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Not Quite a Genius
“Highly recommended reading for those hungry for surprise” (A.J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author)—a rollicking collection of personal stories and essays on relationships, technology, and contemporary society from the news editor at Funny or Die and former artistic director at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
This hilarious collection of essays spans a wide variety of topics. There’s the open letter to Charles Manson, a brave archeologist’s journey into a suburban man cave, and a long overdue, sternly worded letter from Leif Erikson to Christopher Columbus. Walt Whitman even teaches a spin class.
Nate Dern’s razor-sharp eye examines modern society and technology, man buns, dating apps, and juicing crazes. Anyone who’s ever scrunched their eyes at WiFi Terms & Conditions, listened to the reasons that led a vegetarian to give up meat, or looked on in horror at the evolving audacity of reality TV will appreciate Dern’s wicked and funny take on modern life. Not Quite a Genius is fun, and funny, “a breath of fresh air that you can eat up bit by bit or all at once” (Abbi Jacobson, cocreator and star of Broad City ).
This hilarious collection of essays spans a wide variety of topics. There’s the open letter to Charles Manson, a brave archeologist’s journey into a suburban man cave, and a long overdue, sternly worded letter from Leif Erikson to Christopher Columbus. Walt Whitman even teaches a spin class.
Nate Dern’s razor-sharp eye examines modern society and technology, man buns, dating apps, and juicing crazes. Anyone who’s ever scrunched their eyes at WiFi Terms & Conditions, listened to the reasons that led a vegetarian to give up meat, or looked on in horror at the evolving audacity of reality TV will appreciate Dern’s wicked and funny take on modern life. Not Quite a Genius is fun, and funny, “a breath of fresh air that you can eat up bit by bit or all at once” (Abbi Jacobson, cocreator and star of Broad City ).
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2017
16 people are currently reading
603 people want to read
About the author
Nate Dern
2 books28 followersNATE DERN is currently a writer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His writing has been published by The New Yorker, McSweeney's, Outside, Vice, New York Magazine, and others. "Not Quite a Genius" is his first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 30, 2018
What a weird mix of memoir and comic essays!
And, as many of you know - I LOVE weird.
Just reading the titles of many of the essays is enough to elicit a few giggles: How Many Farts Measure a Life? / Only Six of My Seven Kids Have Whooping Cough, So I'm Staying Anti-Vax / If I Have to Shit During the 5K Charity Run, I'm Just Going to Do It / Walt Whitman, Spin Class Instructor / Hand Job at 20,000 Feet.
My favorites involved a phone call from a Bruce Lee fan complaining that he received a B-R-U-C-E-L-E-E vanity license plate which devolves into an argument about the definition of the word irony and the musical sensibilities of Alanis Morissette.
The scientist who named "global warming" regrets that his warnings are not being taken seriously. He suggests renaming the phenomenon - Global Greenhouse Gas Chamber.
A man receives a letter from his former toothbrush admonishing him for drinking so much soda:
Am I to infer that you have 2.3 bottles of Mountain Dew per meal? . . . hold off on the sugar water. You're not a fucking hummingbird.
There are also autobiographical essays in which Dern describes his exploits as a reality TV star on Beauty and the Geek, adventures in vegetarianism, and some of his childhood crushes. Lots of great stuff here, and I experienced laughs o' plenty. Dern might not be a genius, but he is pretty damned funny.
And, as many of you know - I LOVE weird.
Just reading the titles of many of the essays is enough to elicit a few giggles: How Many Farts Measure a Life? / Only Six of My Seven Kids Have Whooping Cough, So I'm Staying Anti-Vax / If I Have to Shit During the 5K Charity Run, I'm Just Going to Do It / Walt Whitman, Spin Class Instructor / Hand Job at 20,000 Feet.
My favorites involved a phone call from a Bruce Lee fan complaining that he received a B-R-U-C-E-L-E-E vanity license plate which devolves into an argument about the definition of the word irony and the musical sensibilities of Alanis Morissette.
The scientist who named "global warming" regrets that his warnings are not being taken seriously. He suggests renaming the phenomenon - Global Greenhouse Gas Chamber.
A man receives a letter from his former toothbrush admonishing him for drinking so much soda:
Am I to infer that you have 2.3 bottles of Mountain Dew per meal? . . . hold off on the sugar water. You're not a fucking hummingbird.
There are also autobiographical essays in which Dern describes his exploits as a reality TV star on Beauty and the Geek, adventures in vegetarianism, and some of his childhood crushes. Lots of great stuff here, and I experienced laughs o' plenty. Dern might not be a genius, but he is pretty damned funny.
July 8, 2017
I wrote this book and I think it's pretty okay.
June 1, 2021
the title is a lie because Nate Dern IS a genius. glaring titular error aside, this is a very good book. also, not to brag but I know Nate and he is a nice tall man
August 9, 2017
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/not-...
Funny people tend to figure out how to be funny, regardless of the medium in which their humor is being expressed. Now, that doesn’t mean that a great comic writer is a great comic performer or that a great comic actor is a great comic improviser. It just means that funny finds a way.
And Nate Dern is funny.
Dern is a senior writer at Funny or Die and a former artistic director at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater; that’s a one-two comic punch that you don’t often see. His new book “Not Quite a Genius” is a collection of nearly 50 pieces – personal essays and invented correspondence and short stories and weird lists and even a one-act play. All of them short.
And all of them funny.
“Not Quite a Genius” is divvied into four parts, each titled after one of the pieces contained therein.
“Which One Are You?” kicks off the absurdity, offering up such brief delights as “Before We Begin Our Yoga Practice, a Few Words About Our Other Offerings and That Hissing Sound” – where an unorthodox yoga class introduction addresses the elephant (so to speak) in the room – and “Flowers for Ai_One,” a funny and surprisingly poignant take on the classic “Flowers for Algernon.” “Bruce Lee Novelty Plate” is a delightful bit of weird, while “How Many Farts Measure a Life?” – the section’s longest piece – belies its title by being thought-provoking as well as silly.
Part 2 – “Predator Prey” – is highlighted by the comedic take on internet culture inherent to pieces like “YouButBetter App Review” and “Negative Visualization” and “Transcription of Internet Video ‘DEER STUCK IN SWING FREED AND YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!’” Other highlights include the goofy juxtaposition of “An Intrepid Explorer Discovers a Man Cave” and the layered, nuanced (and still funny) “Predator Prey.”
In Part 3, titled “Not Quite a Genius,” a decided hint of realness eases in, courtesy of a pair of clearly autobiographical stories - the titular piece and one called “Chap Sticks in a Mailbox” - that bookend the section. But there’s more weirdness, too. There’s a Kafka riff titled “The Transformation.” A bizarrely thorough escape plan in “In Case of Fire.” The aptly (and wonderfully) titled “Weather.com Headline or Creative Writing MFA Thesis Titles?” Oh, and the delightfully on-the-nose “I’m Not an A**hole, I’m Just an Introvert.”
Finally, Part 4 – named after the one-act play that closes the book and whose title I’m not going to write here – leans even harder into the absurd for the home stretch. There’s a spin class taught by Walt Whitman. There’s a letter to Christopher Columbus from Leif Erickson and a letter from a disgraced politician to his constituents. “The Show of LIFE!” takes reality television to an interesting and unexpected extreme. And the titular one-act features, among other things, Neil deGrasse Tyson playing Isaac Asimov.
There’s a lot going on here – much to the reader’s benefit. Nate Dern is an undeniable talent, gifted with a finely-honed understanding of the absurdity of banality. Or is it the banality of absurdity? Either way, he has a unique viewpoint on the world; this book allows us to get a glimpse of it refracted through the cracked prism of his perspective.
The only qualities consistently shared by these pieces are the fact that they’re short and they’re funny. Turns out my man Polonius was onto something when he said “brevity is the soul of wit” – and Dern’s work is plenty brief and plenty witty. Jokes are allowed just enough time to play out; there’s no needless padding or stretching. We get to the funny bits precisely when we’re supposed to. And while it might prove difficult to take your time with this one, the book’s nature also allows it to be consumed easily in fits and starts. All at once or one piece at a time, there’s no wrong way to read it.
“Not Quite a Genius” isn’t bound by any particular convention. Dern roams hither and yon with regards to whether something is truth, fiction or somewhere in-between. The collection is funny, obviously, but it is also smart and thoughtful and honest. There’s a lot of genuine feeling here – and the best comedy comes from a place of truth.
Charming and clever and occasionally crass, “Not Quite a Genius” is a whole lot smarter than its title lets on.
Funny people tend to figure out how to be funny, regardless of the medium in which their humor is being expressed. Now, that doesn’t mean that a great comic writer is a great comic performer or that a great comic actor is a great comic improviser. It just means that funny finds a way.
And Nate Dern is funny.
Dern is a senior writer at Funny or Die and a former artistic director at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater; that’s a one-two comic punch that you don’t often see. His new book “Not Quite a Genius” is a collection of nearly 50 pieces – personal essays and invented correspondence and short stories and weird lists and even a one-act play. All of them short.
And all of them funny.
“Not Quite a Genius” is divvied into four parts, each titled after one of the pieces contained therein.
“Which One Are You?” kicks off the absurdity, offering up such brief delights as “Before We Begin Our Yoga Practice, a Few Words About Our Other Offerings and That Hissing Sound” – where an unorthodox yoga class introduction addresses the elephant (so to speak) in the room – and “Flowers for Ai_One,” a funny and surprisingly poignant take on the classic “Flowers for Algernon.” “Bruce Lee Novelty Plate” is a delightful bit of weird, while “How Many Farts Measure a Life?” – the section’s longest piece – belies its title by being thought-provoking as well as silly.
Part 2 – “Predator Prey” – is highlighted by the comedic take on internet culture inherent to pieces like “YouButBetter App Review” and “Negative Visualization” and “Transcription of Internet Video ‘DEER STUCK IN SWING FREED AND YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!’” Other highlights include the goofy juxtaposition of “An Intrepid Explorer Discovers a Man Cave” and the layered, nuanced (and still funny) “Predator Prey.”
In Part 3, titled “Not Quite a Genius,” a decided hint of realness eases in, courtesy of a pair of clearly autobiographical stories - the titular piece and one called “Chap Sticks in a Mailbox” - that bookend the section. But there’s more weirdness, too. There’s a Kafka riff titled “The Transformation.” A bizarrely thorough escape plan in “In Case of Fire.” The aptly (and wonderfully) titled “Weather.com Headline or Creative Writing MFA Thesis Titles?” Oh, and the delightfully on-the-nose “I’m Not an A**hole, I’m Just an Introvert.”
Finally, Part 4 – named after the one-act play that closes the book and whose title I’m not going to write here – leans even harder into the absurd for the home stretch. There’s a spin class taught by Walt Whitman. There’s a letter to Christopher Columbus from Leif Erickson and a letter from a disgraced politician to his constituents. “The Show of LIFE!” takes reality television to an interesting and unexpected extreme. And the titular one-act features, among other things, Neil deGrasse Tyson playing Isaac Asimov.
There’s a lot going on here – much to the reader’s benefit. Nate Dern is an undeniable talent, gifted with a finely-honed understanding of the absurdity of banality. Or is it the banality of absurdity? Either way, he has a unique viewpoint on the world; this book allows us to get a glimpse of it refracted through the cracked prism of his perspective.
The only qualities consistently shared by these pieces are the fact that they’re short and they’re funny. Turns out my man Polonius was onto something when he said “brevity is the soul of wit” – and Dern’s work is plenty brief and plenty witty. Jokes are allowed just enough time to play out; there’s no needless padding or stretching. We get to the funny bits precisely when we’re supposed to. And while it might prove difficult to take your time with this one, the book’s nature also allows it to be consumed easily in fits and starts. All at once or one piece at a time, there’s no wrong way to read it.
“Not Quite a Genius” isn’t bound by any particular convention. Dern roams hither and yon with regards to whether something is truth, fiction or somewhere in-between. The collection is funny, obviously, but it is also smart and thoughtful and honest. There’s a lot of genuine feeling here – and the best comedy comes from a place of truth.
Charming and clever and occasionally crass, “Not Quite a Genius” is a whole lot smarter than its title lets on.
August 17, 2017
Received as an ARC from the publisher. Started 8-12-17; finished 8-17-17. I had no idea who the author Nate Dern was, nor have I seen his program Funny or Die. This is a collection of essays: some very funny, some not so; some autobiographical and hilarious; some insightful; some sad; some thought-provoking; some I couldn't figure out the point; but most were very interesting and worth reading.
October 16, 2017
Nate's a very funny writer. This is a really fun mix of personal stories and comedic pieces. Nate was a contestant on "Beauty and the Geek," for example, and he is hilarious in relating that experience to his desperate need for attention. I can relate! Other pieces are weird and crazy, but they all have a warmth and wit to them. Recommended!
August 30, 2017
Each piece in Not Quite a Genius is different from the last, yet the whimsical, gentle honesty of the author's voice remains constant. Some pieces are flat out silly and a lot of fun, some are heartfelt confessions of a sweet boy turned sweet man/boy, and some are light versions of dark satire about living in today's society. All of which made me laugh and feel a little less alone, which I think that's what Nate Dern was going for. I can't recommend the book enough and I am looking forward to what Dern writes next.
November 20, 2017
I'd say this book is FULL GENIUS!
February 7, 2019
Very relateable title! I picked it up thinking it was going to be full of essays on Nate Dern's life. I was half right. Chapter TWO was a fictitious piece, a skit. As are several other chapters.
I can't stand it when comedy writers do this! If you want a book of funny short stories, publish a book of funny short stories! This book was a promise of a memoir. I'm not here to mix my genres, kids!
So I gave up on it pretty quick.
I can't stand it when comedy writers do this! If you want a book of funny short stories, publish a book of funny short stories! This book was a promise of a memoir. I'm not here to mix my genres, kids!
So I gave up on it pretty quick.
August 3, 2017
Nate Dern, a comedian who has spent time at UCB and Funny or Die, wrote this compilation that is a blend of memoir and fictional, sometimes absurdist, pieces. I'm not gonna lie, it took me a while to warm up to this collection, in the same way it takes an audience member to warm up to a stand up comedian spewing jokes on a stage. Before stumbling across this book, I had never heard of Nate Dern and wasn't familiar with any of his comedy bits. This also meant that his humor wasn't easy for me to access initially because I was completely unfamiliar with his style. Reading Not Quite a Genius was the opposite of my experience reading Simon Rich's
The Last Girlfriend on Earth
, a collection that is somewhat similar in style, but from a writer I was familiar with and thus was more easily able to dive into his kookier bits that may have been inaccessible otherwise. In the same way that an audience member must be warmed up at a comedy gig, it took me a few chapters to habituate to the writer's humor and style, but once I did, I laughed to myself multiple times.
For me, the collection picked up about a third of the way through... or that was how many pages it took to successfully warm me up to Dern's humor. I thought the funniest bits were when Dern shifted more into humorous memoir territory (the first chapter is brilliant as he details his gawky young adult years). While the fictional bits were less my speed, I giggled several times while reading the "Bruce Lee Novelty Plate" and "How Many Farts Measure a Life" chapters.
That said, some of the funny bits just didn't come across for me in print at all. In my head, I could imagine the fictional scenarios having more ~umph~ if I were hearing them performed live, but I experienced a disconnect while I was reading (specifically the chapter "I Like All Types of Music and My Sense of Humor Is So Random"). That's the thing about these types of compilations: while this chapter was a swing and a miss in print for me, it might be a grand slam for a different reader. For any reader seeking a comedic collection, there will be a piece in Not Quite a Genius that is a grand slam for you. If you're already a fan of Dern's comedy, you'll probably witness several grand slams.
Not Quite a Genius will be released at physical and digital U.S. bookstores on August 8, 2017!
Overall, 3.5 stars.
For more, check out, www.girlwithabookblog.com!
Disclaimer: I was provided with a digital copy of this book for free from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and have not been influenced by Simon & Schuster or NetGalley.
For me, the collection picked up about a third of the way through... or that was how many pages it took to successfully warm me up to Dern's humor. I thought the funniest bits were when Dern shifted more into humorous memoir territory (the first chapter is brilliant as he details his gawky young adult years). While the fictional bits were less my speed, I giggled several times while reading the "Bruce Lee Novelty Plate" and "How Many Farts Measure a Life" chapters.
That said, some of the funny bits just didn't come across for me in print at all. In my head, I could imagine the fictional scenarios having more ~umph~ if I were hearing them performed live, but I experienced a disconnect while I was reading (specifically the chapter "I Like All Types of Music and My Sense of Humor Is So Random"). That's the thing about these types of compilations: while this chapter was a swing and a miss in print for me, it might be a grand slam for a different reader. For any reader seeking a comedic collection, there will be a piece in Not Quite a Genius that is a grand slam for you. If you're already a fan of Dern's comedy, you'll probably witness several grand slams.
Not Quite a Genius will be released at physical and digital U.S. bookstores on August 8, 2017!
Overall, 3.5 stars.
For more, check out, www.girlwithabookblog.com!
Disclaimer: I was provided with a digital copy of this book for free from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and have not been influenced by Simon & Schuster or NetGalley.
January 16, 2019
This book will make you laugh on page 1 and will keep you thoroughly invested until there are no more pages left unread. This is one of those books that you say to yourself that you would read little chunks every day just to savor the stories, but then one day your parents leave the house for the whole day and you forget about what you said earlier and finish the remaining 203 pages in one sitting and say to yourself "What have I done?". Nathan Dern's life stories and random essays, are action-packed and are never dull. Nathan Dern is a truly charismatic man who is truly lucky enough to stumble upon fame. The only reason why I did not rate this book 5 stars is that I wasn't too big of a fan of the journal entry format.
August 21, 2020
Not Quite a Genius combines two of my favorite genres - autofiction and narrative shorts. The essays range from imaginative interpretations of pop culture phenomena to contemplations of philosophical theories (simulation hypothesis, compatiblism, brain in a vat, existential pursuit of meaning...) and are united a cohesive theme of delighted absurdity. The memoir chapters - satirical stories about growing up in Evergreen, Colorado in the 90s, in undergrad on the Harvard track team, and making one's way as a comedian in NYC - were the best parts (to me). It was lovely to read about the formative origins and moments of vulnerability in Nate Dern's impressive career.
October 22, 2017
This book was ok. There is an intro about the author that is a bit interesting. Then shortish pieces on a variety of topics. I thought they would be funny, and I wanted to have a good laugh. Instead, at most, I got a vaguely amused smile. Though some of the essays are more sad or interesting. And some I didn't understand what I was supposed to think, they just existed. But it wasn't a bad book, and worth a look, and it is a very good take-along book.
*I received this book through the goodreads firstreads program under no obligation to write a review. The opinions above are solely my own.
*I received this book through the goodreads firstreads program under no obligation to write a review. The opinions above are solely my own.
February 9, 2018
Mildly entertaining. Largely autobiographical in nature, with a series of sketches and short fiction, some short than others, some long. Only a couple were in my view really good (monologue of a toothbrush that has just been thrown away), but nothing was awful except the last piece, a drama called "Handjob at 20,000 feet" which I was unable to listen to the end of.
Listened to this as a audio book, Dern was the reader. Not a bad decision on this part. Would I have liked it better with another reader? I doubt it. If you're looking for a quick entertainment, you could do worse.
Listened to this as a audio book, Dern was the reader. Not a bad decision on this part. Would I have liked it better with another reader? I doubt it. If you're looking for a quick entertainment, you could do worse.
August 12, 2017
Not quite a memoir. The mix of short stories and essays made it feel like I was jumping back and forth between two books. That jarring experience was worth the screenplay at the end, though.
In fairness, the book jacket does explain the books structure. In scanning the summary I saw the phrase "a young man's penis turns into a lobster" so I thought I was in for one hell of a life story. Hard to get a five star rating after that disappointment.
In fairness, the book jacket does explain the books structure. In scanning the summary I saw the phrase "a young man's penis turns into a lobster" so I thought I was in for one hell of a life story. Hard to get a five star rating after that disappointment.
October 18, 2017
I wasn't familiar with this author's work, and now can't quite remember how I managed to hear about this book. A collection of humor essays, of which Not Quite a Genius, was probably my favorite.
The essays had individual lines in them that were laugh out loud funny, but then the rest of it falls a bit flat. It occurred to me while reading that I might have thought this book was funnier if I was a decade younger.
While not terrible, I won't be recommending it to anyone either.
The essays had individual lines in them that were laugh out loud funny, but then the rest of it falls a bit flat. It occurred to me while reading that I might have thought this book was funnier if I was a decade younger.
While not terrible, I won't be recommending it to anyone either.
July 12, 2018
Nate Dern? I remember him from the magical show that Ashton Kutcher brought us during my college years....Beauty and the Geek. Nate was a stand-out on the show, and his humor continues here as well. Not every chapter/story here will resonate with you or make you laugh, but the ones that do are pretty ridiculous and clever. I enjoyed his stories related to Beauty and the Geek (of course), his childhood, and of course his one-act-play for the finale.
October 10, 2018
This book is a collection of short humor pieces- some scenes from the author's life from childhood to the present, some fiction and some extended jokes and satire. All of the pieces are funny and well-written and I look forward to more from him in the future. My favorite piece was a short story about a young woman who suddenly dies called "How Many Farts Define a Life" which, despite its title, had moments of poignancy as well as laughs.
March 23, 2018
Highlights for me included the pieces called, "The Scientist Who Named it 'Global Warming' Would Like to Apologize", "How Many Farts Measure a Life" , "I'm Not an Asshole, I'm Just an Introvert" and "This Is a Dream and I'm Going to Kill You."
It's a collection of funny little essays. It was good to just have something fun to read. Fun is underrated.
It's a collection of funny little essays. It was good to just have something fun to read. Fun is underrated.
August 22, 2018
I found this book difficult to get into at first. I found the narrator's voice too dry and (since I listened to it) too nasaly. But, once I got past the first chapter I found it quite enjoyable. Heartwarming, thought provoking, covering a range of topics in different media and an interesting take on those topics. I enjoyed the different points of view and the way the stories were told.
August 21, 2019
For a book full of humor essays there’s a lot of stuff that is really dark in this book! It’s amazing don’t get me wrong but wow it’s dark! Haha I loved it so much. Very fun. One of my favorite essays is the life as a reality show...although I found the story of Nate on the airplane to be hilarious!!!!
February 6, 2025
Not easy for me to say what I liked more, the biographical essays or the deep narrative stories about life and death… maybe just the one act play about the hand-job. Many of Nate’s stories will stay with me for a long long long time (must be why I’ve read this book twice). What more could you ask from a collection of stories?
February 1, 2018
Meh .. this was OK. Not the huge laugh-riot I was promised in whatever review I read, but pretty good. The chapters where he was just talking about his life and experiences were better than the weird fiction-y pieces. Maybe dudes would like it better? Millennials?
April 21, 2021
This book is funny and kind of bittersweet and just absolutely worth your time. For maximum effect I recommend finishing the book on a plane, as I did, so you're left reading a one act play about Nate reading a book on a plane, which is in a book by Nate, which you are reading on a plane.
August 10, 2017
Intelligent, funny, and sometimes very deep!
August 13, 2017
Warm, authentic and hilarious. Love this book!
September 3, 2017
This was quite uneven. Some bits were just OK, some were hysterically funny, and some were painful or went on for far too long.
September 11, 2017
Very entertaining book that contains humorous stories that range from dark satire to joyful autobiography.
November 2, 2017
It was okay. There were a few meh pieces in here, but there was some hilarity, too.
January 25, 2018
Beginning to end hilarious!
It loses a star for editing mistakes. Otherwise it's a 5 star.
It loses a star for editing mistakes. Otherwise it's a 5 star.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews