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ngroeling's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I didn't like his writing voice. It didn't flow too well; but it grew on me. You start to really get who Tim is and this is how he thinks and talks. It got a bit funny halfway through, but nothing laugh out loud and gasp for air funny... which I'm use to from comedian writers.
For the most part, his book lets you inside the mind of men and what his idea of what women are like. He'll openly admit, and there's sarcasm throughout, that he and no one, really seems to understand women, but he tried, like anyone would. At some point, I'm reading it and thinking, 'dang, this sounds a lot like my husband!' Ha. ha. ha.
I thought it would cover more topics than it did, but nearly the first half covers his discovering his sexuality growing up. Because, you know, you're a boy, you have a penis, it gets big and you don't know why, but you eventually figure out why, etc. etc. etc.
For the most part, his book lets you inside the mind of men and what his idea of what women are like. He'll openly admit, and there's sarcasm throughout, that he and no one, really seems to understand women, but he tried, like anyone would. At some point, I'm reading it and thinking, 'dang, this sounds a lot like my husband!' Ha. ha. ha.
I thought it would cover more topics than it did, but nearly the first half covers his discovering his sexuality growing up. Because, you know, you're a boy, you have a penis, it gets big and you don't know why, but you eventually figure out why, etc. etc. etc.
pontiki's review
2.0
I like Tim Allen, but this book is a bit too simple, and relies too much on male and female stereotypes. My biggest complaint with autobiographies by comedians is that they don't talk much about their lives, but rather write their jokes in book form. I'd rather hear more about Tim's trouble with drugs and how he overcame it. It's not funny, but it's real, which is what I hope for on a non-fiction book.
annaraemartin's review against another edition
3.0
One of the funniest books I've read in a long time, but too inappropriate a times
elliottzink's review
1.0
9/11 and the subsequent War on Terror is the big demarcation point in my life in the same way that the Assassination of President Kennedy was for my father, the death of his uncle in the First World War was for my grandfather, and what I suspect the COVID-19 pandemic will be for my niece. There occurs a growing up point afterwards. You can then view popular culture up to that point in three ways: what is nostalgic. What is forgettable. Finally, what is regrettable.
For myself Fred Rogers is in the nostalgic camp. I’d say the Free Willy series is entirely forgettable. While, I would classify the Home Alone series as regrettable (because the psychological, and physical torture of grown men by the youngest son of a rich Midwest family no longer tickles me the way it once did).
Tim Allen manages to straddle all three. I think that Toy Story is as fine a film today as when I first saw it theaters and I would be lying if I discounted Tim Allen’s role in making the film as good as it was.
Home Improvement was, in terms of ratings, the ‘90s greatest sitcom. Rewatching a few episodes recently and I don’t think there exists a single moment in that series that is particularly stunning. The truly great sitcoms have had those moments and some like All in the Family have dozens to their name but not Home Improvement.
Then we get to this book: the regrettable.
I’m old enough to remember this book being advertised on TV- which was and still is odd to me. I never bought it, it was never in our house, but I got curious to see if I could find it without having to spend very much money on it. I figured it would be bad because say what you will about his abilities as an actor (and in the right role he is very good) his standup routine is phenomenally awful, and this book promises to be part standup routine plus memoir.
The memoir portion is the least awful part of this book and I do feel for him for losing his father in the way that he did. I think a mature writer could well take that experience and craft a very moving memoir from it all. I even think a certain amount of Allen’s kind of humour could be used and with a good amount of self reflection an enviable book could be written.
I wonder too if Allen’s humour as is represents a kind of compulsion to his father’s loss. I don’t think his sort of hyper masculinity was a “sign of the times,” since John Updike and Norman Mailer were royally criticized for a far subtler version of machismo than Tim Allen. Rather it looks like a clear attempt to make up for his father’s death- which I think is plain he did, but in possibly the worst way imaginable because in addition to “jokes” this book is also advice. From Tim Allen.
Dear God.
On reflection I suspect what happened is that Tim Allen actually did get ‘knocked upside the head,’ and that he just set poorly like an un-level basement because only an un-level basement would think: “I'm very much like the woman. I'm the one who's always getting punished.” is funny and not wh-what the hell?
“The next time I see Cher I’m going to have to have a word with her.” Oh. OK.
“The only thing I wonder about is the women in the men's locker room thing. What's that all about? Ever see men clamoring to get in the women's locker room? They respect women's privacy in the locker room, unlike some women color commentators who made it a point to go into the men's locker room. Men just wouldn't do that.”
As I recall there was a subplot in the movie Porky’s about men trying to get into the women’s locker room- a film so bad that it just went right to regrettable on release and never even leaned towards the nostalgic though it spawned a series of sequels.
“On the other hand, I might be totally wrong.”
You don’t say Tim?
Indeed, maybe I’m wrong too. Reading this book was reading far too deeply into the world of Tim Allen that no viewing of Toy Story will remain the same.
In addition the “moderate” views expressed herein have seemingly evaporated with age as Tim Allen has replaced power tools with firearms in contemporary photos. Although I will admit that I do indeed recall one aspect of Home Improvement which is that Tim Allen with a tool in hand was more dangerous than handy. Perhaps we’re safer then with him and his guns after all.
For myself Fred Rogers is in the nostalgic camp. I’d say the Free Willy series is entirely forgettable. While, I would classify the Home Alone series as regrettable (because the psychological, and physical torture of grown men by the youngest son of a rich Midwest family no longer tickles me the way it once did).
Tim Allen manages to straddle all three. I think that Toy Story is as fine a film today as when I first saw it theaters and I would be lying if I discounted Tim Allen’s role in making the film as good as it was.
Home Improvement was, in terms of ratings, the ‘90s greatest sitcom. Rewatching a few episodes recently and I don’t think there exists a single moment in that series that is particularly stunning. The truly great sitcoms have had those moments and some like All in the Family have dozens to their name but not Home Improvement.
Then we get to this book: the regrettable.
I’m old enough to remember this book being advertised on TV- which was and still is odd to me. I never bought it, it was never in our house, but I got curious to see if I could find it without having to spend very much money on it. I figured it would be bad because say what you will about his abilities as an actor (and in the right role he is very good) his standup routine is phenomenally awful, and this book promises to be part standup routine plus memoir.
The memoir portion is the least awful part of this book and I do feel for him for losing his father in the way that he did. I think a mature writer could well take that experience and craft a very moving memoir from it all. I even think a certain amount of Allen’s kind of humour could be used and with a good amount of self reflection an enviable book could be written.
I wonder too if Allen’s humour as is represents a kind of compulsion to his father’s loss. I don’t think his sort of hyper masculinity was a “sign of the times,” since John Updike and Norman Mailer were royally criticized for a far subtler version of machismo than Tim Allen. Rather it looks like a clear attempt to make up for his father’s death- which I think is plain he did, but in possibly the worst way imaginable because in addition to “jokes” this book is also advice. From Tim Allen.
Dear God.
On reflection I suspect what happened is that Tim Allen actually did get ‘knocked upside the head,’ and that he just set poorly like an un-level basement because only an un-level basement would think: “I'm very much like the woman. I'm the one who's always getting punished.” is funny and not wh-what the hell?
“The next time I see Cher I’m going to have to have a word with her.” Oh. OK.
“The only thing I wonder about is the women in the men's locker room thing. What's that all about? Ever see men clamoring to get in the women's locker room? They respect women's privacy in the locker room, unlike some women color commentators who made it a point to go into the men's locker room. Men just wouldn't do that.”
As I recall there was a subplot in the movie Porky’s about men trying to get into the women’s locker room- a film so bad that it just went right to regrettable on release and never even leaned towards the nostalgic though it spawned a series of sequels.
“On the other hand, I might be totally wrong.”
You don’t say Tim?
Indeed, maybe I’m wrong too. Reading this book was reading far too deeply into the world of Tim Allen that no viewing of Toy Story will remain the same.
In addition the “moderate” views expressed herein have seemingly evaporated with age as Tim Allen has replaced power tools with firearms in contemporary photos. Although I will admit that I do indeed recall one aspect of Home Improvement which is that Tim Allen with a tool in hand was more dangerous than handy. Perhaps we’re safer then with him and his guns after all.
mrs_w24's review
3.0
A sarcastic and irreverent biography, this had me laughing at every turn. Tim self-deprecatingly pokes fun at the differences between men and women.
magsziilllareads's review
2.0
Arguably it’s as bad as I thought it would be.
Worse in some parts.
Sexist in others.
But the last chapter about fatherhood and how spending time with his daughter made him feel closer to his family - that was beautiful.
Made me tear up on the train.
So despite Tim Allen becoming a bit of a meme in the office as I read this, and me not being a massive fan - I did manage to enjoy this book and have a giggle every now and then.
2/5 because I think reading it brought me closer to my dad (who is a big tool time fan)
That alone was more I thought I’d get out of this book
Thanks Tim Allen <3
Worse in some parts.
Sexist in others.
But the last chapter about fatherhood and how spending time with his daughter made him feel closer to his family - that was beautiful.
Made me tear up on the train.
So despite Tim Allen becoming a bit of a meme in the office as I read this, and me not being a massive fan - I did manage to enjoy this book and have a giggle every now and then.
2/5 because I think reading it brought me closer to my dad (who is a big tool time fan)
That alone was more I thought I’d get out of this book
Thanks Tim Allen <3
reecedarlene's review
3.0
I'd like to preface this by saying my knowledge of Tim Allen begins and ends with Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, "Last Man Standing", and that he is from Detroit, Michigan. I'd never seen any of his stand up comedy before reading this. Because I wasn't familiar with his stand up, a lot of the jokes he tried to incorporate into his book went over my head and I had to read things a few times to realize he had segued into a joke.
After getting mostly through this book, I did search YouTube for a few clips, and it honestly seems like he really only ever had one set as a comedian and most of the jokes from his set made it into this book, so if I had been familiar with his stand up I probably would have been disappointed by this book for it's lack of new content.
All of that being said, I don't think Tim Allen is very funny (oops). Also, jumping around to stories that seem somewhat unrelated may work well for a stand up set, but it falls flat in a book and made things severely lacking in flow and continuity.
However, the last chapter, the one that mostly talks about being a dad to his daughter was really touching.
After getting mostly through this book, I did search YouTube for a few clips, and it honestly seems like he really only ever had one set as a comedian and most of the jokes from his set made it into this book, so if I had been familiar with his stand up I probably would have been disappointed by this book for it's lack of new content.
All of that being said, I don't think Tim Allen is very funny (oops). Also, jumping around to stories that seem somewhat unrelated may work well for a stand up set, but it falls flat in a book and made things severely lacking in flow and continuity.
However, the last chapter, the one that mostly talks about being a dad to his daughter was really touching.
karenangela_1's review
4.0
I found this book really funny, laugh out loud and have people on the bus giving you funny looks funny.