What do you think?
Rate this book
There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say
Part memoir, part monologue, with a dash of startling honesty, There’s Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say features biographies of legendary historical figures from which Paula Poundstone can’t help digressing to tell her own story. Mining gold from the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc, and Beethoven, among others, the eccentric and utterly inimitable mind of Paula Poundstone dissects, observes, and comments on the successes and failures of her own life with surprising candor and spot-on comedic timing in this unique laugh-out-loud book.
If you like Paula Poundstone’s ironic and blindingly intelligent humor, you’ll love this wryly observant, funny, and touching book.
Paula Poundstone on . . .
The sources of her “A couple of years ago I was reunited with a guy I knew in the fifth grade. He said, “All the other fifth-grade guys liked the pretty girls, but I liked you.” It’s hard to know if a guy is sincere when he lays it on that thick.
The battle between fatigue and informed I play a videotape of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer every night, but sometimes I only get as far as the theme song (da da-da-da da-ah) before I fall asleep. Sometimes as soon as Margaret Warner says whether or not Jim Lehrer is on vacation I drift right off. Somehow just knowing he’s well comforts me.
The I need to know exactly what day I’m gonna die so that I don’t bother putting away leftovers the night before.
TV’s misplaced Someday in the midst of the State of the Union address they’ll break in with, “We interrupt this program to bring you a little clip from Bewitched.”
In London I went to the queen’s house. I went as a tourist—she didn’t invite me so she could pick my “What do you think of my face on the pound? Too serious?”
Air-conditioning in If it were as cold outside in the winter as they make it inside in the summer, they’d put the heat on. It makes no sense.
The The judge said I was the best probationer he ever had. Talk about proud.
With a foreword by Mary Tyler Moore
If you like Paula Poundstone’s ironic and blindingly intelligent humor, you’ll love this wryly observant, funny, and touching book.
Paula Poundstone on . . .
The sources of her “A couple of years ago I was reunited with a guy I knew in the fifth grade. He said, “All the other fifth-grade guys liked the pretty girls, but I liked you.” It’s hard to know if a guy is sincere when he lays it on that thick.
The battle between fatigue and informed I play a videotape of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer every night, but sometimes I only get as far as the theme song (da da-da-da da-ah) before I fall asleep. Sometimes as soon as Margaret Warner says whether or not Jim Lehrer is on vacation I drift right off. Somehow just knowing he’s well comforts me.
The I need to know exactly what day I’m gonna die so that I don’t bother putting away leftovers the night before.
TV’s misplaced Someday in the midst of the State of the Union address they’ll break in with, “We interrupt this program to bring you a little clip from Bewitched.”
In London I went to the queen’s house. I went as a tourist—she didn’t invite me so she could pick my “What do you think of my face on the pound? Too serious?”
Air-conditioning in If it were as cold outside in the winter as they make it inside in the summer, they’d put the heat on. It makes no sense.
The The judge said I was the best probationer he ever had. Talk about proud.
With a foreword by Mary Tyler Moore
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
22 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
Paula Poundstone
16 books113 followersPaula Poundstone is an American stand-up comedian. She is known for her quiet, self-deprecating style, political observations, and her trademark oddly masculine style of dress, a suit and tie outfit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
June 16, 2023
Paula Poundstone
Paula Poundstone - comedian, author, actress, interviewer and commentator - is a compassionate woman who's fostered many children over the years, and adopted three. Poundstone has had her share of troubles, however, and her alcoholism (driving her kids to Baskin-Robbins while drunk) led to her arrest for child endangerment in 2001. The upshot was 180 days of rehab, 5 years of random drug/alcohol testing, 12 months of foster care for her children, and financial woes. Some of the humor in this book, published in 2006, stems from these events but Poundstone - a gifted comic - can find the funny in any topic.
In this memoir Poundstone bounces her (often self-deprecating) humor off of brief biographies of Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Charles Dickens, the Wright brothers, Beethoven, and Sitting Bull.*
I'll give some examples:
Joan of Arc
Charles VII set Joan up with a small staff: a confessor, a couple of servants, a couple of heralds, and a page.
Paula: "I had a dozen therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists who evaluated me for the court. The district attorney concluded I had every malady any of these guys suggested: bipolar; mildly depressed; severely depressed; borderline personality disorder; drug and alcohol dependent; alcoholic; obsessive compulsive; manic depressive; compliant; non-compliant; defensive; paranoid; prompt; late; city mouse; and country mouse."
Abraham Lincoln
From ages 16 to 22 Lincoln worked at a variety of jobs.
Paula: "At 16, I worked at Bickford's Pancake House. At 18, I worked at the International House of Pancakes. And even now my kids occasionally ask for frozen waffles or mini-pancakes, so I've kept my hand in it."
Helen Keller
After she became blind and deaf Helen Keller obsessively clung to her mother's dress. Her hands felt every object, observed every motion. In this way she learned many things.
Paula: ''My mother went back to bed after she got my older siblings off to school. I spent my mornings watching Jack Lalanne, Virginia Graham's talk show, Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, and the Three Stooges. In this way I got to learn almost nothing."
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens published many books, but did he even once help his kid with integers?
Paula: "I did a whole page of integers with my 11-year-old once. I still don't know what they are or when they're used. I'm in my 40s and I've never knowingly used integers."
The Wright Brothers
When a flight didn't go well they didn't know if it was the design of the plane or if their piloting was off.
Paula: "I have the same problem with driving. My new van kept making a beeping noise before I backed into stuff. The thing I said before every crash was 'what the hell is that noise'? I called the manufacturer to complain, and it turns out it's supposed to be a warning signal. Whose bright idea was that? I don't need that kind of distraction while I'm trying to back up. Its hard enough rewinding the cassette tape, keeping my soda from spilling, and talking on the phone."
Beethoven
Beethoven is one of the greatest composers of all time.
Paula: "They played really loud Nancy Sinatra to the Branch Davidians to get them to come out in Waco. Who comes up with these ideas? It seems so cruel to the artist. They should have asked me. People have walked out of my shows before."
When he was on his deathbed Beethoven's nephew Karl cared for him, giving him enemas and entertaining him.
Paula: "Let all who read this know that when I am on my deathbed I only want to be entertained."
Sitting Bull
The construction of the railroads had been cutting the Great Plains Indians' grass for quite a while. But the country's financial woes stopped it in its tracks for a time.
Paula: "I'm a million dollars in debt right now and its not that bad. I actually felt lighter when I hit seven-digit debt. If I was 100,000 dollars in debt I'd be working my ass off right now because I'd have a shot at paying it off. But once you get to a million you relax into it a bit."
*****
Some of Paula's funniest stories revolve around being mistaken for a man, which she claims has happened all her life.
For instance:
Paula's dry cleaner - who wasn't fluent in English - always carefully copied her name from one dry cleaning slip to the next. And he always called her 'sir.' One day Paula got up courage and said "I'm a woman." She pointed to her name on the dry cleaning slip and said "See, my name is Paula....with an A."
"No" he countered, "that's an initial."
*****
When playing basketball with fellow comics, Paula noticed a group of kids on the sidelines staring at her, arguing among themselves, gazing at her some more, having further discussions, etc. Finally, one boy came right up to her, took a close look, and announced: "He a girl!"
I thought this book was hilarious and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a laugh.
* The amount of research Poundstone must have put into these mini-biographies is impressive.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
May 15, 2021
I found this hilarious. It made me want to rewrite my Holiday letters from decades ago to honestly reflect on my children. Paula Poundstone adopted 3 foster kids - complete with their disabilities and seems to have been a very fine Mum:
“For reasons about which I am unclear, Alley and Toshia are completely taken with the idea of marriage. They are thrilled by the ending of the story when Cinderella and the Prince are wed. I often tell them that the reason the story ends there is because what happens after that is too scary for little kids to hear.”
Although the chapters are weirdly divided into pseudo biographies of famous people, they’re all about her. If you want an Abe Lincoln bio - buy one.
“Lincoln...ran for the legislature in 1832 and lost. I ran for class president in the sixth grade. Amy Hayes won. They offered me the vice-presidency, which I felt was throwing me a bone. What were the odds of a sixth grader being assassinated?”
Long ago I gave this book to a friend who did not find it funny. Now that I’ve actually read it, I wonder what we ever had in common at all. I mean, come on:
“My dad had the whitest legs on the planet. On summer nights, moths would leave the porch light to bump into my dad’s legs for a couple of hours.”
“I travel alone. Sometimes my cab pulls up outside of Departures at the airport and I’ll see people locked in tearful embraces before one departs separately, and I wonder, “What cab company is that?” My guy didn’t even get out of the car.”
Is life ridiculous or altogether too sad? Yup. Me too.
“For reasons about which I am unclear, Alley and Toshia are completely taken with the idea of marriage. They are thrilled by the ending of the story when Cinderella and the Prince are wed. I often tell them that the reason the story ends there is because what happens after that is too scary for little kids to hear.”
Although the chapters are weirdly divided into pseudo biographies of famous people, they’re all about her. If you want an Abe Lincoln bio - buy one.
“Lincoln...ran for the legislature in 1832 and lost. I ran for class president in the sixth grade. Amy Hayes won. They offered me the vice-presidency, which I felt was throwing me a bone. What were the odds of a sixth grader being assassinated?”
Long ago I gave this book to a friend who did not find it funny. Now that I’ve actually read it, I wonder what we ever had in common at all. I mean, come on:
“My dad had the whitest legs on the planet. On summer nights, moths would leave the porch light to bump into my dad’s legs for a couple of hours.”
“I travel alone. Sometimes my cab pulls up outside of Departures at the airport and I’ll see people locked in tearful embraces before one departs separately, and I wonder, “What cab company is that?” My guy didn’t even get out of the car.”
Is life ridiculous or altogether too sad? Yup. Me too.
January 25, 2016
I turn to this book whenever I feel a little blue, and it always makes me feel better. Paula Poundstone gives a priceless sense of perspective to everything. Whatever humiliating punishment you're going through, especially if you brought it on yourself, Paula went through something similar or worse - and she will show you how to accept your sad mistakes, find the irony and humor in it if possible, and move on.
This is really an autobiography, but Paula Poundstone, in her own words, is so shy, she wouldn't even ask someone to take their foot off her neck if they were standing on it - so she finds the way in through historical biographies. Another reviewer saw this as a conceit - I couldn't disagree more. In the chapter about Joan of Arc she points out that before Joan was twenty years old she had saved France from England; whereas, at the same age, Paula had dropped out of high school because there was a parking lot that needed to be hung out in. She is self-deprecating and always uses herself as the butt of the joke.
If you can listen to this book, her voice is animated, delightful, and adds meaning that may be lost in the print version.
There are few f-bombs here and there, always having to do with a joke, but other than that, this comedy book is refreshingly clean. I could listen to it with my grandmother. My mom and I recently listened to it on a road trip and we were both riveted and laughing all the way.
This is really an autobiography, but Paula Poundstone, in her own words, is so shy, she wouldn't even ask someone to take their foot off her neck if they were standing on it - so she finds the way in through historical biographies. Another reviewer saw this as a conceit - I couldn't disagree more. In the chapter about Joan of Arc she points out that before Joan was twenty years old she had saved France from England; whereas, at the same age, Paula had dropped out of high school because there was a parking lot that needed to be hung out in. She is self-deprecating and always uses herself as the butt of the joke.
If you can listen to this book, her voice is animated, delightful, and adds meaning that may be lost in the print version.
There are few f-bombs here and there, always having to do with a joke, but other than that, this comedy book is refreshingly clean. I could listen to it with my grandmother. My mom and I recently listened to it on a road trip and we were both riveted and laughing all the way.
September 10, 2012
I was previously only familiar with Paula Poundstone through the NPR comedy news show, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. So I knew what to expect, in the sense that she is a comedian who is frequently sarcastic and irreverent. What I wasn't expecting was a story of hardship, struggles, and genuinely tragic mistakes.
The central conceit of the book is that in each chapter, Paula chooses a historical figure and writes about them, connecting their lives to her own life in a semi-coherent stream of consciousness manner, to form something approximating an autobiography. She writes about her struggles with alcoholism, rehab, OCD, legal battles, and being a single parent in a manner that I think is genuinely supposed to be humorous and self-deprecating, but just comes off as kind of self-punishing and depressing.
It's too serious and faces too many realities to be really funny, but is too off-the-wall and random and clearly silly to be taken seriously either. It has its moments of good writing - and plenty of them, don't get me wrong - but taken as a whole I just don't know what to make of this book. The final line, as part of a joke about her own anxiety about the book ending, is "Boy, this is awkward."
Yeah, it kind of was.
The central conceit of the book is that in each chapter, Paula chooses a historical figure and writes about them, connecting their lives to her own life in a semi-coherent stream of consciousness manner, to form something approximating an autobiography. She writes about her struggles with alcoholism, rehab, OCD, legal battles, and being a single parent in a manner that I think is genuinely supposed to be humorous and self-deprecating, but just comes off as kind of self-punishing and depressing.
It's too serious and faces too many realities to be really funny, but is too off-the-wall and random and clearly silly to be taken seriously either. It has its moments of good writing - and plenty of them, don't get me wrong - but taken as a whole I just don't know what to make of this book. The final line, as part of a joke about her own anxiety about the book ending, is "Boy, this is awkward."
Yeah, it kind of was.
January 4, 2020
Listened to Abridged Audio Book: I used to see Paula's stand-up so I knew I would want to listen to her tell her own story. Mostly because she has a very sarcastic or surprised way of talking about her situations since she is an OCD alcoholic comedian. Quite the trifecta! She sprinkles in a lot of stories of historical figures within her book while she is talking about her life with her adopted children and other thoughts. Usually when she mentioned a historical figure, she would have stories that would have parallels to the individual.
Quote from the book that I can't resist posting:
“The airlines once lost my bag and I waited in a long line at the baggage claim office to circle a picture of the bag that looked most like mine on the laminated “Which one of these look most like yours” chart that they give you. I filled out forms, turned in my claims checks, and waited some more before I got my turn to talk to the clerk. I handed her the forms and verbally described the bag, and she asked, ‘Do you need it?’ I was temporarily stunned by the sheer genius of the question. I mean most people probably just answer yes, but for the one in a million who doesn’t, she just saved herself minutes of work for that one traveler who has some sort of epiphany right then perhaps just becomes a Buddhist and renounces all material things right there. ‘Do you need it?’ ‘Why...no! I don’t need it! Material things are wrong! Thank you for helping me grow!’ For that one saved soul, it’s well worth answering such a painfully stupid question.”
Quote from the book that I can't resist posting:
“The airlines once lost my bag and I waited in a long line at the baggage claim office to circle a picture of the bag that looked most like mine on the laminated “Which one of these look most like yours” chart that they give you. I filled out forms, turned in my claims checks, and waited some more before I got my turn to talk to the clerk. I handed her the forms and verbally described the bag, and she asked, ‘Do you need it?’ I was temporarily stunned by the sheer genius of the question. I mean most people probably just answer yes, but for the one in a million who doesn’t, she just saved herself minutes of work for that one traveler who has some sort of epiphany right then perhaps just becomes a Buddhist and renounces all material things right there. ‘Do you need it?’ ‘Why...no! I don’t need it! Material things are wrong! Thank you for helping me grow!’ For that one saved soul, it’s well worth answering such a painfully stupid question.”
February 6, 2011
I think Paula Poundstone is very funny. She spoke at a library event that I attended, and her speech was the best part of the event. And this book was funny. I could hear her comedy delivery in my mind as I read. I enjoy her humor and even laughed out loud while reading it. Still, it took some effort to get through the book, perhaps because it reads like the text of one standup routine after another. Since there is no really linear story here (except for the brief biographies of famous people that she uses as a jumping off point for her throughts and musings), it might be better to read this book over the course of a month or so, just dipping into it from time to time, while you read other books as well. I would actually like to read a real, linear life story from Poundstone, perhaps something that went into more detail about her stand-up career. She often alludes to her obsessive-compulsive disorder, so I'm guessing she doesn't do linear all that well.
November 20, 2012
Paula is my favorite female stand-up comic. I loved this book so much, I bought the audio book so I could hear her and as I suspected.....it was like getting a seven chapter show. I think the way she integrated historical figures that she loves/admires was unique and I appreciated it AND, I learned things about them that endeared a few to me even more.
Paula should write and write and write some more. For those who give a psychological analysis of Paula's personal life instead of reviewing the book itself, keep your day job. She's been as honest as she cares to be and I think she gave more than we all deserved.
I wrote about Paula in one of the chapters of my own book, Table Talk: Memoirs of a Bikini Waxer. I'm proud of her and all she's overcome. I love her weirdness and I am the same kind of weird!
I can't wait for her next book!
Paula should write and write and write some more. For those who give a psychological analysis of Paula's personal life instead of reviewing the book itself, keep your day job. She's been as honest as she cares to be and I think she gave more than we all deserved.
I wrote about Paula in one of the chapters of my own book, Table Talk: Memoirs of a Bikini Waxer. I'm proud of her and all she's overcome. I love her weirdness and I am the same kind of weird!
I can't wait for her next book!
November 20, 2012
I could complain that this book reads like a bunch of stand-up comedy lines strung together with little cohesive plot, but I will instead say a) Paula Poundstone IS a stand-up comic and b) the way she recalls her own history and the histories of famous people (the Wright Brothers, Beethoven, etc) is a funny and effective patchwork of disjointed anecdotes -- exactly the way I remember my own history and the tales of others. Reading this book is like dipping into someone's brain for a few hours, as she's both cramming for a history test and trying to make sense of the jumble of her own life. Entertaining with a few laugh out loud moments.
June 20, 2016
Brilliant, incorporating biographies as lens to add humor to one's life story both the tragedy and the joys. I think stand up comics are some of the smartest people in the room with what they can pull out of observational humor. Bravo Paula for your wit, resilience and perseverance even in the face of horrendous circumstance, you are a hero!
December 22, 2016
Enjoyed the mix of personal memoir with historical biography.
May 5, 2021
This is a very funny memoir that highlights historical figures in stark contrast to Poundstone's own domestic and legal problems. Great fun!
April 28, 2025
There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say by Paula Poundstone is a unique blend of memoir and historical commentary. Poundstone intertwines her personal experiences with reflections on historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Helen Keller, creating a narrative that's both introspective and informative. Her candid discussions about her struggles with alcoholism, legal issues, and parenting challenges add depth to the book. However, the frequent shifts between personal anecdotes and historical narratives can make the reading experience feel disjointed. While her humor shines through in places, the lack of a cohesive structure may not appeal to all readers. Overall, it's an insightful read that offers a glimpse into Poundstone's life, but it might resonate more with fans familiar with her comedic style.
July 17, 2014
I hear many good things about "Wait, wait... don't tell me..." and I like comedians, but somehow, I didn't like Paula Poundstone. It wasn't so much that she adopted children and endangered them (the court's words, not mine) by driving them to Baskin Robbins, while drunk. I think it was because she joked about some of the terms of her plea deal, maybe. I don't know. I don't recall the exact joke, but it was something about not being allowed to be alone with kids that were not her own.
There were some funny things in the book, but I wasn't a fan of the format, as I've read other are. She takes historic figures, which either she or circumstances in her life have something in common and she takes sudden tangents from the historical figure, to her own story. Usually she presents her story as self deprecating. It isn't easy to live up and compare well to the likes of Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers and Sitting Bull.
Jokes like the fact that she and Joan of Arc both have close cropped hair and wear men's clothes, however her accomplishments in life don't compare: Leading the French country in battle when she was a teen, to adopting special kids and endangering them with drink and her car, after several of them, it wears thin.
I finished the book, but I thought about quitting a few times. The final scene she described, with her daughter and the dance class was a good one. I don't know if the positives outweigh the negatives, for me.
Maybe if you're a big fan of her style of comedy, this book will be for you, more than it was for me.
There were some funny things in the book, but I wasn't a fan of the format, as I've read other are. She takes historic figures, which either she or circumstances in her life have something in common and she takes sudden tangents from the historical figure, to her own story. Usually she presents her story as self deprecating. It isn't easy to live up and compare well to the likes of Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers and Sitting Bull.
Jokes like the fact that she and Joan of Arc both have close cropped hair and wear men's clothes, however her accomplishments in life don't compare: Leading the French country in battle when she was a teen, to adopting special kids and endangering them with drink and her car, after several of them, it wears thin.
I finished the book, but I thought about quitting a few times. The final scene she described, with her daughter and the dance class was a good one. I don't know if the positives outweigh the negatives, for me.
Maybe if you're a big fan of her style of comedy, this book will be for you, more than it was for me.
January 15, 2016
I'm a huge fan of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me on NPR, and I always know it's going to be an especially good episode if Paula Poundstone is on. When confronted with the findings of some new study, she always asks exactly the questions I want to, and is so funny about it. How could I not want to read her book?
It took me a while to get into There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, because the writing style threw me. As I read on, I started to really appreciate it: she writes simultaneously about a historic figure and about herself, bouncing back and forth to contrast the figure's life and hers. At first it was too jumpy and felt like constant "bunny trail" detours (as an English teacher once referred to the side stories in the Odyssey). But after a couple chapters, I enjoyed the comic value of it. Sort of a "so-and-so was formed by this event, and rose to the occasion: that's lovely, I've never had anything like that happen, and if I had, I probably would have responded by not crumbling into a corner" format. And you know what? It's totally real. The more i read of it, the more I loved the format, and the harder it became to hold in bursts of laughter while reading in the break room.
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but what I got was a fresh, funny surprise. I enjoyed reading it, but probably won't re-read. (Although about when I say that, I find myself perusing the local library desperately seeking a book I used to own).
It took me a while to get into There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, because the writing style threw me. As I read on, I started to really appreciate it: she writes simultaneously about a historic figure and about herself, bouncing back and forth to contrast the figure's life and hers. At first it was too jumpy and felt like constant "bunny trail" detours (as an English teacher once referred to the side stories in the Odyssey). But after a couple chapters, I enjoyed the comic value of it. Sort of a "so-and-so was formed by this event, and rose to the occasion: that's lovely, I've never had anything like that happen, and if I had, I probably would have responded by not crumbling into a corner" format. And you know what? It's totally real. The more i read of it, the more I loved the format, and the harder it became to hold in bursts of laughter while reading in the break room.
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but what I got was a fresh, funny surprise. I enjoyed reading it, but probably won't re-read. (Although about when I say that, I find myself perusing the local library desperately seeking a book I used to own).
October 12, 2015
A while back, Paula Poundstone got into trouble driving her children (all foster or adopted) while drunk. She got sober, got her adopted kids back, and tried to get her life back in order. Some of this book is her account of that process --- it's the mea culpa you expect when a celebrity does wrong.
Except this book is also a biography of historical figures (e.g., Abraham Lincoln, the Wright Brothers, Sitting Bull, Joan of Arc, ...) that Poundstone admires or feels a connection to. Having heard an interview about the book, I understand a little of her process. She's using the biographies as material to bounce off of. I've always appreciated Poundstone the most as a comedian when she was reacting to something (which is why she shines at interviews and on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me). The biographies give her the written equivalent of those interviews. However, it makes for a horribly bumpy ride. At one minute you're reading about Abraham Lincoln's home life and the next you're discussing the misadventures of Poundstone's dog. Mixed into all this is the how-I-screwed-up-and-how-I-recovered story. It's disruptively disjointed reading.
If you really, really like Paula Poundstone, you may like this book. There's some good jokes, and I do admire how she stands up for her kids. But I found it a lot to wade through to get to the good bits.
Except this book is also a biography of historical figures (e.g., Abraham Lincoln, the Wright Brothers, Sitting Bull, Joan of Arc, ...) that Poundstone admires or feels a connection to. Having heard an interview about the book, I understand a little of her process. She's using the biographies as material to bounce off of. I've always appreciated Poundstone the most as a comedian when she was reacting to something (which is why she shines at interviews and on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me). The biographies give her the written equivalent of those interviews. However, it makes for a horribly bumpy ride. At one minute you're reading about Abraham Lincoln's home life and the next you're discussing the misadventures of Poundstone's dog. Mixed into all this is the how-I-screwed-up-and-how-I-recovered story. It's disruptively disjointed reading.
If you really, really like Paula Poundstone, you may like this book. There's some good jokes, and I do admire how she stands up for her kids. But I found it a lot to wade through to get to the good bits.
October 29, 2014
I've always liked Paula Poundstone as a stand up comedian. She has a sense of whimsy that I find amusing and a deadpan type delivery that I appreciate. She is your wittiest friend who interjects a one line wisecrack that is often brilliant. I listened to her narrate this on Audible. Though I enjoyed it, I would not say this is her best material. I think it was a mistake to do mini biographies of famous historical figures and tie it into her own life. As interesting as some of her subjects are (Sitting Bull, the Wright Brothers, Joan of Arc) it does not transcend well as humorously relating to her own life. She's at her best when she talks about her kids and pets and little every day insanities. If you are a fan, you will enjoy large parts of this. If you are not, I do not think this will convert you.
December 2, 2013
I've always like PP and I was very interested to read her book. It's set up in a very odd way, though that's to be expected - she's a rather odd person. It's distressing to hear about the trouble she had after being arrested for driving drunk with her kids in the car, but ultimately it's very heart-warming to hear how devoted she is to her kids (though they may grumble when they're older about having so many of their foibles revealed in the name of comedy). I listened to the audiobook read by her and it often felt like we were sitting and having coffee and talking, which was fun, especially later chapters that focus less on her post-arrest difficulties.
April 4, 2015
I like Paula Poundstone. I like "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" a lot, and when she is on the panel, I love that show. Her timing is so quick, her drollery so pointed, and her bursts of mock outrage so adorable.
While reading this book, I occasionally smiled, but had to admit that putting the words down on the page isn't what Ms. Poundstone does best. It just slows her down too much.
Reminds me of an old vaudeville joke.
Top banana: "Ya wanna know what'd the secret of comedy?"
Second banana: "Yeah, I do wanna know. What's the secret of com--"
Top banana: "TIMING!"
While reading this book, I occasionally smiled, but had to admit that putting the words down on the page isn't what Ms. Poundstone does best. It just slows her down too much.
Reminds me of an old vaudeville joke.
Top banana: "Ya wanna know what'd the secret of comedy?"
Second banana: "Yeah, I do wanna know. What's the secret of com--"
Top banana: "TIMING!"
February 12, 2008
Paula reads her own work and keeps me company on my commute to school. Using braided essay style she cleverly confesses her own flaws (serious, real), and makes witty observations about her own life in comparison with lives of historic figures: Charles Dickens, the Wright Brothers, Helen Keller.
May 18, 2008
I listened to the audio version of this just because I ran across it at the library. Little bits of it are very funny, but overall I'm not impressed. She goes off on these boring discussions of famous historical characters, then tries to somehow link them to her own life. It just doesn't fly.
November 20, 2012
Didn't pass my 50-page Test. I gave it the old college try, it just wasn't very funny or informative, and she seems really bitter and upset and kind of miserable. Which isn't going to keep me turning the pages.
March 1, 2008
how can someone so funny be so un-funny?
January 31, 2016
Paula writes just like she talks, which of course means this is a hilarious book.
October 15, 2018
Summary:
"There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say," is a memoir of sorts; Poundstone uses facts about various historical figures (Hellen Keller, Beethoven, the Wright Brothers) as a springboard for her comedy.
Pros:
- The book provides more laughs per minute than her more recent work, "The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Happiness."
- The author flows deftly between historical fact and her own stories
- The personal nature of Poundstone's humor means that the book doesn't come feel dated, even though it was written over 10 years ago
Cons:
- If you are solely interested in the life and times of the author, be warned: only about 50 percent of this book is about her. The other 50 percent is about notable people from history.
- Though the book has more laughs-per-minute than "Unscientific Search," neither book provided me with a "belly laugh," or a laugh so good I had to stop the audio.
- (nitpick) Some of the same jokes and concepts appear in "Unscientific Search," so if you've read that book recently, you may notice some overlap (e.g. Poundstone's inability to stop talking, especially when anxious)
Conclusion:
If you liked "Unscientific Search," or are a fan of the author, you will almost assuredly like the book. If you like inwardly focused, self-depreciating comedy you will also likely enjoy this book. Given that the book is only about 6 hours long, and that each of the chapters is self-contained, this is a great choice for anyone wanting a dose of Poundstone or her comedy.
"There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say," is a memoir of sorts; Poundstone uses facts about various historical figures (Hellen Keller, Beethoven, the Wright Brothers) as a springboard for her comedy.
Pros:
- The book provides more laughs per minute than her more recent work, "The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Happiness."
- The author flows deftly between historical fact and her own stories
- The personal nature of Poundstone's humor means that the book doesn't come feel dated, even though it was written over 10 years ago
Cons:
- If you are solely interested in the life and times of the author, be warned: only about 50 percent of this book is about her. The other 50 percent is about notable people from history.
- Though the book has more laughs-per-minute than "Unscientific Search," neither book provided me with a "belly laugh," or a laugh so good I had to stop the audio.
- (nitpick) Some of the same jokes and concepts appear in "Unscientific Search," so if you've read that book recently, you may notice some overlap (e.g. Poundstone's inability to stop talking, especially when anxious)
Conclusion:
If you liked "Unscientific Search," or are a fan of the author, you will almost assuredly like the book. If you like inwardly focused, self-depreciating comedy you will also likely enjoy this book. Given that the book is only about 6 hours long, and that each of the chapters is self-contained, this is a great choice for anyone wanting a dose of Poundstone or her comedy.
January 18, 2018
There's Nothing In This Book I Meant To Say🍒🍒🍒🍒
By Paula Poundstone
2006
Harmony/Crown
If you are a fan of Paula Poundstones stand up comedy, or her witty humor, you will love this. Telling her story with candor, wit and totally straight up honesty, her memoir made me laugh out loud, and revel at her intelligence. Integrating historical figures lives she admires as a starting point in every chapter, (Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc and Beethoven, to name a few)reveals the joys and challenges of her life and experiences.
I love her humor - love her wit - love her preserverance. Recommended.
p. 3: "I should have known. About 3 weeks before I went into rehab I got really drunk, went into a pet store, and bought a dog. It would have been no big deal, but we have nine cats. Believe me, the cats started hiding the alcohol after that."
p. 55:"One of the rules that we had to sign ( for her daughters school) this year was our children would not use "offensive language". I wrote a note back to the teacher, asking her for the offensive language list. I'm happy to go over it with my children and male sure they know what not to say, but if I don't know, it'll be difficult to commit to."
"A couple years ago I was reunited with a guy I knew in fifth grade. He said "All the other fifth - grade guys liked the pretty girls, but I liked you." It's hard to know if a guy is sincere when he lays it on that thick."
Referring to her scandal: "The judge said I was the best probationer he ever had. Talk about proud."
By Paula Poundstone
2006
Harmony/Crown
If you are a fan of Paula Poundstones stand up comedy, or her witty humor, you will love this. Telling her story with candor, wit and totally straight up honesty, her memoir made me laugh out loud, and revel at her intelligence. Integrating historical figures lives she admires as a starting point in every chapter, (Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc and Beethoven, to name a few)reveals the joys and challenges of her life and experiences.
I love her humor - love her wit - love her preserverance. Recommended.
p. 3: "I should have known. About 3 weeks before I went into rehab I got really drunk, went into a pet store, and bought a dog. It would have been no big deal, but we have nine cats. Believe me, the cats started hiding the alcohol after that."
p. 55:"One of the rules that we had to sign ( for her daughters school) this year was our children would not use "offensive language". I wrote a note back to the teacher, asking her for the offensive language list. I'm happy to go over it with my children and male sure they know what not to say, but if I don't know, it'll be difficult to commit to."
"A couple years ago I was reunited with a guy I knew in fifth grade. He said "All the other fifth - grade guys liked the pretty girls, but I liked you." It's hard to know if a guy is sincere when he lays it on that thick."
Referring to her scandal: "The judge said I was the best probationer he ever had. Talk about proud."
November 29, 2018
I really enjoy Paula's perky comedic and quick answers on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! and that prompted me to read this book for hopefully more than that. One thing I learned there is that promptness in answering helped her on
Celebrity Jeopardy! Game 3
even if she didn't do well for not knowing the answers. Well, she entertains me for the answers she imagines on NPR... There was a darker element to this as I had not known of Paula's battles with alcohol and "lewd act" charges (later dropped) made against her by one of her many foster children. We also hear of her many pets, including a bearded dragon, and OCD habits such as excessive vacuuming, etc.
The overall structure of the book is apparently, she takes an outline for each chapter a synopsis of a famous life (Joan of Arc, Sitting Bull, Abraham Lincoln, The Wright Brothers, etc.) and then riffs off the telling of that life with whatever a bit of biographical trivia triggers her to think of.
I laughed out loud a couple of times, and at times I felt her brave.
The overall structure of the book is apparently, she takes an outline for each chapter a synopsis of a famous life (Joan of Arc, Sitting Bull, Abraham Lincoln, The Wright Brothers, etc.) and then riffs off the telling of that life with whatever a bit of biographical trivia triggers her to think of.
I laughed out loud a couple of times, and at times I felt her brave.
June 21, 2019
Poundstone's book is broken into chapters, with each one ostensibly about a famous person -- Abraham Lincoln, the Wright Brothers, Helen Keller, etc. These mini biographies are really just McGuffins, writing prompts, that allow Poundstone to take off on wild tangents.
To be fair, she does exhibit some control over her digressions. A given chapter will have stories that all more-or-less have to do with the same launching point -- problems with her kids; her conviction for child endangerment & alcohol rehab; her standup comedy beginnings, etc.
I like Poundstone as a standup comic. On stage her observations and style of storytelling is both funny and sharp. Her sense of timing is very good, and I think that's one of the things that does not translate well into print -- changing topic from sentence to sentence, sometimes three or four times in a given paragraph, became a bit overwhelming at times. There were times that I was very into her style of writing; other times it was too much and I had to put the book aside.
To be fair, she does exhibit some control over her digressions. A given chapter will have stories that all more-or-less have to do with the same launching point -- problems with her kids; her conviction for child endangerment & alcohol rehab; her standup comedy beginnings, etc.
I like Poundstone as a standup comic. On stage her observations and style of storytelling is both funny and sharp. Her sense of timing is very good, and I think that's one of the things that does not translate well into print -- changing topic from sentence to sentence, sometimes three or four times in a given paragraph, became a bit overwhelming at times. There were times that I was very into her style of writing; other times it was too much and I had to put the book aside.
July 25, 2017
Reading this book is like sitting through a 3-hour Poundstone stand-up set, so decide ahead of time if that's something you would kill to see (like me), or something you would never want to get anywhere near.
I was impressed by the sheer energy of this book, which packs a wallop over and over again. You don't end up with a coherent picture of Poundstone's life at all, but you get a sense for how humiliated and angry her brush with the criminal justice system left her, and honestly, I think that's more valuable than a straightforward memoir would be. At one point she cracks a joke about how the judge who took her children away brushed off Poundstone's assertion that the children are suffering in foster care, and it was a better picture for me into the harsh realities of the foster-care system than any number of sober investigative articles.
I was impressed by the sheer energy of this book, which packs a wallop over and over again. You don't end up with a coherent picture of Poundstone's life at all, but you get a sense for how humiliated and angry her brush with the criminal justice system left her, and honestly, I think that's more valuable than a straightforward memoir would be. At one point she cracks a joke about how the judge who took her children away brushed off Poundstone's assertion that the children are suffering in foster care, and it was a better picture for me into the harsh realities of the foster-care system than any number of sober investigative articles.
September 14, 2018
What a horrible book. It doesn't know if it wants to be a history book, a memoir or a comedy book. In the end, it fails as all three. Normally, I enjoy Paula Poundstone. Not this time. Each chapter is a very surface-skimming look at someone in history (Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller). Interspersed throughout are glimpses at Ms. Poundstone's life with her three adopted children and slew of cats, dogs and reptiles. Here is an example: "Helen Keller said that she was like an animal until Annie Sullivan came along to teach her. I like animals." Followed by an innocuous story about an animal encounter she had that is so boring I can't even remember it. I quit the book after the Helen Keller chapter (Chapter 3). There are too many books out there waiting for me to listen to and read to waste my time on this one.
March 13, 2022
I remember Poundstone from childhood and for her unfortunate brush with the law, which she discusses as much as she is allowed. She sets out to share her "clever observations" with the reader. I thought most of the book was poking fun at the absurdities of human kind. To do this she blends the stories of various historical figures with her own story. Sometimes it worked, but I would say most of the time it didn't. Poundstone's style is frenetic jumping from one thought to another. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it was too much. She is pretty honest, especially about her atheism and asexuality, both perspectives that aren't discussed often, in my opinion.
Overall I appreciate Poundstone's efforts to point out just how silly we can be as humans. I probably won't read anything else by her and this wasn't my favorite, but I did laugh here and there so I'll take it.
Overall I appreciate Poundstone's efforts to point out just how silly we can be as humans. I probably won't read anything else by her and this wasn't my favorite, but I did laugh here and there so I'll take it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews