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To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie.
Would I Lie to You? Not This Year.
Veteran author and speaker Phil Callaway is no stranger to daunting challenges. He has been laughed at—repeatedly—by large crowds of people from Halifax to Hong Kong. He fathered three children in three years, spent much of last year on airplanes built by the lowest bidder, and flipped an out-of-control ATV, which doesn’t mean he sold it for a profit. So who better than Phil Callaway to boldly accept a challenge that would make the average person run and hide?
Phil promised to tell the truth for an entire year , and he wasn’t joking. Twelve months later, his journal was crammed with successes, near-successes, and outright failures. During his year-long experiment with veracity, he made a disastrous financial investment, fielded hundreds of intrusive questions from friends and strangers, attended a thirty-year class reunion, and waded into possibly the most revealing—and hilarious—situations he has ever documented.
Find out what happens when a follower of Jesus does his level best to always tell the truth. There is no doubt you’ll be entertained. But don’t be surprised if you are left with a how might your life be changed if you sold out to the truth—with no exceptions?
Veteran author and speaker Phil Callaway is no stranger to daunting challenges. He has been laughed at—repeatedly—by large crowds of people from Halifax to Hong Kong. He fathered three children in three years, spent much of last year on airplanes built by the lowest bidder, and flipped an out-of-control ATV, which doesn’t mean he sold it for a profit. So who better than Phil Callaway to boldly accept a challenge that would make the average person run and hide?
Phil promised to tell the truth for an entire year , and he wasn’t joking. Twelve months later, his journal was crammed with successes, near-successes, and outright failures. During his year-long experiment with veracity, he made a disastrous financial investment, fielded hundreds of intrusive questions from friends and strangers, attended a thirty-year class reunion, and waded into possibly the most revealing—and hilarious—situations he has ever documented.
Find out what happens when a follower of Jesus does his level best to always tell the truth. There is no doubt you’ll be entertained. But don’t be surprised if you are left with a how might your life be changed if you sold out to the truth—with no exceptions?
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2011
6 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
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February 4, 2025
Great book!
Got it soon after I retired, a time when I was down a quart of ha-ha’s in my life.
Maybe I had burnt it all out at work?
With my pedal to the floor, it was only metal on metal.
My engine needed a colossal tune-up. There was thick smoke in the air when I tried to fire myself up again. I figured I needed to pay a visit to a man from the heartland of Alberta oil country...
Funnyman Phil himself.
So he tuned me up nicely with his Christian TLC.
First I needed to change the oil, adding some really light nice-weather lubricant.
Maybe Phil had some good high-quality stuff?
Well, he showed me a bottle of 5W30 premium laughs, to loosen me up. It came recommended for all engines.
My chassis itself was a rusty, leaky 1950’s vintage, but if my engine had new life to it, I didn’t care.
For two reasons.
First, I think my ancient engine had been gummed up by the wintry stress of my go-nuts workplace, where we had used heavier, higher viscosity chuckles.
You’ll know what I mean when I say every chuckle anyone emitted in that weary place was full of heavy, thick cynicism and desperation.
Maybe useful for starting up on a brutally ugly winter’s morning in an unforgiving management scenario, but dumb to try in the fresh warm freedom of my home sweet home neighbourhood.
Which leads me to the second reason: honesty.
Honesty was something I’d been raised with. I wanted to return to the once-upon-a-time truthfulness I had at three, when Mom exclaimed to my dad that I never told a lie.
Oh, for a replay of that clean Elysium now - now that I had put a final end to the dark lies and deceptions of the workplace. An honest vehicle is a high-performing vehicle.
So Phil sold me on his 5W30 light laughs and threw in a clean honesty filter free.
Now, all I had to do was clean out the soiled carburetor of my conscience through conviction and atonement.
Phil had everything I needed in stock.
His style is light & clear, like the premium 5W30 laughs he gave me. And funny.
***
But seriously, you know, Phil actually DID make a promise to himself NOT to tell a lie all for one whole long-ago year.
Did he succeed?
I think you can probably make a good jab at an Honest answer -
But to find out for yourself you’re gonna have to read this hilarious book.
Four big stars, Phil, for sure!
You got me up & running & roadworthy in no time.
Now, how much do I owe you?
Got it soon after I retired, a time when I was down a quart of ha-ha’s in my life.
Maybe I had burnt it all out at work?
With my pedal to the floor, it was only metal on metal.
My engine needed a colossal tune-up. There was thick smoke in the air when I tried to fire myself up again. I figured I needed to pay a visit to a man from the heartland of Alberta oil country...
Funnyman Phil himself.
So he tuned me up nicely with his Christian TLC.
First I needed to change the oil, adding some really light nice-weather lubricant.
Maybe Phil had some good high-quality stuff?
Well, he showed me a bottle of 5W30 premium laughs, to loosen me up. It came recommended for all engines.
My chassis itself was a rusty, leaky 1950’s vintage, but if my engine had new life to it, I didn’t care.
For two reasons.
First, I think my ancient engine had been gummed up by the wintry stress of my go-nuts workplace, where we had used heavier, higher viscosity chuckles.
You’ll know what I mean when I say every chuckle anyone emitted in that weary place was full of heavy, thick cynicism and desperation.
Maybe useful for starting up on a brutally ugly winter’s morning in an unforgiving management scenario, but dumb to try in the fresh warm freedom of my home sweet home neighbourhood.
Which leads me to the second reason: honesty.
Honesty was something I’d been raised with. I wanted to return to the once-upon-a-time truthfulness I had at three, when Mom exclaimed to my dad that I never told a lie.
Oh, for a replay of that clean Elysium now - now that I had put a final end to the dark lies and deceptions of the workplace. An honest vehicle is a high-performing vehicle.
So Phil sold me on his 5W30 light laughs and threw in a clean honesty filter free.
Now, all I had to do was clean out the soiled carburetor of my conscience through conviction and atonement.
Phil had everything I needed in stock.
His style is light & clear, like the premium 5W30 laughs he gave me. And funny.
***
But seriously, you know, Phil actually DID make a promise to himself NOT to tell a lie all for one whole long-ago year.
Did he succeed?
I think you can probably make a good jab at an Honest answer -
But to find out for yourself you’re gonna have to read this hilarious book.
Four big stars, Phil, for sure!
You got me up & running & roadworthy in no time.
Now, how much do I owe you?
April 17, 2011
To be perfectly honest, I thought this book I received for free through Goodreads First Reads was absolutely terrible. But clearly I am not his key demographic.
In reading the description of this book I was intrigued by the concept and the chance to get insight on another person's true thoughts. Unfortunately, the author only very loosely sticks to the idea of telling the truth and the book reads like the daily journal ramblings of a smug religious fundamentalist. His closed mindedness was cringe-inducing for me and the only time I laughed at all was when the author talked about his recurring nightmares about Communists. And even then I only laughed because I thought his worries were so stereotypical. The book description downplays the religious aspect, but in my opinion this book is only for the type of Christian who thinks it would be hilarious to ponder about who would be best suited to take care of your pet after the Rapture.
In reading the description of this book I was intrigued by the concept and the chance to get insight on another person's true thoughts. Unfortunately, the author only very loosely sticks to the idea of telling the truth and the book reads like the daily journal ramblings of a smug religious fundamentalist. His closed mindedness was cringe-inducing for me and the only time I laughed at all was when the author talked about his recurring nightmares about Communists. And even then I only laughed because I thought his worries were so stereotypical. The book description downplays the religious aspect, but in my opinion this book is only for the type of Christian who thinks it would be hilarious to ponder about who would be best suited to take care of your pet after the Rapture.
May 27, 2011
There's a scene in Phil Callaway's latest book where he speaks to a group in Hong Kong. He dusts off some moldy opening jokes which are met with vacant stares. After a few false starts, he begins telling stories of what a bonehead he has been in his travels (buying a knock-off Rolex in a public market, for example) and suddenly he's the Elvis of comedy.
I won To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life, No Lie in a Goodreads "First-Reads" Giveaway, and was looking forward to it, especially for free. To be perfectly honest, this book is less than the sum of its parts.
The premise is simple and full of potential. An editor challenged humorist Phil Callaway to live an entire year without telling a lie. The structural concept—put yourself in an awkward or ridiculously demanding situation and fight your way out of it—is a well-worn path. Julie Powell's Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously and A.J. Jacobs' books The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible and The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World are recent examples of the form, but the lineage can be traced to George Plimpton's 1964 book Paper Lion and beyond.
However, To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life, No Lie is as labored and plodding as the title. I was expecting a slap-you-silly story of how honesty can be a dangerous thing, wrapped around a few nuggets of spiritual insight. What I got was a book that really isn't all that funny nor insightful.
Phil Callaway isn't totally without skill. Many of the anecdotes are fine, but should have been in some other book. Passages about an ailing parent are genuine and moving. Callaway is intermittently amusing, tells a good clear story, and when he describes family situations (especially with his wife), the book snaps to life. But the humor has all the bite of pabulum, and is just about as tasty.
The book sinks into the mud in its willingness to easily abandon the original provocative idea. Callaway chases rabbits so often the "honesty" theme gets hung up in the briars. I suspect the day-by-day "diary" format has something to do with this—the entries fade in and out of the promised theme like road signs in a fog. After a while, one gets the feeling that the title was expected to sell the book all by itself, with little help from the book's actual content.
I'll admit it may be my own fault. The premise aimed my expectations for the moon, but they never made it off the launch pad. After reading humorists like David Sedaris, Simon Rich, John Hodgman and Sarah Vowell, witty, sharp, each with a wicked sense of humor and an original point of view, I pictured a much better book than Callaway delivered. Most of the time, TBPH:OMYOALTCCYLNL acts like its prime directive is to be inoffensive—a plague often the downfall of Christian humor. Christian or not, uncomfortable, toothless restraint is the kiss of death for laugh-out-loud hilarity.
The Elvis of comedy hasn't just left the building; sorry to say, he never showed up.
I won To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life, No Lie in a Goodreads "First-Reads" Giveaway, and was looking forward to it, especially for free. To be perfectly honest, this book is less than the sum of its parts.
The premise is simple and full of potential. An editor challenged humorist Phil Callaway to live an entire year without telling a lie. The structural concept—put yourself in an awkward or ridiculously demanding situation and fight your way out of it—is a well-worn path. Julie Powell's Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously and A.J. Jacobs' books The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible and The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World are recent examples of the form, but the lineage can be traced to George Plimpton's 1964 book Paper Lion and beyond.
However, To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life, No Lie is as labored and plodding as the title. I was expecting a slap-you-silly story of how honesty can be a dangerous thing, wrapped around a few nuggets of spiritual insight. What I got was a book that really isn't all that funny nor insightful.
Phil Callaway isn't totally without skill. Many of the anecdotes are fine, but should have been in some other book. Passages about an ailing parent are genuine and moving. Callaway is intermittently amusing, tells a good clear story, and when he describes family situations (especially with his wife), the book snaps to life. But the humor has all the bite of pabulum, and is just about as tasty.
The book sinks into the mud in its willingness to easily abandon the original provocative idea. Callaway chases rabbits so often the "honesty" theme gets hung up in the briars. I suspect the day-by-day "diary" format has something to do with this—the entries fade in and out of the promised theme like road signs in a fog. After a while, one gets the feeling that the title was expected to sell the book all by itself, with little help from the book's actual content.
I'll admit it may be my own fault. The premise aimed my expectations for the moon, but they never made it off the launch pad. After reading humorists like David Sedaris, Simon Rich, John Hodgman and Sarah Vowell, witty, sharp, each with a wicked sense of humor and an original point of view, I pictured a much better book than Callaway delivered. Most of the time, TBPH:OMYOALTCCYLNL acts like its prime directive is to be inoffensive—a plague often the downfall of Christian humor. Christian or not, uncomfortable, toothless restraint is the kiss of death for laugh-out-loud hilarity.
The Elvis of comedy hasn't just left the building; sorry to say, he never showed up.
April 30, 2011
How many lies do you tell every day? Yes, we’re counting the “white” ones. Could you go an entire year without telling a lie? Neither could the author, but he made an effort. The results are quite as extreme as in the Jim Carrey movie “Liar, Liar”, but they’re pretty hilarious just the same.
The real impact comes from the author’s honesty with himself and his readers, although he does have some interesting experiences with friends and family. We get to read about his PacMan addiction, his email conversations with a spammer, and his obsession with Mormons. I’m not sure when I last read a book that made me laugh out loud (many times) and cry. I’ve never been entertained and convicted quite like this. To Be Perfectly Honest isn’t just about telling those around us the truth. It’s about trusting God and being honest with him and ourselves.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.
The real impact comes from the author’s honesty with himself and his readers, although he does have some interesting experiences with friends and family. We get to read about his PacMan addiction, his email conversations with a spammer, and his obsession with Mormons. I’m not sure when I last read a book that made me laugh out loud (many times) and cry. I’ve never been entertained and convicted quite like this. To Be Perfectly Honest isn’t just about telling those around us the truth. It’s about trusting God and being honest with him and ourselves.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2011
Phil Callaway in his new book, "To Be Perfectly Honest" published by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group shows us One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie.
In The Bible we are told to not lie to one another. Paul makes it perfectly clear that there is no place in Heaven for liars, yet, we as a people, seem to lie all the time. We excuse this behavior because we told a little white lie. Yet, God sees every lie the same. What do we do?
Phil Callaway was given the assignment to give up any lies for a whole year and write about the experience. Now this could turn out to be a really dry, weary march through 365 days but it turns out that, among other things, Mr. Callaway is also a comedian. So get ready to laugh.
"To Be Perfectly Honest" is not a humor book so it won't be found in the humor section of the bookstore. It is a book of human behavior and about how much we need God to change the very nature in our lives. Telling a lie, any kind of lie, all goes back to Adam and Eve in The Garden and we need God's help even more today. Phil Callaway knows how to deliver truth that we can take because he provides it with lots of humor. Some of it is really funny, others not so but everywhere there is truth delivered in a subtle manner. I recommend this book and, if you are like me, you will find yourself in these pages somewhere and still laugh.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours uninterrupted Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
In The Bible we are told to not lie to one another. Paul makes it perfectly clear that there is no place in Heaven for liars, yet, we as a people, seem to lie all the time. We excuse this behavior because we told a little white lie. Yet, God sees every lie the same. What do we do?
Phil Callaway was given the assignment to give up any lies for a whole year and write about the experience. Now this could turn out to be a really dry, weary march through 365 days but it turns out that, among other things, Mr. Callaway is also a comedian. So get ready to laugh.
"To Be Perfectly Honest" is not a humor book so it won't be found in the humor section of the bookstore. It is a book of human behavior and about how much we need God to change the very nature in our lives. Telling a lie, any kind of lie, all goes back to Adam and Eve in The Garden and we need God's help even more today. Phil Callaway knows how to deliver truth that we can take because he provides it with lots of humor. Some of it is really funny, others not so but everywhere there is truth delivered in a subtle manner. I recommend this book and, if you are like me, you will find yourself in these pages somewhere and still laugh.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours uninterrupted Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 26, 2011
Not a Bathroom Reader
An editor called an author with an idea to make a buck. The idea was to try to live for a year without lying and write about it. Wish he had called me.
I got a copy of To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man’s Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie. by Phil Callaway (the lucky author who got the call).
The book is kind of a diary or blog of his year without lying. Because of the style, I thought it would make a good bathroom reader. But then my legs fell asleep while laughing on the commode. I moved it to my nightstand.
In the humor of his daily life we learn about his wife and kids, about church, the Mormons he meets and the atheist with the weird job. We also learn about his struggle with life and death in his family, about honesty and integrity.
Here is a typical day from the book:
Day 316. Ramona stuffs our tithe to the church in an envelope once a month and drops it in the offering. I’ve never liked this method. That leaves three Sundays a month when the ushers and fellow parishioners can see that we are putting nothing in the plate. So today I considered licking an empty envelope and dropping it in. I wonder if anyone else in all of church history has been hypocritical enough to think of doing such a thing.
Maybe I should put FG’s name on it.”
You have to read the book to know the history of FG, but you get the idea. It’s great fun with Phil writing all the things you have thought but been wise enough not to say. Or put in print. Phil is funny, not smart.
The book is most fun for those of us with some church background – we can relate best to the situations he finds himself in, but I would recommend it to almost anyone with a sense of humor. Other than having the longest book-title ever I loved the book. But, to be perfectly honest, I took off half a star for two reasons. One, the title was a hassle to type. Two, Phil got the call.
I received this book free from Multnomah Books for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. DanielCooley.com
An editor called an author with an idea to make a buck. The idea was to try to live for a year without lying and write about it. Wish he had called me.
I got a copy of To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man’s Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie. by Phil Callaway (the lucky author who got the call).
The book is kind of a diary or blog of his year without lying. Because of the style, I thought it would make a good bathroom reader. But then my legs fell asleep while laughing on the commode. I moved it to my nightstand.
In the humor of his daily life we learn about his wife and kids, about church, the Mormons he meets and the atheist with the weird job. We also learn about his struggle with life and death in his family, about honesty and integrity.
Here is a typical day from the book:
Day 316. Ramona stuffs our tithe to the church in an envelope once a month and drops it in the offering. I’ve never liked this method. That leaves three Sundays a month when the ushers and fellow parishioners can see that we are putting nothing in the plate. So today I considered licking an empty envelope and dropping it in. I wonder if anyone else in all of church history has been hypocritical enough to think of doing such a thing.
Maybe I should put FG’s name on it.”
You have to read the book to know the history of FG, but you get the idea. It’s great fun with Phil writing all the things you have thought but been wise enough not to say. Or put in print. Phil is funny, not smart.
The book is most fun for those of us with some church background – we can relate best to the situations he finds himself in, but I would recommend it to almost anyone with a sense of humor. Other than having the longest book-title ever I loved the book. But, to be perfectly honest, I took off half a star for two reasons. One, the title was a hassle to type. Two, Phil got the call.
I received this book free from Multnomah Books for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. DanielCooley.com
May 1, 2011
*I won this book in a First-Reads Giveaway*
Phil Callaway's To be Perfectly Honest was, honestly, a refreshing read. This epistolary novel follows Callaway's life in a year-long challenge to speak nothing but the truth. Intrigued by the description after entering the giveaway contest, I thought I would enjoy a light-hearted and humorous story about the attempts, successes, and outright failures of a humorist being blunt and honest. What I got instead was a tremendously inspiring and heart-warming book that speaks about the ups-and-downs of life.
Though Phil Callaway is not perfectly honest with others during his experiment, To Be Perfectly Honest, taught me just that- no one is perfect. Through his admission of his trials and failures, Callaway opens up and is honest to himself as a Christian, a father, a husband, and a friend. The road to integrity is a tough one, and Callaway travels it with grace and with refreshing honestly, though he hits a few pot-holes along the way. Callaway is not afraid to admit that he is human- he opens up about his secret feelings towards those he does not agree with, he talks of biting his tongue around those who frustrates him, and he admits to temptations of his life.
**
I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to laugh, cry, and admire Phil Callaway's bravery.
Readers should be aware that Phil Callaway is a Christian author. This book does follow a very Christian lifestyle (going to church, praying, donating, going on missionary trips, etc) and Callaway does touch base on interacting with non-Christians and atheists. However, the religious tone of the book is not overwhelming- in fact, it only furthers emphasizes the fact that Callaway admits to being human! Callaway breaks the stereotypes many people may have about religious Christians (they're stuck up, they're goody-two shoes, they don't have a sense of humor, etc) with humor, wit, and a real humanistic feel.
Phil Callaway's To be Perfectly Honest was, honestly, a refreshing read. This epistolary novel follows Callaway's life in a year-long challenge to speak nothing but the truth. Intrigued by the description after entering the giveaway contest, I thought I would enjoy a light-hearted and humorous story about the attempts, successes, and outright failures of a humorist being blunt and honest. What I got instead was a tremendously inspiring and heart-warming book that speaks about the ups-and-downs of life.
Though Phil Callaway is not perfectly honest with others during his experiment, To Be Perfectly Honest, taught me just that- no one is perfect. Through his admission of his trials and failures, Callaway opens up and is honest to himself as a Christian, a father, a husband, and a friend. The road to integrity is a tough one, and Callaway travels it with grace and with refreshing honestly, though he hits a few pot-holes along the way. Callaway is not afraid to admit that he is human- he opens up about his secret feelings towards those he does not agree with, he talks of biting his tongue around those who frustrates him, and he admits to temptations of his life.
**
I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to laugh, cry, and admire Phil Callaway's bravery.
Readers should be aware that Phil Callaway is a Christian author. This book does follow a very Christian lifestyle (going to church, praying, donating, going on missionary trips, etc) and Callaway does touch base on interacting with non-Christians and atheists. However, the religious tone of the book is not overwhelming- in fact, it only furthers emphasizes the fact that Callaway admits to being human! Callaway breaks the stereotypes many people may have about religious Christians (they're stuck up, they're goody-two shoes, they don't have a sense of humor, etc) with humor, wit, and a real humanistic feel.
May 4, 2011
I found this book a lot of fun, although not exactly lie-free. The man is absolutely hilarious and I have no doubt he put forth a really good effort to try to live without lying. The book provides many stories of how he chose to twist the truth without lying or choosing the truth in an effort to be brutally honest which was painful. For him.
I enjoyed the honesty of his sins. He struggles with lust, coveting, and a number of others I am surprised he admitted to in print where his wife could see. Kudos to Ramona for her sense of humor. Although I expected the book to read more like "A Year of Living Biblically," it was more like an inconcise journal. Expect laughs for certain. Expect honesty in doses. I will read Phil Callaway again and again. I will watch him in a comedy show. He is clean, fresh, fun but still a liar.
Dude. What's up with the anti-Mormon feelings? Don't you know that Mormons are the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, spiritually in tuned and sexy of all the religions? No lie. Except me. I'm exempt from that statement.
Except the sexy part.
Pants on fire.
I enjoyed the honesty of his sins. He struggles with lust, coveting, and a number of others I am surprised he admitted to in print where his wife could see. Kudos to Ramona for her sense of humor. Although I expected the book to read more like "A Year of Living Biblically," it was more like an inconcise journal. Expect laughs for certain. Expect honesty in doses. I will read Phil Callaway again and again. I will watch him in a comedy show. He is clean, fresh, fun but still a liar.
Dude. What's up with the anti-Mormon feelings? Don't you know that Mormons are the most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, spiritually in tuned and sexy of all the religions? No lie. Except me. I'm exempt from that statement.
Except the sexy part.
Pants on fire.
July 23, 2011
When you read this book you need to keep in mind this is fiction in its purest form. The author keeps a journal of his year under oath to tell the truth. It is a true insight to a christian life. I loved the realism in the entries. The author (like most chrisitans) is just another person trying to make it one day at a time in a world that likes to through curve balls. I enjoyed reading his imperfections, laughed over his tricky moments and felt compassion when things were not always looking up. His undelying devotion to our Lord was present on every page though not preached to you, rather it was doubted by the author on a daily basis. I could not put this book down… I kept wanting to read just a little more… just a little more. You WILL enjoy this book and you WILL laugh.
***received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
***received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
June 25, 2011
PHIL CALLAWAY'S "TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST" (REVIEW)
Phil Callaway's experiment to go one whole year without telling a lie is a hilarious story. The book is written almost like a journal documenting his days with this experiment. I found it hilarious, witty, and simply good fun. The story also teaches you about what it means to be a good Christian as well as what it means to live a life full of honesty.
Phil Callaway is an extremely funny man whose works have brought much humor and joy to many people over the years. If you enjoy reading about life viewed in a humorous way then you'll love this book.
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
Phil Callaway's experiment to go one whole year without telling a lie is a hilarious story. The book is written almost like a journal documenting his days with this experiment. I found it hilarious, witty, and simply good fun. The story also teaches you about what it means to be a good Christian as well as what it means to live a life full of honesty.
Phil Callaway is an extremely funny man whose works have brought much humor and joy to many people over the years. If you enjoy reading about life viewed in a humorous way then you'll love this book.
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...
September 11, 2012
Some people say that some of the events were made up in this book. I can only guess they have never spent time around families like mine. Although corresponding with spam e-mailers, pretending you are deaf to fend off Mormons, or looking into post rapture pet care sounds crazy to most people, if you live in a family like mine it normal.
This book made my sides hurt it was so funny and also eye opening. Through Phil's journey of not telling even a little white lie for a whole year, I realize how often I tell them. I say I'm fine when I'm not, I say it is okay when nothing could be further from the truth, I say I don't have the time instead of honestly saying that I just don't want to do it.
This book is full of humor, as well as a gentle reminder of the value of honesty.
This book made my sides hurt it was so funny and also eye opening. Through Phil's journey of not telling even a little white lie for a whole year, I realize how often I tell them. I say I'm fine when I'm not, I say it is okay when nothing could be further from the truth, I say I don't have the time instead of honestly saying that I just don't want to do it.
This book is full of humor, as well as a gentle reminder of the value of honesty.
June 9, 2011
Could you go for an entire year without lying? Not even the tiny lies that we tell ourselves are alright? Sarcasm doesn't count, right? It sounds bad--no, terrible!--but I don't know if I could do it. Phil Callaway took that challenge, and then wrote about his experience. It was interesting to see how it changed him in the end -- he became kinder to others, more quick to tell the truth regardless of what people around him might think, and more open to verbal confrontations.
I'm sure that list sounds contradictory, but think of the many different ways the truth can be delivered. It takes a wise man to speak the necessary truths in a spirit of love, rather than spite or vindictiveness.
I'm sure that list sounds contradictory, but think of the many different ways the truth can be delivered. It takes a wise man to speak the necessary truths in a spirit of love, rather than spite or vindictiveness.
July 15, 2011
This is such a fabulously honest book! Anyone who takes an honest look at their life has to know that things are not where they should be. This book helped me work through some of those things in my life and come out the other side a better, more honest individual. You can't help but be encouraged while reading it to know that there is hope and that there is a Savior. I laughed out loud several times when I was reading this and had to go back and read those portions to my husband who kept saying, What is so funny? He is now reeading the book and enjoying it. Insightful and forthright but light enough to keep you smiling!
September 2, 2011
I did enjoy the journey this book took. As you might suspect, there are some very funny parts and some that are not (just as life can be like).
The book is completely free of lies, he sets out a situation, then says what happened, and then all of a sudden he says, "but that it didn't happen that way," (or along the lines of that) and says what really happened. I liked that part because it gives you insight into what he wanted to do but what he did instead.
Overall I enjoyed this.
The book is completely free of lies, he sets out a situation, then says what happened, and then all of a sudden he says, "but that it didn't happen that way," (or along the lines of that) and says what really happened. I liked that part because it gives you insight into what he wanted to do but what he did instead.
Overall I enjoyed this.
June 27, 2011
I couldn't put this book down! Callaway writes with great honesty and humor. This is a very courageous book about one man's attempt to tell the truth, pray the truth and live the truth. I especially loved his clever practial jokes:)
December 30, 2021
Ostensibly a book about being honest for a year, but in practice this is something like 10% about telling the truth (generous estimate; at no point does Callaway define parameters for this year, so much of the 'tell no lies' is things like wondering whether he should tell his wife, unasked, that she overcooked the peas), 40% blowing smoke up his own derriere, and 50% LET ME TRY TO CONVERT YOU TO JESUS.
Today I received an invitation to speak at a public-school teachers' convention coming up in the spring. They must not know I'm a Christian. Have I been hiding it under a bushel that thoroughly? Should I tell them before or after I arrive? What will I say when I speak? "Our educational system is broken, and today I'd like to talk about bringing back three items: moral absolutes, prayer, and Scriptural memorization"? (12–13)
I once went an entire week without talking to a nonbeliever, smelling cigar smoke, or hearing a cuss word. Then my brother—a Baptist minister—arrived and all that changed. Truth is, I'm more comfortable viewing pagans from a distance, like fifth-grade boys who huddle together at recess talking about talking to girls. (52)
I brought along my crippled watch [on a mission trip] to give to someone. It really is a nice watch. You hold your head a little to the right and you can tell time. (117)
I continue to let my light shine before men. And women. When I'm in a hotel, I have taken to opening the Gideon Bible and leaving it on the nightstand with a couple-dollar tip and a note that says, "This is amazing! Take a minute to read chapter 4! Thanks! (132)
Major takeaways:
1) I suspect Callaway feels that he let the side down for not getting some form of 'Christian', 'Jesus', 'God', etc., on every single page.
2) This is definitely the kind of guy who would leave a Bible tract instead of a tip for a restaurant server, and justify it by saying that if the person just got in line with his particular brand of Christianity, God would provide and they'd be able to earn a living wage.
Today I received an invitation to speak at a public-school teachers' convention coming up in the spring. They must not know I'm a Christian. Have I been hiding it under a bushel that thoroughly? Should I tell them before or after I arrive? What will I say when I speak? "Our educational system is broken, and today I'd like to talk about bringing back three items: moral absolutes, prayer, and Scriptural memorization"? (12–13)
I once went an entire week without talking to a nonbeliever, smelling cigar smoke, or hearing a cuss word. Then my brother—a Baptist minister—arrived and all that changed. Truth is, I'm more comfortable viewing pagans from a distance, like fifth-grade boys who huddle together at recess talking about talking to girls. (52)
I brought along my crippled watch [on a mission trip] to give to someone. It really is a nice watch. You hold your head a little to the right and you can tell time. (117)
I continue to let my light shine before men. And women. When I'm in a hotel, I have taken to opening the Gideon Bible and leaving it on the nightstand with a couple-dollar tip and a note that says, "This is amazing! Take a minute to read chapter 4! Thanks! (132)
Major takeaways:
1) I suspect Callaway feels that he let the side down for not getting some form of 'Christian', 'Jesus', 'God', etc., on every single page.
2) This is definitely the kind of guy who would leave a Bible tract instead of a tip for a restaurant server, and justify it by saying that if the person just got in line with his particular brand of Christianity, God would provide and they'd be able to earn a living wage.
July 31, 2020
Loved this. Made me laugh but also do some healthy self examination.
October 5, 2020
Entertaining and wholesome
A very good and a pleasant read. Not too heavy, but messages and clear and deep from a man committed to Christ.
Thank you.
A very good and a pleasant read. Not too heavy, but messages and clear and deep from a man committed to Christ.
Thank you.
February 23, 2022
Although hilarious (an understatement, I bust out laughing so many times reading this book) to read, I found the content very challenging and thought provoking.
Read
November 22, 2024I didn’t read it as I didn’t ask for it !!!!
December 7, 2011
I’ve been putting off writing this review because I couldn’t get myself to finish reading the book. I also knew that even if I could finish it I wouldn’t have much good to say about it.
There. I said it.
This book is about a writer– presumably of Barcalounger arm rest humor and Christian Dudes Golfing Or Something (no doubt printed in totally unjustifiable hardcover)– whose editor… or publisher… (I don’t care enough to double check) gave him the only very marginally interesting idea of telling nothing but the truth for a year and then writing about his experiences.
The writer, whose name I have to keep looking up, agreed and set out to write this book, the title of which I also have to keep looking up. He tells his friends he’s writing this book, he makes a big deal about how he thinks they’re going to take advantage of his honesty vows, they don’t take advantage of his honesty vows, all while he pens one-liner after one-liner revealing an annoying habit of mistaking “humor” for “integrity” for 161 pages.
After that I don’t really know what happens. That’s where I stopped reading.
The author, Phil, sounds nice enough, but… Aw geez. I d’unno. A few of his anecdotes were relatable in a very general, “I’ve got an uncle like you” sort of way. But the constant joking thing is– it just gets old fast, both in real life and on the page.
Unless you’re Dave Barry. Have you read The Taming of the Screw?! Oh man! I laughed so hard at that book!
Or Haven Kimmel. She’s pretty consistently funny without being annoying too.
So what is it about this guy? About this book? For a reader who tends to appreciate humorous memoirs, why am I har-har’ed out with this one?
I think it might be because he set the book up as this brave foray into honesty, and then he spent most of his time joking about praying down hellfire on people. I get it that that’s not what he really wants. He’s just joking. Again. But when there’s so little actual substance to a book he says is about something he claims is potentially life changing (see title), then I expect him to deliver something beyond goofballness, incessant punch-lining, and weak bon mots. It may’ve worked for you in your other books, buddy, but here you’ve failed to deliver on what the book is supposed to be about by masking sincerity with silliness.
On rare occasions he does actually lay things bare with some surprisingly open, candid moments. Moments that made me think “Yes! He’s finally going to give me something good! Something real! Something I’ll be able to relate to!”
Wrong wrong wrong.
Those moments were short, few, and very far between. The author himself may have said it best after speaking with his editor/publisher/Piggly Wiggly bagger: “I still wasn’t sold on the idea [of writing about being honest for a year], but I couldn’t stop thinking that I would love to read such a book. If someone else wrote it.” (p.3)
You and me both, Phil. You and me both.
I feel kind of bad writing how much I disliked this book. I’ve got this vision in my head of this guy Googling reviews of his work and coming across this one and getting really bummed out over it even though I’m just some stranger with a laptop and precious little in common with what is presumably the book’s target demographic (upper-middle class middle aged Christian white guys).
It’s not a terrible book. Really, Mr. Callaway. A couple of parts- I probably should’ve marked them so I could find them again- even made me laugh out loud. It just wasn’t very, ah… good?
If you receive this book as a gift, at least page through it. Who knows? Maybe it’s just not for me. But I sure wouldn’t recommend spending any money on it. Especially not when you could be spending it on A Girl Named Zippy instead.
*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I don’t owe it to them to like, or not like, this book. The opinions in this blog are mine and mine alone.
**********************************************
ETA 12/6/11: I was so close to the end of the book when I stopped reading it I figured I might as well finish it. I hate leaving loose ends on my Goodreads account.) For the record the author still doesn’t seem to understand that “honesty” and “not lying” and “telling the truth” are not interchangeable with “cracking jokes about suggesting suicide to nursing home employees” and the like. The book remained unfunny, at times even callously so. Before I’d have given this book 2 out of 5 stars because I liked the guy’s wife. After finishing the book I would barely give it 1.
There. I said it.
This book is about a writer– presumably of Barcalounger arm rest humor and Christian Dudes Golfing Or Something (no doubt printed in totally unjustifiable hardcover)– whose editor… or publisher… (I don’t care enough to double check) gave him the only very marginally interesting idea of telling nothing but the truth for a year and then writing about his experiences.
The writer, whose name I have to keep looking up, agreed and set out to write this book, the title of which I also have to keep looking up. He tells his friends he’s writing this book, he makes a big deal about how he thinks they’re going to take advantage of his honesty vows, they don’t take advantage of his honesty vows, all while he pens one-liner after one-liner revealing an annoying habit of mistaking “humor” for “integrity” for 161 pages.
After that I don’t really know what happens. That’s where I stopped reading.
The author, Phil, sounds nice enough, but… Aw geez. I d’unno. A few of his anecdotes were relatable in a very general, “I’ve got an uncle like you” sort of way. But the constant joking thing is– it just gets old fast, both in real life and on the page.
Unless you’re Dave Barry. Have you read The Taming of the Screw?! Oh man! I laughed so hard at that book!
Or Haven Kimmel. She’s pretty consistently funny without being annoying too.
So what is it about this guy? About this book? For a reader who tends to appreciate humorous memoirs, why am I har-har’ed out with this one?
I think it might be because he set the book up as this brave foray into honesty, and then he spent most of his time joking about praying down hellfire on people. I get it that that’s not what he really wants. He’s just joking. Again. But when there’s so little actual substance to a book he says is about something he claims is potentially life changing (see title), then I expect him to deliver something beyond goofballness, incessant punch-lining, and weak bon mots. It may’ve worked for you in your other books, buddy, but here you’ve failed to deliver on what the book is supposed to be about by masking sincerity with silliness.
On rare occasions he does actually lay things bare with some surprisingly open, candid moments. Moments that made me think “Yes! He’s finally going to give me something good! Something real! Something I’ll be able to relate to!”
Wrong wrong wrong.
Those moments were short, few, and very far between. The author himself may have said it best after speaking with his editor/publisher/Piggly Wiggly bagger: “I still wasn’t sold on the idea [of writing about being honest for a year], but I couldn’t stop thinking that I would love to read such a book. If someone else wrote it.” (p.3)
You and me both, Phil. You and me both.
I feel kind of bad writing how much I disliked this book. I’ve got this vision in my head of this guy Googling reviews of his work and coming across this one and getting really bummed out over it even though I’m just some stranger with a laptop and precious little in common with what is presumably the book’s target demographic (upper-middle class middle aged Christian white guys).
It’s not a terrible book. Really, Mr. Callaway. A couple of parts- I probably should’ve marked them so I could find them again- even made me laugh out loud. It just wasn’t very, ah… good?
If you receive this book as a gift, at least page through it. Who knows? Maybe it’s just not for me. But I sure wouldn’t recommend spending any money on it. Especially not when you could be spending it on A Girl Named Zippy instead.
*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I don’t owe it to them to like, or not like, this book. The opinions in this blog are mine and mine alone.
**********************************************
ETA 12/6/11: I was so close to the end of the book when I stopped reading it I figured I might as well finish it. I hate leaving loose ends on my Goodreads account.) For the record the author still doesn’t seem to understand that “honesty” and “not lying” and “telling the truth” are not interchangeable with “cracking jokes about suggesting suicide to nursing home employees” and the like. The book remained unfunny, at times even callously so. Before I’d have given this book 2 out of 5 stars because I liked the guy’s wife. After finishing the book I would barely give it 1.
April 28, 2011
To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man’s Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie by Phil Callaway
Phil Callaway in To Be Perfectly Honest documents a year of his life and his attempt to avoid lying. The book is a journal of his life for a year, day by day, in his attempt to live entirely truthfully. He records his daily happenings and feelings about the activities of his days. He is “honest” with his readers on his views of faith, relationships and Pac-Man. The journal is a chronicle of a year in which Callaway interacted with Christians and non-Christians, dealt with financial scams, and experienced the death of his mother. At the end of each chapter Callaway presents an honest confession based on his observations for the last month. The book concludes with a discussion guide for use with small groups.
When I agreed to review this book, I was looking for something different than what I typically read. I honestly was trying to seek out a humorous book. And Callaway has plenty of amusing stories and observations, though I honestly, okay I’m going to use honest and truth as much as possible in this review, never had a full out belly laugh. Callaway is very truthful with his reader about how situations made him feel and his opinions on what occurred. He does not hide that he would rather be playing and reaching new high scores in Pac-Man instead of reading his Bible, as a good man of God should. He provides us honest impressions of his interactions with other Christians and how we have failed, he is a reformed Pharisee in his own words. So I do believe this is a very transparent reflection of a man of faith and provides us a window to Callaway’s mind a man honestly seeking to follow Jesus. However, I don’t believe it delivers as a summary of an experiment of truth. Callaway does mention his truth project, but he is not always 100% truthful. For example he has an email exchange with Nigerian scammers where he gives the impression that he wishes to participate in the scammers request. He provides an explanation of why this allowable, but he is not 100 percent truthful. Also when reading the summary of the book I was thinking of a text along the lines of A.J. Jacobs The Year of Living Biblically a book where Jacobs documents his own extreme social experiment. That book delivers due to Jacobs’ review of what his year did to him. It’s especially highly engaging since Jacobs is not a man of faith. Basically I was hoping there was a more in-depth explanation of what his experiment meant to him than the five pages provided from a position closer to my own worldview. I could have taken from this text the same lessons and reflections on a Christian life without the addition of a year of living in truth. And that’s my honest take on this book. I wouldn’t lie to you.
Review Copy Provided by WaterBrook Multnomah
Phil Callaway in To Be Perfectly Honest documents a year of his life and his attempt to avoid lying. The book is a journal of his life for a year, day by day, in his attempt to live entirely truthfully. He records his daily happenings and feelings about the activities of his days. He is “honest” with his readers on his views of faith, relationships and Pac-Man. The journal is a chronicle of a year in which Callaway interacted with Christians and non-Christians, dealt with financial scams, and experienced the death of his mother. At the end of each chapter Callaway presents an honest confession based on his observations for the last month. The book concludes with a discussion guide for use with small groups.
When I agreed to review this book, I was looking for something different than what I typically read. I honestly was trying to seek out a humorous book. And Callaway has plenty of amusing stories and observations, though I honestly, okay I’m going to use honest and truth as much as possible in this review, never had a full out belly laugh. Callaway is very truthful with his reader about how situations made him feel and his opinions on what occurred. He does not hide that he would rather be playing and reaching new high scores in Pac-Man instead of reading his Bible, as a good man of God should. He provides us honest impressions of his interactions with other Christians and how we have failed, he is a reformed Pharisee in his own words. So I do believe this is a very transparent reflection of a man of faith and provides us a window to Callaway’s mind a man honestly seeking to follow Jesus. However, I don’t believe it delivers as a summary of an experiment of truth. Callaway does mention his truth project, but he is not always 100% truthful. For example he has an email exchange with Nigerian scammers where he gives the impression that he wishes to participate in the scammers request. He provides an explanation of why this allowable, but he is not 100 percent truthful. Also when reading the summary of the book I was thinking of a text along the lines of A.J. Jacobs The Year of Living Biblically a book where Jacobs documents his own extreme social experiment. That book delivers due to Jacobs’ review of what his year did to him. It’s especially highly engaging since Jacobs is not a man of faith. Basically I was hoping there was a more in-depth explanation of what his experiment meant to him than the five pages provided from a position closer to my own worldview. I could have taken from this text the same lessons and reflections on a Christian life without the addition of a year of living in truth. And that’s my honest take on this book. I wouldn’t lie to you.
Review Copy Provided by WaterBrook Multnomah
May 1, 2011
"To Be Perfectly Honest" is a humor book about Christian living. My main problem with the book was that I thought it was about insights (illustrated by true stories) into the unexpected benefits of always telling the truth. That took up only about 10-15 pages in the book. The rest of the book was mainly about getting a laugh out of the reader.
The author stated that he didn't feel that jokes counted as lies. So a book about telling the truth contained deliberate lies for the purpose of getting a laugh. Not so much a problem in theory, but I sometimes had a hard time figuring out when he was telling a true, naturally funny story and when he was lying in order to make the reader laugh. While I love to laugh and find life quite funny, I unfortunately didn't understand or enjoy most of his humor.
Why did I read this book? I don't struggle with telling the truth. Nonetheless, I was interested in the subtitle's claim of "One man's year of almost living truthfully could change your life. No lie." Since the humor was a flop for me, it's too bad that I didn't even get any new "honesty" or "Christian living" insights out of the book. Every time he had an "aha!" moment, I was thinking, "You mean, you didn't know that?" But I guess I gained the insight that not every longtime Christian knows these things.
I should mention that I was bothered that the author felt that telling the truth was an excuse to be cruel or arrogant toward others. (For example, he said mean things about his wife's cooking and justified it as being truthful. He refused to laugh at someone else's jokes if he didn't find them funny, which he used to do just to be polite. He never understood that you can find something both nice and truthful to say in "be polite" situations.)
And while I appreciate the author's willingness to be open about his struggles as a Christian and while he did come to some good conclusions, I didn't like his attitude toward practically everyone in his life (made me glad I didn't know him) and I didn't agree with every Christian insight he came to. (I'm glad he no longer feels the need to pretend about his feelings when praying to God since that's pointless, but I don't agree that God's pleased by him being openly angry at Him. Phil's angry because he thinks he knows better than God about how things ought to be done, but, well, that didn't go over too well with God in the Garden of Eden.)
There were some discussion questions at the back of the book that focused mainly on telling the truth and the insights Phil gained. They, like this book, seem geared mainly toward those who lie frequently.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
The author stated that he didn't feel that jokes counted as lies. So a book about telling the truth contained deliberate lies for the purpose of getting a laugh. Not so much a problem in theory, but I sometimes had a hard time figuring out when he was telling a true, naturally funny story and when he was lying in order to make the reader laugh. While I love to laugh and find life quite funny, I unfortunately didn't understand or enjoy most of his humor.
Why did I read this book? I don't struggle with telling the truth. Nonetheless, I was interested in the subtitle's claim of "One man's year of almost living truthfully could change your life. No lie." Since the humor was a flop for me, it's too bad that I didn't even get any new "honesty" or "Christian living" insights out of the book. Every time he had an "aha!" moment, I was thinking, "You mean, you didn't know that?" But I guess I gained the insight that not every longtime Christian knows these things.
I should mention that I was bothered that the author felt that telling the truth was an excuse to be cruel or arrogant toward others. (For example, he said mean things about his wife's cooking and justified it as being truthful. He refused to laugh at someone else's jokes if he didn't find them funny, which he used to do just to be polite. He never understood that you can find something both nice and truthful to say in "be polite" situations.)
And while I appreciate the author's willingness to be open about his struggles as a Christian and while he did come to some good conclusions, I didn't like his attitude toward practically everyone in his life (made me glad I didn't know him) and I didn't agree with every Christian insight he came to. (I'm glad he no longer feels the need to pretend about his feelings when praying to God since that's pointless, but I don't agree that God's pleased by him being openly angry at Him. Phil's angry because he thinks he knows better than God about how things ought to be done, but, well, that didn't go over too well with God in the Garden of Eden.)
There were some discussion questions at the back of the book that focused mainly on telling the truth and the insights Phil gained. They, like this book, seem geared mainly toward those who lie frequently.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
January 19, 2012
The premise of this book is interesting – tell nothing but the truth for a whole year. “Do you lie?” this was the question I asked when I was talking about this book to my friends over lunch a few days ago and they said, “We do not really lie anyways”. I then asked them, “How many times have you told your little ones that you will get them something or take away something to get them to do something and then not done it?” “How many times have you promised yourself that you will not eat that additional dessert and then you did?” So while not all the lies we say are really huge, they are still lies - to be perfectly honest, it is hard being perfectly honest - white lies, truths untold, empty promises and threats, jokes all get in the way of being perfectly honest - and that is a major part of what this book is about - while it was not a page-turner for me, it was something I felt I wanted to complete though it took me forever to do so. The book is written in journal format with an entry for each day and of course, everyone has days when not much happens. But I loved the concept – though admittedly, it was hard figuring out sometimes whether he was telling a joke or the truth (since he is a humorist). I had quite a few laughs along the way and recognized many of the truths in myself as the author went through his year of trying to be honest.
Some of my favorite lines from the book:
“Some of the things I describe may not technically have happened, but they might just as well have.”
“Some people have imaginary friends. When I cut the grass, I have imaginary enemies.”
“If I tell a tiny portion of the truth, is it still a lie?”
““No way,” I said. “You cheat.” I was trying to be serious. He laughed. No one takes a humorist seriously”
“Apparently I don’t have an anger problem unless bad things happen to me.”
Rating: C+ (maybe a B-) for the laughs and the lessons learned and for the fact that I recognized my faults a little more and make an effort to be more honest since I read this
Disclaimer:Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for sending me a digital review copy of this book for review. I was not compensated for my book.
Some of my favorite lines from the book:
“Some of the things I describe may not technically have happened, but they might just as well have.”
“Some people have imaginary friends. When I cut the grass, I have imaginary enemies.”
“If I tell a tiny portion of the truth, is it still a lie?”
““No way,” I said. “You cheat.” I was trying to be serious. He laughed. No one takes a humorist seriously”
“Apparently I don’t have an anger problem unless bad things happen to me.”
Rating: C+ (maybe a B-) for the laughs and the lessons learned and for the fact that I recognized my faults a little more and make an effort to be more honest since I read this
Disclaimer:Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for sending me a digital review copy of this book for review. I was not compensated for my book.
July 22, 2011
I received this book through GoodReads First Reads.
I thought it was going to be a book about a man who didn't lie at all for a whole year and probably some funny or insightful things that happen as a result. But that doesn't seem to be what it's about at all, at least so far. Almost every entry that I have read in his truth journal is about his religion, his church, his prayer, his sins, his past sins, his sinful thoughts, etc. I don't see why he thinks all that stuff is somehow synonymous with being truthful or relevant to this truth project in any way. He even gets downright offensive at one point, saying that some people must have thought he was Pagan when he told a lie. As if only Christians could possibly be truthful and as if the only reason to be good or truthful is because your religion told you to. Ugh.
The author also tells stories throughout the book. They're things that apparently didn't actually happen, but he thinks that since he finds the stories funny, that makes them jokes, and jokes aren't lies. At one point he goes back and forth saying that something happened, then didn't, then did, then didn't. It gets kind of confusing and it seems really pointless. I thought this would be almost more of a social experiment rather than a joke book about a man analyzing all his sins and making up stories.
I usually hate to rate or review books before I finish them. I almost never refuse to finish reading a book that I start either. I think the last time I could not bring myself to finish a book was about six years ago. Well, I'm giving this book a one star rating and a bad review, and I'm putting it down now with no intention of ever picking it back up. I just can't bring myself to read any more of this offensive and irrelevant dribble. Very very disappointed.
I thought it was going to be a book about a man who didn't lie at all for a whole year and probably some funny or insightful things that happen as a result. But that doesn't seem to be what it's about at all, at least so far. Almost every entry that I have read in his truth journal is about his religion, his church, his prayer, his sins, his past sins, his sinful thoughts, etc. I don't see why he thinks all that stuff is somehow synonymous with being truthful or relevant to this truth project in any way. He even gets downright offensive at one point, saying that some people must have thought he was Pagan when he told a lie. As if only Christians could possibly be truthful and as if the only reason to be good or truthful is because your religion told you to. Ugh.
The author also tells stories throughout the book. They're things that apparently didn't actually happen, but he thinks that since he finds the stories funny, that makes them jokes, and jokes aren't lies. At one point he goes back and forth saying that something happened, then didn't, then did, then didn't. It gets kind of confusing and it seems really pointless. I thought this would be almost more of a social experiment rather than a joke book about a man analyzing all his sins and making up stories.
I usually hate to rate or review books before I finish them. I almost never refuse to finish reading a book that I start either. I think the last time I could not bring myself to finish a book was about six years ago. Well, I'm giving this book a one star rating and a bad review, and I'm putting it down now with no intention of ever picking it back up. I just can't bring myself to read any more of this offensive and irrelevant dribble. Very very disappointed.
December 6, 2011
Some people have imaginary friends. When I cut the grass, I have imaginary enemies. ~Phil Callaway, from Day 2 of To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie.
Few books make me laugh out loud as many times as To Be Perfectly Honest--a book I received for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. Imagine a Christian man taking an oath to be truthful for 365 days with the intention to write a book about his experiences! I enjoyed quips of the author's life immersed in his unique twists of humor very much. I will never forget Day 182 when I could not stop laughing for twenty minutes, but it would not be funny unless you had read the days before about the ordeal of a watch bought at the Mongkok Market in Hong Kong. That is all I am going to say on the matter; you just have to read it for yourself.
Now, to be honest, since we are on the subject of truthfulness, I thought, at first, that Christians are truthful or at least try to be, but I learned through these journal entries written nearly every day that I could relate with this man's shortcomings, perhaps way more than I would like to admit. Who knew that a piece of me was inside Phil Callaway's mind!
This book really made me evaluate my truthfulness, not with profound wisdom and deep meaning, but with humor and even those embarrassing circumstances when we tend to avoid the truth the most. I will say that even though I could relate well, I do believe this is a book that men might enjoy even better. However, it was definitely worth the read and the only thing that would have made somewhat more to my liking would have been that it had a bit more depth at times.
Few books make me laugh out loud as many times as To Be Perfectly Honest--a book I received for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. Imagine a Christian man taking an oath to be truthful for 365 days with the intention to write a book about his experiences! I enjoyed quips of the author's life immersed in his unique twists of humor very much. I will never forget Day 182 when I could not stop laughing for twenty minutes, but it would not be funny unless you had read the days before about the ordeal of a watch bought at the Mongkok Market in Hong Kong. That is all I am going to say on the matter; you just have to read it for yourself.
Now, to be honest, since we are on the subject of truthfulness, I thought, at first, that Christians are truthful or at least try to be, but I learned through these journal entries written nearly every day that I could relate with this man's shortcomings, perhaps way more than I would like to admit. Who knew that a piece of me was inside Phil Callaway's mind!
This book really made me evaluate my truthfulness, not with profound wisdom and deep meaning, but with humor and even those embarrassing circumstances when we tend to avoid the truth the most. I will say that even though I could relate well, I do believe this is a book that men might enjoy even better. However, it was definitely worth the read and the only thing that would have made somewhat more to my liking would have been that it had a bit more depth at times.
May 6, 2012
One Man’s Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie.
To be perfectly honest—who among us would take up the challenge to tell the truth, nothing but the truth for a solid 365 days? The man who did and lived to write about it is Phil Callaway. A man known for his humor and openly admitting to a need to fabricate at least a little to keep people interested makes for an absorbing read.
Honesty is always the best policy, right? What if it cost you a $1,000 to never tell a lie? Could you, would you be able to tell the absolute truth to your spouse/significant other, family and friends?
“I’m not sure how eager I would have been to sign on for a year of telling the truth if I had known how hard it would be to live without hypocrisy, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, give up my coat, do good to those who tick me off, and pick up my cross and follow Christ.”
Speaking truth on a daily basis provides Phil with numerous questions and various dilemmas. Phil openly struggles with wishing he could tell a little lie to avoid the outcome following a truthful answer. To Be Perfectly Honest is thought provoking on a multitude of diverse levels.
“I prayed that God would send salamanders to infest his bathtub, and load his mailbox with lots of letters. From the tax people.
“Lord give him jury duty.”
Is this wrong? I’m quite certain it is. But stopping is hard.”
Journal style entry makes for relaxed reading as you follow each days predicament to tell the truth or lie. The topic is honesty; however, Phil never misses a chance to insert his style of humor into the details.
A great way to judge how honest you are is to read a book about how honest another is or tries to be.
To be perfectly honest—who among us would take up the challenge to tell the truth, nothing but the truth for a solid 365 days? The man who did and lived to write about it is Phil Callaway. A man known for his humor and openly admitting to a need to fabricate at least a little to keep people interested makes for an absorbing read.
Honesty is always the best policy, right? What if it cost you a $1,000 to never tell a lie? Could you, would you be able to tell the absolute truth to your spouse/significant other, family and friends?
“I’m not sure how eager I would have been to sign on for a year of telling the truth if I had known how hard it would be to live without hypocrisy, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, give up my coat, do good to those who tick me off, and pick up my cross and follow Christ.”
Speaking truth on a daily basis provides Phil with numerous questions and various dilemmas. Phil openly struggles with wishing he could tell a little lie to avoid the outcome following a truthful answer. To Be Perfectly Honest is thought provoking on a multitude of diverse levels.
“I prayed that God would send salamanders to infest his bathtub, and load his mailbox with lots of letters. From the tax people.
“Lord give him jury duty.”
Is this wrong? I’m quite certain it is. But stopping is hard.”
Journal style entry makes for relaxed reading as you follow each days predicament to tell the truth or lie. The topic is honesty; however, Phil never misses a chance to insert his style of humor into the details.
A great way to judge how honest you are is to read a book about how honest another is or tries to be.
December 23, 2011
I didn’t expect to like this book – especially when I realized that Phil Callaway is a “Christian comedian.” It’s not that I dislike Christian comedians, I actually respect the difficulty they must face in treading that fine line between funny and family friendly. There’s a lot of pressure to be profane and a wealth of people who only respond to risque subject matter or the occasional curse word. I don’t envy that walk and, in fact, I’m pretty impressed at the stubbornness and perseverance. The truth is that it’s rare to find a comedian whose humor translates well to the written word.
With that in mind, I expected pages filled with bad puns and a rather disengaging gimmicky storyline. Shockingly enough the book has its fair share of puns, but between random pot-shot lines here and there, the real story unveiled a gripping reality that all the fruits of the spirit are intertwined. In fact, there are parts of this book that aren’t funny at all – and they’re not trying to be. This book about honesty reveals a man coming to grips with love, death, and forgiveness.
I’m not sure I’d like a Phil Callaway stand-up show, but I do have a healthy respect for the man revealed in the pages of this book, To Be Perfectly Honest.
-from trudatmusic.com/raw
With that in mind, I expected pages filled with bad puns and a rather disengaging gimmicky storyline. Shockingly enough the book has its fair share of puns, but between random pot-shot lines here and there, the real story unveiled a gripping reality that all the fruits of the spirit are intertwined. In fact, there are parts of this book that aren’t funny at all – and they’re not trying to be. This book about honesty reveals a man coming to grips with love, death, and forgiveness.
I’m not sure I’d like a Phil Callaway stand-up show, but I do have a healthy respect for the man revealed in the pages of this book, To Be Perfectly Honest.
-from trudatmusic.com/raw
April 27, 2012
MY REVIEW
I will start off by saying that I am familiar with the works of Phil Calloway, having read a few of his previous books – Honey I Dunked the Kids, Who Put the Skunk in the Trunk and Who Put My Life on Fast Forward, as well as others. Phil Calloway brings his unique sense of humor to the subject of honesty as well as he did to the family subjects.
I do not think I have ever in my life critized the title of a book, but this one - To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie has to be Phil's own humorous one – did he really only Almost live this year, or should it have been One Man's Year of Living Almost Truthfully? Because, though he took up the challenge to be truthful, he failed. But he failed and having failed, tried again.
Hilarious, insghtful, fabulous. All of this and more is what you get when you read the journal entries for each of the 365 days.
I am eager to introduce my friends and acquantances to Phil's latest book. In it he challenges us all to think about what we say before we say it, and teaches us to temper to the occasion.
I received this free book from Multnomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review, which I have done. The opinions expressed are my own.
I will start off by saying that I am familiar with the works of Phil Calloway, having read a few of his previous books – Honey I Dunked the Kids, Who Put the Skunk in the Trunk and Who Put My Life on Fast Forward, as well as others. Phil Calloway brings his unique sense of humor to the subject of honesty as well as he did to the family subjects.
I do not think I have ever in my life critized the title of a book, but this one - To Be Perfectly Honest: One Man's Year of Almost Living Truthfully Could Change Your Life. No Lie has to be Phil's own humorous one – did he really only Almost live this year, or should it have been One Man's Year of Living Almost Truthfully? Because, though he took up the challenge to be truthful, he failed. But he failed and having failed, tried again.
Hilarious, insghtful, fabulous. All of this and more is what you get when you read the journal entries for each of the 365 days.
I am eager to introduce my friends and acquantances to Phil's latest book. In it he challenges us all to think about what we say before we say it, and teaches us to temper to the occasion.
I received this free book from Multnomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review, which I have done. The opinions expressed are my own.
May 10, 2012
A Christian author and speaker was dared to tell the whole truth and nothing but for an entire year (then write a book about it). No fudging. No white lies.
My favorite line so far:
I still wasn't sold on the idea, but I couldn't stop thinking that I would love to read such a book.
If someone else wrote it.
Exactly how I feel!
***********************************************
This book is the definition of gentle comedy. I did laugh out loud sometimes and appreciated how he was often irreverent . The book isn’t preachy. I think my main problem is I started it immediately after hearing him speak and he used a lot of the jokes from the book in his speech. This made it an anti-page turner for me (thanks to Holly for the phrase) and is why it took me two months to get around to finishing it. I did enjoy it more when I came back to it.
My favorite line so far:
I still wasn't sold on the idea, but I couldn't stop thinking that I would love to read such a book.
If someone else wrote it.
Exactly how I feel!
***********************************************
This book is the definition of gentle comedy. I did laugh out loud sometimes and appreciated how he was often irreverent . The book isn’t preachy. I think my main problem is I started it immediately after hearing him speak and he used a lot of the jokes from the book in his speech. This made it an anti-page turner for me (thanks to Holly for the phrase) and is why it took me two months to get around to finishing it. I did enjoy it more when I came back to it.
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