned through it all.
This engaging collection of narratives shines a light on some of the most difficult and most liberating dynamics of the human experience. Dan recounts awkward childhood love, getting his bare butt glued to a log in the woods, setting his family’s house afire, ungloriously handling his first set of knockers, being ratted-out by his child, moments of douchey self-importance, and many other fantastic stories which will keep you flipping pages with wild abandon. Odd religious mandates, betrayal, childhood bullying, a struggle to feel lovable, morbid obesity, self-harm, family and societal pressure, relationship struggles, compulsive dishonesty, dealing with infidelity…
All of it led, and often in such comical ways, toward getting healthy and eventually accepting and loving himself as the overly ridiculous, always-faulted, usually-laughing, human he is.
330 pages, Paperback
Published November 12, 2015
3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Dan Pearce
19 books110 followersDan Pearce is an American-born author, photographer, and artist, most widely known for his world-popular blog Single Dad Laughing, where he wrote and shared content for millions of daily subscribers for more than a decade.
Dan Pearce's book "The All-Important Well-Fed Giant White Man" is a beloved memoir full of life stories and lessons.
He is also the author of the book The Real Dad Rules which has hit #1 in Fatherhood on Amazon.com multiple times.
He has been featured in large publications and editorial pieces and has appeared on national and morning television programs and national radio shows.
His most notable blog entries include:
16 Ways I Blew My Marriage
I'm Christian Unless You're Gay
The Disease Called "Perfection"
You just broke your child. Congratulations.
Dan Pearce writes on topics that span from fatherhood, to relationships, to life, to the people and dynamics of society.
Dan Pearce's book "The All-Important Well-Fed Giant White Man" is a beloved memoir full of life stories and lessons.
He is also the author of the book The Real Dad Rules which has hit #1 in Fatherhood on Amazon.com multiple times.
He has been featured in large publications and editorial pieces and has appeared on national and morning television programs and national radio shows.
His most notable blog entries include:
16 Ways I Blew My Marriage
I'm Christian Unless You're Gay
The Disease Called "Perfection"
You just broke your child. Congratulations.
Dan Pearce writes on topics that span from fatherhood, to relationships, to life, to the people and dynamics of society.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 1, 2017
Dan’s look back on his life is so much more than a mere retelling of the events that has shaped him to become the person he is today. The All-Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man (aka Dan Pearce); put careful thought into the pieces of his past and in turn himself, to share for all the world to read.
While I may not have shared some… okay, many of his personal experiences, I had a really hard time not placing myself in his (very large) shoes. His recounts are vivid and, his words wise, and the lessons he took from each situation were impact-full. And in true SDL (Single Dad Laughing) style it is humorous and entertaining; dead to the world hooked on the story much the same effect as when I read an enthralling work of non-fiction. Dan’s natural affinity for story telling is showcased spectacularly in The All-Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man.
Through some of HIS most private, embarrassing and intimate moments I found myself finally able to put words to the lessons I have learned in life. Finally being able to have actual words for the things I have learned means that I can apply them. Hell, Dan Pearce nearly force fed me realization and an epiphany.
I can attest to the claims made on the back of the book – or in the books description on retailer sites. This memoir is unlike any I have ever read. It is unique, and humble, and very easy to relate to.
I strongly believe that anyone who reads this autobiography will walk away with a better understanding of not only the Author, but themselves as well.
While I may not have shared some… okay, many of his personal experiences, I had a really hard time not placing myself in his (very large) shoes. His recounts are vivid and, his words wise, and the lessons he took from each situation were impact-full. And in true SDL (Single Dad Laughing) style it is humorous and entertaining; dead to the world hooked on the story much the same effect as when I read an enthralling work of non-fiction. Dan’s natural affinity for story telling is showcased spectacularly in The All-Important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man.
Through some of HIS most private, embarrassing and intimate moments I found myself finally able to put words to the lessons I have learned in life. Finally being able to have actual words for the things I have learned means that I can apply them. Hell, Dan Pearce nearly force fed me realization and an epiphany.
I can attest to the claims made on the back of the book – or in the books description on retailer sites. This memoir is unlike any I have ever read. It is unique, and humble, and very easy to relate to.
I strongly believe that anyone who reads this autobiography will walk away with a better understanding of not only the Author, but themselves as well.
April 7, 2023
I've known his writing since Single Dad Laughing and how he has allowed himself to grow and evolve is inspiring. Our worlds collide in many ways, raised in the same area, same religion, similar traumatic issues to work through. I think he says it best at the end of his book that he has learned to look at his life and stories (and wow the stories!) with introspection and humor and THAT is what makes them become building blocks instead of ways to make higher walls. I wish I was friends with him. I think we'd get along well. I am thrilled that he has used his voice because we don't hear enough from the men in the world in these spaces and he does it fantastically.
March 4, 2019
This book was disappointing. There were some interesting and humorous bits early on, but it gradually turned into a bit of a "preachy" tome centered around the women he'd loved and slept with. I'm not an author, however, I think it's fair to expect that an author would know his/her expected audience and write with some level of understanding or expectation of how what is being written will be received. Most of us are generally unlikely to be receptive to love definition and/or advice being preached at us from a twice divorced single person.
November 23, 2015
First if all, let me say that I read this book right on the heels of reading(or listening to, since Audible is my new best friend) Lena Dunham's NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL. Like Lena, Pearce is unapologetic in his honesty and said all the blunt, ridiculous things we have all thought but felt we were too weird to admit. Turns out, we are all "weird" and we have all said things we are not proud of or been in situations that we regret and wish we could take back. By admitting the less than perfect situations he's been in, whether they were funny, painful, or completely off the wall, Pearce showed us that we just need the bravest weirdo to speak up first so the rest of us don't feel so alone in our weirdness.
I loved how each chapter had a moral, or a lesson he learned, at the end of it like a vintage He-Man episode. Regardless of the situation, we can learn something about ourselves: how we treat people, how we treat ourselves, and who we want to be as people. He is raw and honest and gritty and hilarious. He was genuine in his self reflection. Good or bad he was honest. Something else I loved about this book(Let's face it, I loved a LOT about this book, if not everything) was by reading about his experiences and how each one shaped him, it caused me to do my own self reflection and analyze situations in my own life more deeply: what I learned from an embarrassing encounter, how each of my relationships impacted me and what I learned from each person(which is not something I've done before). I have analyzed my own behavior or someone else's but I had never really thought about what I learned from the relationship itself(this odd for me since I was a psych minor in college). I had never thought about learning a lesson from an embarrassing encounter, either with myself or with someone else, only that I was being stupid, but Pearce shows us you can take something away from any situation. A favorite quote from it was, " I learned that we each need to examine everything we have been taught is right or wrong and decide whether we actually believe it's right or wrong , or if someone else's beliefs are dictating our guilt to us." We really simple, yet profound, way of saying don't drink the Kool-Aid if you don't like the flavor. One chapter really kicked me in the feels. It wasn't a punch, but a kick. He told the story about when he found out his wife was having an affair. He admitted that it wasn't just her that was at fault, but that he played a part in it, too, and being human and flawed enough to admit it. He cut himself open and displayed his flaws and how he chose to self examine and lay down his pride to do so. This chapter was particularly hard for me because I was in a similar situation(but roles were reversed) so it felt like I was being given a big hug and felt completely understood because he was saying what I'd be thinking and feeling.
I have also never laughed so hard in my entire life(not exaggerating) while reading a book. Snorting, chuckling, giggling, all happened in the span of reading this book. I think my favorite funny line was, "...as a fat guy who looked at exercise the same way Bob Ross probably looks at skateboarding...". I won't give specfics on stories because I want whomever decided to read this book to be surprised.
Pearce was completely honest and candid and raw and said what he wanted to say regardless of it being popular or normal. I can honestly say I've never read another book like it and if he writes another I will greedily snatch it up. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, but a letter from a friend I hadn't seen in a while and we were catching up, which is exactly how a great book should make you feel.
*I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I loved how each chapter had a moral, or a lesson he learned, at the end of it like a vintage He-Man episode. Regardless of the situation, we can learn something about ourselves: how we treat people, how we treat ourselves, and who we want to be as people. He is raw and honest and gritty and hilarious. He was genuine in his self reflection. Good or bad he was honest. Something else I loved about this book(Let's face it, I loved a LOT about this book, if not everything) was by reading about his experiences and how each one shaped him, it caused me to do my own self reflection and analyze situations in my own life more deeply: what I learned from an embarrassing encounter, how each of my relationships impacted me and what I learned from each person(which is not something I've done before). I have analyzed my own behavior or someone else's but I had never really thought about what I learned from the relationship itself(this odd for me since I was a psych minor in college). I had never thought about learning a lesson from an embarrassing encounter, either with myself or with someone else, only that I was being stupid, but Pearce shows us you can take something away from any situation. A favorite quote from it was, " I learned that we each need to examine everything we have been taught is right or wrong and decide whether we actually believe it's right or wrong , or if someone else's beliefs are dictating our guilt to us." We really simple, yet profound, way of saying don't drink the Kool-Aid if you don't like the flavor. One chapter really kicked me in the feels. It wasn't a punch, but a kick. He told the story about when he found out his wife was having an affair. He admitted that it wasn't just her that was at fault, but that he played a part in it, too, and being human and flawed enough to admit it. He cut himself open and displayed his flaws and how he chose to self examine and lay down his pride to do so. This chapter was particularly hard for me because I was in a similar situation(but roles were reversed) so it felt like I was being given a big hug and felt completely understood because he was saying what I'd be thinking and feeling.
I have also never laughed so hard in my entire life(not exaggerating) while reading a book. Snorting, chuckling, giggling, all happened in the span of reading this book. I think my favorite funny line was, "...as a fat guy who looked at exercise the same way Bob Ross probably looks at skateboarding...". I won't give specfics on stories because I want whomever decided to read this book to be surprised.
Pearce was completely honest and candid and raw and said what he wanted to say regardless of it being popular or normal. I can honestly say I've never read another book like it and if he writes another I will greedily snatch it up. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, but a letter from a friend I hadn't seen in a while and we were catching up, which is exactly how a great book should make you feel.
*I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
November 30, 2015
I just finished reading, The All-important, Well-Fed, Giant White Man by Dan Pearce. Told in a series of vignettes that cover everything from early childhood silly mistakes, to full on adult serious mistakes and decisions that he got right. The book is an easy read and its well worth the time it takes to read through.
From the first story about his life Dan Pearce lets you in and tries to hold you with humor and a lot of self-deprecation and it usually works. You’ll find out how one man can look back on his life and see the mistakes he made and admit to them without blaming anyone else. You’ll enjoy the sometimes gross humor of things like nearly tearing off a nipple, and the celebrity a teenaged boy gets from that. You’ll learn about first kisses and fail romances, as well as failed marriages and find that religion doesn’t have every answer for most of us and being totally OK with that.
Much like his blog, Single Dad Laughing, Dan Pearce gives you insight to his failed college career, failed Mormon Missionary work, and the joy of holding his son for the first time. We find out that you can raise your child differently than your parents raised you and it can still turn out just fine. Even if it involves your child saying shit a lot and not losing your mind over it.
It doesn’t always end well for our fearless author and he’s OK with that and you should be OK with it too because life is messy, people lie, people lie to themselves, and people get caught in those lies. Good humans admit to the lies and find a way to move on hopefully while learning to be better humans in the process.
Pick up this book and you’ll learn something about Dan and his life. You’ll learn about being happy and sad. You’ll learn a bit about how you exist as a person who rejects a church that rejected him and still manages to be the kind of person any of us would be hay to know and have as a friend. At the end of the book you just may find out a little about yourself and how the decisions and mistakes you make shape you and why its important to admit to yourself your foibles, your fears, and the best parts of yourself and why you should take that out into the world and be the best self you could ever be.
People with mustaches will be offended by this book due to Dan’s fear of them even though he’s growing a full beard mustache combo. I gather though, you could either hug or tickle him out of his world view.
From the first story about his life Dan Pearce lets you in and tries to hold you with humor and a lot of self-deprecation and it usually works. You’ll find out how one man can look back on his life and see the mistakes he made and admit to them without blaming anyone else. You’ll enjoy the sometimes gross humor of things like nearly tearing off a nipple, and the celebrity a teenaged boy gets from that. You’ll learn about first kisses and fail romances, as well as failed marriages and find that religion doesn’t have every answer for most of us and being totally OK with that.
Much like his blog, Single Dad Laughing, Dan Pearce gives you insight to his failed college career, failed Mormon Missionary work, and the joy of holding his son for the first time. We find out that you can raise your child differently than your parents raised you and it can still turn out just fine. Even if it involves your child saying shit a lot and not losing your mind over it.
It doesn’t always end well for our fearless author and he’s OK with that and you should be OK with it too because life is messy, people lie, people lie to themselves, and people get caught in those lies. Good humans admit to the lies and find a way to move on hopefully while learning to be better humans in the process.
Pick up this book and you’ll learn something about Dan and his life. You’ll learn about being happy and sad. You’ll learn a bit about how you exist as a person who rejects a church that rejected him and still manages to be the kind of person any of us would be hay to know and have as a friend. At the end of the book you just may find out a little about yourself and how the decisions and mistakes you make shape you and why its important to admit to yourself your foibles, your fears, and the best parts of yourself and why you should take that out into the world and be the best self you could ever be.
People with mustaches will be offended by this book due to Dan’s fear of them even though he’s growing a full beard mustache combo. I gather though, you could either hug or tickle him out of his world view.
November 27, 2015
(my review was posted on amazon in exchange for having received a copy of the book in advance)
Having only somewhat recently started following Single Dad Laughing on Facebook for some of his enjoyable recurring posts (favorite things seen floating around FB, what are you doing right now, etc) I've had very little exposure to Dan Pearce's blog, so I didn't go into the experience of reading his new book as an existing fan, which probably colors my review a bit. After reading the book I felt like I'd caught up on a bunch of blog posts, as the format and stand alone stories/chapters felt very blog-like. I enjoyed the format just fine, but for me it wasn't a book that needed to be consumed quickly. A chapter or two at a time in little spare moments might have been a more satisfying experience for me.
In any case on to the book & the content! Despite quite a few editing errors and oversights, I quite liked the author's style of writing and storytelling. I appreciated what I perceived to be a whole lot of sincere soul baring. Pearce seems to be a very authentic, honest writer and I very much like real, so I found many of his stories to be thought provoking.The book as a whole was fairly formulaic - story/humor/provoked thought/moral of the story. Many of the stories were absolutely relatable and consequently hilarious, poignant and/or devastating. Other stories and chapters were so not-at-all relatable to me that I felt like I had to trudge painfully through them.
Overall, I don't feel like I could comfortably recommend this book to just anyone and everyone. But I I'm certain fans of blogger Dan Pearce will probably be fast fans of author Dan Pearce as well :)
I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Having only somewhat recently started following Single Dad Laughing on Facebook for some of his enjoyable recurring posts (favorite things seen floating around FB, what are you doing right now, etc) I've had very little exposure to Dan Pearce's blog, so I didn't go into the experience of reading his new book as an existing fan, which probably colors my review a bit. After reading the book I felt like I'd caught up on a bunch of blog posts, as the format and stand alone stories/chapters felt very blog-like. I enjoyed the format just fine, but for me it wasn't a book that needed to be consumed quickly. A chapter or two at a time in little spare moments might have been a more satisfying experience for me.
In any case on to the book & the content! Despite quite a few editing errors and oversights, I quite liked the author's style of writing and storytelling. I appreciated what I perceived to be a whole lot of sincere soul baring. Pearce seems to be a very authentic, honest writer and I very much like real, so I found many of his stories to be thought provoking.The book as a whole was fairly formulaic - story/humor/provoked thought/moral of the story. Many of the stories were absolutely relatable and consequently hilarious, poignant and/or devastating. Other stories and chapters were so not-at-all relatable to me that I felt like I had to trudge painfully through them.
Overall, I don't feel like I could comfortably recommend this book to just anyone and everyone. But I I'm certain fans of blogger Dan Pearce will probably be fast fans of author Dan Pearce as well :)
I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
November 22, 2015
I have been following Dan on his blog Single Dad Laughing for a few years now. I have watched him grow, as much as you can watch someone grow via social media, into the self assured person he is. A person who seems to always go out of his way to help others! It's been so enlightening to watch so when I got the opportunity to read his book I was very excited!
This book is a journey through Dan's memories and all the things, both good and bad, that have molded him into the person he is today. I love how at the end of each memory was the lesson he learned. It made me want to take a look at all my memories and do the same.
I only gave this book 4 stars for 2 reasons. First, I couldn't give it 4.5 which is what I actually wanted to do and second because sometimes while reading it I had to flip back a page or two in order to figure out where in his timeline a given Osage was taking place. It is not a timeline that starts in childhood and goes straight through to now. He has interjected some recent events. Having said that, I liked that a little bit b/c it allowed me to put the book down for a moment & not have to worry about backtracking too much!
I also thought to myself many times while reading that this book would be FANTASTIC as an audible version but only if read by Dan himself. I would certainly purchase the audible version.....hint hint Dan!
To sum it up, this was a GREAT read and as usual when it comes to Dans writing, I found myself looking internally and taking some lessons of my own!
Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
This book is a journey through Dan's memories and all the things, both good and bad, that have molded him into the person he is today. I love how at the end of each memory was the lesson he learned. It made me want to take a look at all my memories and do the same.
I only gave this book 4 stars for 2 reasons. First, I couldn't give it 4.5 which is what I actually wanted to do and second because sometimes while reading it I had to flip back a page or two in order to figure out where in his timeline a given Osage was taking place. It is not a timeline that starts in childhood and goes straight through to now. He has interjected some recent events. Having said that, I liked that a little bit b/c it allowed me to put the book down for a moment & not have to worry about backtracking too much!
I also thought to myself many times while reading that this book would be FANTASTIC as an audible version but only if read by Dan himself. I would certainly purchase the audible version.....hint hint Dan!
To sum it up, this was a GREAT read and as usual when it comes to Dans writing, I found myself looking internally and taking some lessons of my own!
Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book before it was announced in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
December 24, 2015
Like his blog, the book is brutally honest and over sharing. Like a memoir it's all about him. Keeping those two things in mind, it was an exceptional book in that it is a series of essays based on memories with a lesson learned at the end of each. The resulting morals basically cover Dan's approach to life. While I agree with many of them, some I do not, and that's okay... Dan makes it perfectly clear, you don't need to agree with him.
I read the book. I enjoyed the book. At times it was difficult to LIKE the book because he often comes off as a pompous know-it-all... but... how can you not given the style of the book, KWIM? And perhaps, he insulted my pompous know-it-all-ness and came out smelling better than myself?
Who knows.
If you enjoy his blog, Single Dad Laughing, you will certainly enjoy the book. If you enjoy people over sharing, lots of dick references, and are unfazed by the frequent poop and fart joke, you'll enjoy the book. If you can keep in mind this is a memoir based on one man's opinion, you'll like the book. Otherwise, it's not for everyone.
I read the book. I enjoyed the book. At times it was difficult to LIKE the book because he often comes off as a pompous know-it-all... but... how can you not given the style of the book, KWIM? And perhaps, he insulted my pompous know-it-all-ness and came out smelling better than myself?
Who knows.
If you enjoy his blog, Single Dad Laughing, you will certainly enjoy the book. If you enjoy people over sharing, lots of dick references, and are unfazed by the frequent poop and fart joke, you'll enjoy the book. If you can keep in mind this is a memoir based on one man's opinion, you'll like the book. Otherwise, it's not for everyone.
December 26, 2019
What to say? What to say? Do I say that Dan's honesty about masturbation, shitting his pants, being bullied as a kid, living a lie for the majority of his life was refreshing, light-hearted and funny?!? I guess I could, and it wouldn't be a lie, but surprisingly this memoir was so much more for me. Having been raised in the same predominantly Mormon society as Dan, having the religion shoved down my throat for most of my life, and trying to stand up and say 'NO, THIS ISNT ME!', I felt a lot of his deep down frustrations...like really felt them...like in the 'I didn't want to remember that shit!' Kind of way! BUT, it's nice to know the struggle wasn't (isn't) just mine - well minus the spanking the monkey bit because, well, I'm a chick - and that there are others in UTAH just like little old moi...or slightly similar anyways! Anyways...kudos to you Mr. Dan Fucking Pearce for having the balls to share your intimate, and, yes, embarrassing, life stories! Well done!
January 5, 2016
Great read!
Really great book! Love the raw honesty. The emotion comes through perfectly...Dan really paints a colorful picture with his words. Well worth the money to read! How he can make you laugh and at then same time think quite deeply about your own life...its a gift. Once more, I love this book!
Really great book! Love the raw honesty. The emotion comes through perfectly...Dan really paints a colorful picture with his words. Well worth the money to read! How he can make you laugh and at then same time think quite deeply about your own life...its a gift. Once more, I love this book!
January 30, 2016
It's Dan fucking Pearce for pete's sake.
Awesome blogger. Awesome teller of tales. Highly entertaining while baring his soul and being very honest. I've been following him for some time and have secret hots for him. Tall, bi, hairy ... what's not to like. Plus I identify with his struggles. A great read from a pretty great guy. Well worth the price of admission.
Awesome blogger. Awesome teller of tales. Highly entertaining while baring his soul and being very honest. I've been following him for some time and have secret hots for him. Tall, bi, hairy ... what's not to like. Plus I identify with his struggles. A great read from a pretty great guy. Well worth the price of admission.
November 29, 2015
What a raw, honest memoir. High points and low points and all complete with lessons that he has learned from each experience. I really enjoyed the book and it also have me thinking about my life experiences in a new light. All it take is a different perspective. Thanks Dan!
December 27, 2015
Great book
Some very funny stories and some uncomfortable to read stories.kinda of makes you reflect on your own life stories.
Can't wait for the sequel.
Some very funny stories and some uncomfortable to read stories.kinda of makes you reflect on your own life stories.
Can't wait for the sequel.
January 22, 2016
This reads like a collection of blog posts. The chapters aren't chronological.
If you like the author's blog you'll probably enjoy the book.
If you like the author's blog you'll probably enjoy the book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews