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Every Day is an Atheist Holiday
The larger, louder half of legendary magic act Penn & Teller, and New York Times bestselling author of GOD, NO!, is back with a new collection of spiritual rants and hilarious ravings -- the perfect year-round gift, when you consider that EVERY DAY IS AN ATHEIST HOLIDAY.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published November 18, 2012
135 people are currently reading
1828 people want to read
About the author
Penn Jillette
43 books449 followersPenn Fraser Jillette is an American comedian, illusionist, juggler and writer known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 280 reviews
January 19, 2013
Before I get burned for this, I need to say two things:
1) I am a near-militant agnostic.
2) I really love(d) Jillette's fiction and stage act. I'm not sure what the new ones are like, hence the qualifier there.
So, why did I give it one star? Simply put, as it says, I "didn't like it." Is it an intrinsically bad book? No. But I didn't like it.
There are a few reasons, but the two most important - and confusingly contradictory - are that it's too much like his old stuff and not enough like the older work.
It's a lot like catching up with a friend you haven't seen in ages. I'm talking like a formative span. You're going to notice some things.
In some cases, it's that they've changed, not in a necessarily bad way, but in a way that doesn't jive with who you are now. People do need to change - it's a good thing - but that can mean the changes go in incompatible directions.
That's one issue at work. I simply don't care about Jillette's life, especially his home life (or his relationships, etc...) and that's the central issue for him here. I did think this would be more along the lines of less my-own-personal-life essays about STUFF (yes, I'm unclear) but instead, it's nearly 100% about him (and his kids and his wife). Not a bad thing, but I don't care. Not a shred, not a whit. If it were a more engaging book, maybe the incessant self-involvement would have become interesting, but it failed for me. If this were a conversation, I would have ducked out to the restroom and never come back to the table.
The second scenario is when the old friend hasn't changed - and it's sad, weird, and stagnant. They're just doing more of the same or the same only more.
That's happened here, too. Jillette's writing style hasn't changed much, if at all. What was edgy and cool is now kind of glib and drab from over-use, with an occasional burst of HEY EDGY! that just underscores the fact that edgy isn't what it used to be.
Is it me, or is it him? I don't know, but does it matter in the end? Will I buy or even read something by him again? Let me phrase the answer in the metaphor of the re-meeting. "Hey, Penn, that's great. You seem happy, man. Good for you, really. I've got to run, though - but we should totally catch up again, soon. Definitely." Infamous last words, yes?
TL:DR? Thanks for the memories, but enough is enough.
1) I am a near-militant agnostic.
2) I really love(d) Jillette's fiction and stage act. I'm not sure what the new ones are like, hence the qualifier there.
So, why did I give it one star? Simply put, as it says, I "didn't like it." Is it an intrinsically bad book? No. But I didn't like it.
There are a few reasons, but the two most important - and confusingly contradictory - are that it's too much like his old stuff and not enough like the older work.
It's a lot like catching up with a friend you haven't seen in ages. I'm talking like a formative span. You're going to notice some things.
In some cases, it's that they've changed, not in a necessarily bad way, but in a way that doesn't jive with who you are now. People do need to change - it's a good thing - but that can mean the changes go in incompatible directions.
That's one issue at work. I simply don't care about Jillette's life, especially his home life (or his relationships, etc...) and that's the central issue for him here. I did think this would be more along the lines of less my-own-personal-life essays about STUFF (yes, I'm unclear) but instead, it's nearly 100% about him (and his kids and his wife). Not a bad thing, but I don't care. Not a shred, not a whit. If it were a more engaging book, maybe the incessant self-involvement would have become interesting, but it failed for me. If this were a conversation, I would have ducked out to the restroom and never come back to the table.
The second scenario is when the old friend hasn't changed - and it's sad, weird, and stagnant. They're just doing more of the same or the same only more.
That's happened here, too. Jillette's writing style hasn't changed much, if at all. What was edgy and cool is now kind of glib and drab from over-use, with an occasional burst of HEY EDGY! that just underscores the fact that edgy isn't what it used to be.
Is it me, or is it him? I don't know, but does it matter in the end? Will I buy or even read something by him again? Let me phrase the answer in the metaphor of the re-meeting. "Hey, Penn, that's great. You seem happy, man. Good for you, really. I've got to run, though - but we should totally catch up again, soon. Definitely." Infamous last words, yes?
TL:DR? Thanks for the memories, but enough is enough.
March 16, 2013
Ok, I admit Penn Jillette is not for everyone. In fact, he may be writing for only a narrow swath of the reading public. But his books are genuinely funny, if you can tolerate the language and are not offended by someone who not only does not believe what you believe, but who expresses those beliefs in outrageous language. Yet...under the profane language, sexual references, etc., this is a man who, while deeply odd, is loving, loyal and kind. And that come through when he talks about his wife and children, about Teller, about his friends and even about the people who annoy him almost beyond tolerance. I DO NOT recommend this book for anyone who has difficulty with raw language or with challenges to a beloved belief system. I myself don't believe what Penn does, but I love the self-deprecating humor, the willingness to puncture the over-inflated, and the genuinely nice man who clearly resides inside the over-the-top giant magician/showman. I'd probably be driven crazy by his quirks, but I like to think that if I could overcome my reservations about his style, Penn and I could be great friends. My guess is male readers can handle this book much better than most women, and it's a bit raw even for me (and I have a fairly high tolerance), but I still laughed out loud often while reading it.
December 8, 2015
Remember the last time you asked your great uncle Morris how he was and he rambled on for over an hour without coming close to giving you an answer? It was bad, right? Now imagine that he has a huge chip on his shoulder that will probably lead to an extra 30 minutes of full on ranting. You're a good kid. you respect him, so even though he occasionally spits, you stand and listen. Even when he heaves missives about his profound love of his cock into the jumbled vocabular stew, you listen.
And listen.
And listen.
And it eventually ends. And even though you might respect old Uncle Morris, you're not going back for another bowl of cream of fucking crazy if you can help it.
There's no question that Penn Jillette has risen to the top of his profession and helped create a new brand of magic. It's amazing stuff. Unfortunately, he can't write. This is 200 pages of full-on, unedited stream of consciousness (there actually was an editor listed in the credits, and hopefully she quit and took up magic).
The writing can only be described as "Grandpa started a blog." It's self-absorbed, rambling nonsense, the gears audibly grinding and stinking between paragraphs, careening at breakneck speed to nowhere.
What I hate about religion is that it can create a closed minded superiority complex among its participants by treating hypothesis and conjecture as solid incontrovertible evidence of the way the world really works. Jillette proves the idea that atheism does the same, wielding his atheism like a tire iron, indiscriminately swinging it at anyone in range. It gets tiring fast.
Books take a larger time investment than other forms of entertainment. The biggest sin of writing a book is writing it so poorly that you waste the investor's time. This book did exactly that. It's just another jumbled collection of consonants that never would've seen the light of day without a famous name on the cover.
So like Uncle Morty, I might respect the speaker, but I'm damn sure not going back for more.
Happy birthday, Jillette.
And listen.
And listen.
And it eventually ends. And even though you might respect old Uncle Morris, you're not going back for another bowl of cream of fucking crazy if you can help it.
There's no question that Penn Jillette has risen to the top of his profession and helped create a new brand of magic. It's amazing stuff. Unfortunately, he can't write. This is 200 pages of full-on, unedited stream of consciousness (there actually was an editor listed in the credits, and hopefully she quit and took up magic).
The writing can only be described as "Grandpa started a blog." It's self-absorbed, rambling nonsense, the gears audibly grinding and stinking between paragraphs, careening at breakneck speed to nowhere.
What I hate about religion is that it can create a closed minded superiority complex among its participants by treating hypothesis and conjecture as solid incontrovertible evidence of the way the world really works. Jillette proves the idea that atheism does the same, wielding his atheism like a tire iron, indiscriminately swinging it at anyone in range. It gets tiring fast.
Books take a larger time investment than other forms of entertainment. The biggest sin of writing a book is writing it so poorly that you waste the investor's time. This book did exactly that. It's just another jumbled collection of consonants that never would've seen the light of day without a famous name on the cover.
So like Uncle Morty, I might respect the speaker, but I'm damn sure not going back for more.
Happy birthday, Jillette.
October 29, 2015
http://www.themaineedge.com/buzz/embr...
Following the titular conceit, “Every Day is an Atheist Holiday” features chapters named for holidays…but not the ones you might think. Sure some classics such as Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July make appearances, but other chapters are headed by things like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Groundhog Day and April Fool’s Day. Jillette uses (occasionally tenuous) connective through threads to wed these holidays to anecdotes from his own life – anecdotes that are heartfelt and funny and almost always permeated with an underlying crassness.
But beneath the bloviating and bluster, you might be shocked to find a man with strong moral character and a true appreciation for how lucky he is. There isn’t an ounce of pretension about the man; he’s simply telling it like it is. He likes Richard Dawkins and hates Donald Trump. He is committed to his craft, yet doesn’t even know how some of Teller’s tricks work. He really loves his kids, despite naming them Moxie Crimefighter and Zolten respectively.
And lest we forget, these stories are almost uniformly hilarious. Whether he’s pranking the head honcho of Bell Labs or getting lectured by Clay Aiken on “The Celebrity Apprentice,” Jillette’s skewed sense of humor and unique worldview unfailingly shine through.
Following the titular conceit, “Every Day is an Atheist Holiday” features chapters named for holidays…but not the ones you might think. Sure some classics such as Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July make appearances, but other chapters are headed by things like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Groundhog Day and April Fool’s Day. Jillette uses (occasionally tenuous) connective through threads to wed these holidays to anecdotes from his own life – anecdotes that are heartfelt and funny and almost always permeated with an underlying crassness.
But beneath the bloviating and bluster, you might be shocked to find a man with strong moral character and a true appreciation for how lucky he is. There isn’t an ounce of pretension about the man; he’s simply telling it like it is. He likes Richard Dawkins and hates Donald Trump. He is committed to his craft, yet doesn’t even know how some of Teller’s tricks work. He really loves his kids, despite naming them Moxie Crimefighter and Zolten respectively.
And lest we forget, these stories are almost uniformly hilarious. Whether he’s pranking the head honcho of Bell Labs or getting lectured by Clay Aiken on “The Celebrity Apprentice,” Jillette’s skewed sense of humor and unique worldview unfailingly shine through.
December 26, 2012
Penn Jillette, after how successful God, No! was, gets a second book, this time with the conceit of using holidays as a backdrop for his stories and advocacy.
If you know Penn Jillette, you know what you're getting - unfiltered opinion, some humor, some heart, and some pretty crazy stories. This book, of course, is no different. He runs the gamut from bizarre early adulthood stories to a few pieces on his Celebrity Apprentice experiences, touches plenty on both the business of magic and atheism, and pretty much succeeds in making a really readable, quick book.
No curveballs here: if you're like me and could probably spend hours listening to Penn talk about anything at all, this book is worth picking up.
If you know Penn Jillette, you know what you're getting - unfiltered opinion, some humor, some heart, and some pretty crazy stories. This book, of course, is no different. He runs the gamut from bizarre early adulthood stories to a few pieces on his Celebrity Apprentice experiences, touches plenty on both the business of magic and atheism, and pretty much succeeds in making a really readable, quick book.
No curveballs here: if you're like me and could probably spend hours listening to Penn talk about anything at all, this book is worth picking up.
April 6, 2016
I enjoyed this personal biography narrated by Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller fame. While its not for everyone, it is for me. 8 of 10 stars
June 24, 2022
I'm a Penn & Teller fan.. And, by proxy, a straight up Penn fan from his book SOCK and his daily syndicated radio show, various YouTube shows and his long running Penn's Sunday School podcast. I have a pretty good idea of where Penn stands on things and a good library of stories and viewpoints he's shared over the years. And that's what this book is, a collection of essays of Penns's views and experiences on things.
I can't say there is a whole lot of new stuff for the die hard Penn enthusiast in here to read. There are maybe some deeper dives and extra details in stories and views he's related before. And of course Penn is sharp witted, intellectual and a self proclaimed doiche bag at times so even if you've heard it all before, it's still all very entertaining.
I skipped GOD, NO and went to this title first. From reading references he makes to the content in GOD, NO perhaps I'll find some unique tales in there. This is still enjoyable enough for anyone from the casual Penn fan, the diehard P&T heads and even the morbidly curious and ready to be offended.
Dog On and Happy Birthday!
I can't say there is a whole lot of new stuff for the die hard Penn enthusiast in here to read. There are maybe some deeper dives and extra details in stories and views he's related before. And of course Penn is sharp witted, intellectual and a self proclaimed doiche bag at times so even if you've heard it all before, it's still all very entertaining.
I skipped GOD, NO and went to this title first. From reading references he makes to the content in GOD, NO perhaps I'll find some unique tales in there. This is still enjoyable enough for anyone from the casual Penn fan, the diehard P&T heads and even the morbidly curious and ready to be offended.
Dog On and Happy Birthday!
January 22, 2013
A look into Penn's life and art; some great stories. In one about being in The Celebrity Apprentice, where he got his friends in Blue Man Group to come along and bring money in an unconventional manner (in a balloon), and Clay Aiken was being a git to him as usual, I remember trying to remember if Penn's group won that challenge or not. But it was a silly question. Either way, Penn won - he was able to delight in his friends' art; Trump's games and approval meant nothing to him. He is, quite simply, a class act. He is unstinting with his praise for works well done and for talent, especially in his partner, Teller (who I learned was a tenured classics teacher). He tells about a case where they were dealing with producers of some show (X-files?) and one of the producers claimed Teller was always quiet because Penn bullied him. Teller tore the guy a new one. As Penn put it, "Don't assume anything that Teller does isn't his own choice." "Teller spoke. Oh my glory, did Teller speak." Penn's family and his art are important to him, and it shows through the book and each will make a mark.
Warning to those that might consider reading it to their children: he's very free with the four-letter words and adult imagery. You've been warned.
Warning to those that might consider reading it to their children: he's very free with the four-letter words and adult imagery. You've been warned.
October 18, 2012
This review comes from a friend who read this book, but doesn't have his own Goodreads account, so I offered to put it up for him.
With his tell-it-like-it-is style many people will find Penn Jillette's newest book "Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday: More Magical Tales" to be a seamless sequel to his previous book "God, No! Signs You May Already Be An Atheist And Other Magical Tales." Once again Penn lays his personal stories out in the open with no shame to whom may care. I like this style as it lends the reader the ability to connect with Penn on a personal level. While much of the book is centered around an Atheist dealing with holidays and other religious babble, many of the stories are just humorous side thoughts unrelated to holidays, but just as entertaining as any other story Penn may tell. In the end, reading this book is like sitting around with friends listening to past experiences and it would seem that none can top the outrageous events that have occurred in Penn's life.
I give this book 2 thumbs way up... But I am, of course, a very biased Penn Jillette fan.
With his tell-it-like-it-is style many people will find Penn Jillette's newest book "Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday: More Magical Tales" to be a seamless sequel to his previous book "God, No! Signs You May Already Be An Atheist And Other Magical Tales." Once again Penn lays his personal stories out in the open with no shame to whom may care. I like this style as it lends the reader the ability to connect with Penn on a personal level. While much of the book is centered around an Atheist dealing with holidays and other religious babble, many of the stories are just humorous side thoughts unrelated to holidays, but just as entertaining as any other story Penn may tell. In the end, reading this book is like sitting around with friends listening to past experiences and it would seem that none can top the outrageous events that have occurred in Penn's life.
I give this book 2 thumbs way up... But I am, of course, a very biased Penn Jillette fan.
January 7, 2013
I'm sitting here wondering if I'm really giving a book by Penn Jillette five stars. And the answer is, yes I most definitely am. I can hardly believe it myself. My expectations for this book were low. Even though I'm an atheist like Jillette, I sometimes find him annoying and abrasive on his show Penn and Teller's Bullshit!
But I defy any person of any religion to open their religious books and find any that contain as much joy, love, and appreciation for life that Jillette shows in this book.
And maybe I'm just feeling sentimental because my mother died less than a month ago, and Jillette writes so openly and honestly about his feelings for his parents and his children. Sentiment or no, Jillette's views on parenthood often had me in tears, and his sentiments on having been on Celebrity Apprentice had me laughing. Laughing and crying in one book? Five stars with no regrets.
But I defy any person of any religion to open their religious books and find any that contain as much joy, love, and appreciation for life that Jillette shows in this book.
And maybe I'm just feeling sentimental because my mother died less than a month ago, and Jillette writes so openly and honestly about his feelings for his parents and his children. Sentiment or no, Jillette's views on parenthood often had me in tears, and his sentiments on having been on Celebrity Apprentice had me laughing. Laughing and crying in one book? Five stars with no regrets.
January 3, 2013
Penn Jillette is very smart, a very good storyteller, very irreverent and very funny.
I don't know why I don't read more of him, or watch more of him or have more of him in my life.
The chapter on the Shaft theme alone made me laugh out loud in an empty library and a crowded Subway shop within an hour of each other.
Now I'm wishing I would have went and saw his show in Las Vegas.
What a schmuck I am! (you'd get that if you read the book)
July 20, 2021
It's interesting for the most part, but his anti-fair trade and fair pay rants are random and annoying. There are some other reasons for a lower grade, but they would include spoilers. It goes to show that just because someone is like you and doesn't believe in mythology, it doesn't mean you'll like them or their choices and other beliefs.
December 31, 2012
Penn is an insightful dude. Great story about the EPCOT brick!
October 2, 2012
Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday by Penn Jillette
Give or take a year or two, it’s been a quarter of a century since I first came across a television show featuring a pair of magicians who stopped me in my metaphorical tracks by performing a series of jaw dropping tricks, then showing the audience exactly how they were done, and then doing them again, but in such a way that even having been shown the old man behind the curtain I still sat there, slack mouthed, exclaiming “How do they do that?”
A large part of what attracted me to Penn & Teller was the larger part of the duo, Penn Jillette, whose self-deprecating monologues held audiences captivated while he did all manner of terrible but eminently watchable things to his smaller, silent partner, Teller (some of which, as he reveals, were too rich for the likes of The Tonight Show).
Over the subsequent years I’ve enjoyed watching Penn & Teller perform their hugely entertaining magic, and Jillette perform as himself (or the version of himself that he is when the cameras are rolling) on chat shows and the like, but I’d never read anything by him, not even one of his many columns, until I got hold of an advance copy of his new book, Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday.
As the title suggests, and following on from his previous book God, No! Jillette is an atheist (as is Teller as it happens), and a proud one at that, but while there was a part of me that was worried I was about to be hit over the head by a Dawkins-esque mantra, I was pleasantly surprised to find that while his atheism is an ever present part of his writing, it’s never overtly in your face, and when he does discuss it directly it’s in a calm and rational way. There’s no attempt to bludgeon you into submission, but rather Jillette is happy to proclaim his belief (or lack of it, to be pedantic) and respect whatever point of view anybody else may have.
As interesting as Jillette’s musings on atheism are, though, where Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday really shines is when he talks about his experience on the American version of Celebrity Apprentice (turns out he’s no great fan of Donald Trump, but he does have a respect for him) and Dancing With The Stars, pulling aside the curtains on these shows as deftly as he does his illusions, and in the many tales drawn from the long and illustrious career that he and his best friend and partner Teller have shared over the last three decades.
From wince inducing yarns about bloodied testicles, to the time they played an elaborate practical joke on a Nobel Peace Prize winner (and had the favour returned), to insights into the early days of Penn & Teller, Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday is both funny and at times moving but never less than entertaining. Quite simply, it’s magic!
Give or take a year or two, it’s been a quarter of a century since I first came across a television show featuring a pair of magicians who stopped me in my metaphorical tracks by performing a series of jaw dropping tricks, then showing the audience exactly how they were done, and then doing them again, but in such a way that even having been shown the old man behind the curtain I still sat there, slack mouthed, exclaiming “How do they do that?”
A large part of what attracted me to Penn & Teller was the larger part of the duo, Penn Jillette, whose self-deprecating monologues held audiences captivated while he did all manner of terrible but eminently watchable things to his smaller, silent partner, Teller (some of which, as he reveals, were too rich for the likes of The Tonight Show).
Over the subsequent years I’ve enjoyed watching Penn & Teller perform their hugely entertaining magic, and Jillette perform as himself (or the version of himself that he is when the cameras are rolling) on chat shows and the like, but I’d never read anything by him, not even one of his many columns, until I got hold of an advance copy of his new book, Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday.
As the title suggests, and following on from his previous book God, No! Jillette is an atheist (as is Teller as it happens), and a proud one at that, but while there was a part of me that was worried I was about to be hit over the head by a Dawkins-esque mantra, I was pleasantly surprised to find that while his atheism is an ever present part of his writing, it’s never overtly in your face, and when he does discuss it directly it’s in a calm and rational way. There’s no attempt to bludgeon you into submission, but rather Jillette is happy to proclaim his belief (or lack of it, to be pedantic) and respect whatever point of view anybody else may have.
As interesting as Jillette’s musings on atheism are, though, where Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday really shines is when he talks about his experience on the American version of Celebrity Apprentice (turns out he’s no great fan of Donald Trump, but he does have a respect for him) and Dancing With The Stars, pulling aside the curtains on these shows as deftly as he does his illusions, and in the many tales drawn from the long and illustrious career that he and his best friend and partner Teller have shared over the last three decades.
From wince inducing yarns about bloodied testicles, to the time they played an elaborate practical joke on a Nobel Peace Prize winner (and had the favour returned), to insights into the early days of Penn & Teller, Every Day Is An Atheist Holiday is both funny and at times moving but never less than entertaining. Quite simply, it’s magic!
September 26, 2016
Well I guess I have officially turned into an old fuddy-duddy because I could not get through this book (and it is one of very few that I have ever given up on). I'm not one to be easily offended, but Jillette gratuitously uses obscene stories and language for nothing more than shock value - and by the time my Kindle hit 70% I had had enough.
Perhaps the point of the book was that for atheist every day is a sin-filled holiday, filled to the brim with obscene filth that nobody really cares to hear (well I suppose some did, based on book sales). Maybe the idea behind the philosophy was that if one does not have a higher power imposing needless restrictions and pointless guilt, one can live carefree and happy - but how this all connected to stories about Jillette's testicular abnormalities was lost on me.
Furthermore, I'm must not a fan of Jillette's (or whoever wrote this for him) writing style. Jillette rambles and digresses so far that he then has to go back (several pages later) and remind us how the original story started. It was written much like a rambly conversations with someone who had too many cans of Red Bull and couldn't remember what they were saying when they started their sentence 10 minutes before.
I don't think Jillette is a bad guy or I never would have picked up the book to begin with - but my vote is: stick to magic.
Perhaps the point of the book was that for atheist every day is a sin-filled holiday, filled to the brim with obscene filth that nobody really cares to hear (well I suppose some did, based on book sales). Maybe the idea behind the philosophy was that if one does not have a higher power imposing needless restrictions and pointless guilt, one can live carefree and happy - but how this all connected to stories about Jillette's testicular abnormalities was lost on me.
Furthermore, I'm must not a fan of Jillette's (or whoever wrote this for him) writing style. Jillette rambles and digresses so far that he then has to go back (several pages later) and remind us how the original story started. It was written much like a rambly conversations with someone who had too many cans of Red Bull and couldn't remember what they were saying when they started their sentence 10 minutes before.
I don't think Jillette is a bad guy or I never would have picked up the book to begin with - but my vote is: stick to magic.
January 6, 2013
I may have been a little harder on Penn's first collection of essays if I'd known better. With the title of _god, No_ and the subtitle, I thought he was mostly focusing atheism. But now with a follow-up book it seems clear that Penn is just writing random essays (maybe blog posts) and peppering in atheism.
Penn is wildly entertaining, although I highly disagree with him that Johnny Carson was ever funny, Lou Reed is any kind of credible musician and, more importantly, Martin Luther King was 'holding back on the god stuff', when Penn himself lists that "god" is mentioned 5 times. That's 5 times too many.
Most satisfying is Penn's newer thoughts on the US/being American. When I saw clips of the 'Flag Burning' skit I was disappointed that they (P&T) too jumped on the "patriotic" band wagon. So it was nice to read the skit was conceived before "911" and even shelved (for awhile) in the aftermath of it. But the word Penn is lacking here is Nationalism. That is what most Americans have. Not "patriotism". All the more scary, is they no one can differentiate.
There were also a few repetitions (‘stairway to heaven’, 'geologists being killed', etc) a good editor (oxymoron?) should have picked up on...
Penn is wildly entertaining, although I highly disagree with him that Johnny Carson was ever funny, Lou Reed is any kind of credible musician and, more importantly, Martin Luther King was 'holding back on the god stuff', when Penn himself lists that "god" is mentioned 5 times. That's 5 times too many.
Most satisfying is Penn's newer thoughts on the US/being American. When I saw clips of the 'Flag Burning' skit I was disappointed that they (P&T) too jumped on the "patriotic" band wagon. So it was nice to read the skit was conceived before "911" and even shelved (for awhile) in the aftermath of it. But the word Penn is lacking here is Nationalism. That is what most Americans have. Not "patriotism". All the more scary, is they no one can differentiate.
There were also a few repetitions (‘stairway to heaven’, 'geologists being killed', etc) a good editor (oxymoron?) should have picked up on...
April 30, 2013
I knew this book would be funny and profane. I also knew Jillette would spent a fair amount of time discussing religion (or lack thereof) and magic. But I was surprised to find so much tenderness in these pages, too. Occasionally Jillette's brashness takes a back seat to sincere and touching discussions of his affection for Teller, for his wife and (especially) his kids, for his parents, and even for people you'd think he wouldn't like.
I don't agree with everything Jillette says. But I can at least give him credit for making an effort to do his own research and come to his own conclusions about various issues. He's a surprisingly good writer (no coauthor is listed, so either he worked with a very good/quiet ghostwriter or he's pretty adept at wordcraft) who, in one book, made me laugh out loud and pause to consider several serious points.
I don't agree with everything Jillette says. But I can at least give him credit for making an effort to do his own research and come to his own conclusions about various issues. He's a surprisingly good writer (no coauthor is listed, so either he worked with a very good/quiet ghostwriter or he's pretty adept at wordcraft) who, in one book, made me laugh out loud and pause to consider several serious points.
December 24, 2013
Penn Jillette comes off as loud and arrogant when he speaks, but his books show how humble and self-depreciating he is. I love his logic, and he is the best at summing up an idea in a beautiful phrase or short story. He can explain atheism better than Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins. And he can explain it in such a beautiful way that it will have you crying with joy.
The book is mostly Jillette recalling his life in a series of short stories. They have nothing to do with atheism, but he has had a fascinating life, and his humbleness is very endearing. However, the book is framed by his arguments for atheism and against religion, and I find them very uplifting.
The language is crude, and Jillette can be extremely vulgar, but I would recommend this book to anyone for a different point of view.
The book is mostly Jillette recalling his life in a series of short stories. They have nothing to do with atheism, but he has had a fascinating life, and his humbleness is very endearing. However, the book is framed by his arguments for atheism and against religion, and I find them very uplifting.
The language is crude, and Jillette can be extremely vulgar, but I would recommend this book to anyone for a different point of view.
February 3, 2019
Well, there are some very good essays, there are some good essays and then there’s some really boring, dumb ones (that takes a star out). But I really liked some of the stuff, and also got to know about a nifty little peacenik Beats curioshop in Fresco, Texas which I will visit some time- so here goes four stars.
July 23, 2021
I like Penn Jillette and I agree with most of his opinions and viewpoints. I liked this book and I'm not sorry I read it because it was enjoyable to some extent. His writing used to make me laugh but now he's on such a tirade that it seems he goes from one rant to the next without taking a breath. I am an atheist but I would no more consider proselytizing atheism than I would have considered proselytizing Christianity. And another thing: why do people insist on name-dropping obscure names? If I knew half the people he mentions in his book, maybe I'd have been in on more of the jokes.
December 15, 2012
Well, well, well... I still absolutely adore the great artist, cynic and atheist that is Penn Jillette. This book was very "him"ish and i sometimes even could hear his very distinct, raspy, pleasant bigmannish voice telling the annecdotes about his life and the hilarious things that have happened to him throughout it... In that aspect there's nothing wrong with this book. It's pure Penn and does breathe his style, his mannerisms, his showmanship.
But that's sadly not the only thing that makes this book itself... First of all there's the title and solicitation text which "drove" me to buy the ebook... and it's not really about his atheism and how it influences his every day life... that's only one or two of the parts that make up this autobiographical confession, intermixed with very much the same kind of other bits and pieces from four decades of a rollercoaster personal and professional life that already made up "God, No". And that simple fact is what really angers me... why did this book need to be published at all? Why not put all together as ONE volume "God no, the life confessions of Penn Jillette" and be done with it? None of the volumes is long enough to really burst any page limits and honestly i don't like to be milked for several volumes when i'd been promissed the whole thing with the first book already.
So it's a bit of disillusioned frustration about being ripped of for making two books out of a single (great) autobiography for a truly freaked out life in and out of the showbusiness and a bit of not really been that interested in getting to know ALL the dirty secrets of his life when the title and solicitation alleged to a more essaish kind of book abuot atheism and more general things that takes lots from my enjoyment of many of the chapters dealing with really inconceivable things happening to this great man. Maybe i'm not open minded enough, maybe i'm just petty, but that#s just the way it is. I would have enjoyed this way more if it hadn't been marketed the way it was... and i'd bought it knowing about it's nature instead of feeling a bit of deceived by a large sleight of hand of his publishers.
If you WANT to read a biographical collection of truly inspiring life situations and how they changed or sometimes even created his beliefs, his way to react to life then this is exactly right for you. Just don't follow my lead and expect something different out of EDIAAH!
But that's sadly not the only thing that makes this book itself... First of all there's the title and solicitation text which "drove" me to buy the ebook... and it's not really about his atheism and how it influences his every day life... that's only one or two of the parts that make up this autobiographical confession, intermixed with very much the same kind of other bits and pieces from four decades of a rollercoaster personal and professional life that already made up "God, No". And that simple fact is what really angers me... why did this book need to be published at all? Why not put all together as ONE volume "God no, the life confessions of Penn Jillette" and be done with it? None of the volumes is long enough to really burst any page limits and honestly i don't like to be milked for several volumes when i'd been promissed the whole thing with the first book already.
So it's a bit of disillusioned frustration about being ripped of for making two books out of a single (great) autobiography for a truly freaked out life in and out of the showbusiness and a bit of not really been that interested in getting to know ALL the dirty secrets of his life when the title and solicitation alleged to a more essaish kind of book abuot atheism and more general things that takes lots from my enjoyment of many of the chapters dealing with really inconceivable things happening to this great man. Maybe i'm not open minded enough, maybe i'm just petty, but that#s just the way it is. I would have enjoyed this way more if it hadn't been marketed the way it was... and i'd bought it knowing about it's nature instead of feeling a bit of deceived by a large sleight of hand of his publishers.
If you WANT to read a biographical collection of truly inspiring life situations and how they changed or sometimes even created his beliefs, his way to react to life then this is exactly right for you. Just don't follow my lead and expect something different out of EDIAAH!
July 29, 2016
I've listened to Penn's podcasts in various forms for years and always thought he was honest, even if not always correct. But that's what I always appreciated bout him. He's true to what he believes, spends time exploring what that means, and seems to be honest when he finds those beliefs should be challenged and/or changed. This is the first time I've read his writings, but it seemed true to those principals as well. I didn't agree with everything and he rambles at times and he retells many stories I've heard him tell before. But, well, that's Penn. I didn't expect anything less.
I was reminded in reading this of the short devotionals I used to read almost daily when I was a Christian. A few stories, an idea, and a guide into taking some extra time thinking about it. I definitely appreciated that. At times it was frustrating, especially in the chapters where he told you his opinion had changed and was right to him based on his experiences at those points in his life. He wasn't trying to make your opinion for you, just pose the questions and tell you some of the things he's thought about. So, it's frustrating, but it's also what I expected from him.
As for the overarching idea indicated from the title, I truly appreciate that as well. It was one of the ideas that helped me leave Christianity. I'd been told there was no happiness, no joy, and no morality outside of Christ. But I saw a handful of Christian friends that were amazing examples of that and also saw a handful of atheist/agnostic friends that also were amazing examples of the same qualities. It's been actually more freeing to me now that I'm not worrying about the impact I'll have on my next life, but more concerned about the connections and impacts in this one.
Why only 3 stars? Well, he's not the greatest writer in the world. As others have mentioned, he can meander around a bit. So, I didn't want to rate him like I would a writer who had finely honed his craft (4 star) and hit on an amazing story on top of that (5 star.)
I was reminded in reading this of the short devotionals I used to read almost daily when I was a Christian. A few stories, an idea, and a guide into taking some extra time thinking about it. I definitely appreciated that. At times it was frustrating, especially in the chapters where he told you his opinion had changed and was right to him based on his experiences at those points in his life. He wasn't trying to make your opinion for you, just pose the questions and tell you some of the things he's thought about. So, it's frustrating, but it's also what I expected from him.
As for the overarching idea indicated from the title, I truly appreciate that as well. It was one of the ideas that helped me leave Christianity. I'd been told there was no happiness, no joy, and no morality outside of Christ. But I saw a handful of Christian friends that were amazing examples of that and also saw a handful of atheist/agnostic friends that also were amazing examples of the same qualities. It's been actually more freeing to me now that I'm not worrying about the impact I'll have on my next life, but more concerned about the connections and impacts in this one.
Why only 3 stars? Well, he's not the greatest writer in the world. As others have mentioned, he can meander around a bit. So, I didn't want to rate him like I would a writer who had finely honed his craft (4 star) and hit on an amazing story on top of that (5 star.)
March 10, 2013
Penn recycles a lot of his material throughout his various franchises. If you've been listening to his podcast or radio show or tv stuff you've probably heard most of what's in this book already. But I find tend to find his anecdotes pretty entertaining and of course if you're an atheist you likely feel some instant kinship with the guy. Occasionally I laughed out loud, he's a good storyteller and leads a life that provides some good stories.
But there's not much new in this book. Like most of us do when we enter the lifephase of raising children, he's getting more preoccupied with his own family love, which is less engaging for this reader than the straight-up rants for which he's famous, and which grabbed my interest in him initially. It's nice light reading, though, and has a few deeper highlights, including his analysis of MLK's Dream speech.
This might be a particularly good book to get in audio format, read by him, because his delivery style is entertaining and if you zone out into a daydream for a moment while listening you can fall back in easily.
But there's not much new in this book. Like most of us do when we enter the lifephase of raising children, he's getting more preoccupied with his own family love, which is less engaging for this reader than the straight-up rants for which he's famous, and which grabbed my interest in him initially. It's nice light reading, though, and has a few deeper highlights, including his analysis of MLK's Dream speech.
This might be a particularly good book to get in audio format, read by him, because his delivery style is entertaining and if you zone out into a daydream for a moment while listening you can fall back in easily.
February 27, 2013
If you're not an atheist or like Penn Jillette then you probably won't read this book and why are you reading my review to begin with? For those that are atheists (or agnostic, etc...) here is what I thought. I think he is a funny guy and have always enjoyed his humor, especially the show Bullshit that Penn & Teller had on Showtime. That being said, I couldn't finish this book.
1. It jumps around too much, very disjointed.
2. He talks about his kids a lot. One of my pet peeves with writers (especially newspaper writers): I could care less about your kids. I doubt you want to read stories about my dogs. If all you have it stories about your kids and how you think others will relate to it, get a new career. Anyway, Penn is funny EXCEPT when talking about his kids.
3. I didn't realize this but he was on The Celebrity Apprentice. When I read that my respect meter for him went way down. No idea why anyone would do that or be in a show with the clown that is Donald Trump.
Oh well, thought it would be good. It happens. On to the next book...
1. It jumps around too much, very disjointed.
2. He talks about his kids a lot. One of my pet peeves with writers (especially newspaper writers): I could care less about your kids. I doubt you want to read stories about my dogs. If all you have it stories about your kids and how you think others will relate to it, get a new career. Anyway, Penn is funny EXCEPT when talking about his kids.
3. I didn't realize this but he was on The Celebrity Apprentice. When I read that my respect meter for him went way down. No idea why anyone would do that or be in a show with the clown that is Donald Trump.
Oh well, thought it would be good. It happens. On to the next book...
August 2, 2016
Here's what I got from this book:
- Penn Jillette is an atheist, proudly and smugly, and occasionally an asshole about it.
- Penn Jillette knows other celebrities and shares information about them...like telling us that Clay Aiken is a twit and Donald Trump is a narcissist.
- Penn Jillette has a long career as a performing magician, and some very interesting stories about it.
- Penn Jillette really, really, really loves his children and thinks they're the best thing in the world.
So, as far as atheism goes, he's like militant vegans - gives the movement a bad name. The celebrity mentions are largely name-dropping, rather than telling us anything about them or about Jillette (mentioning Christopher Hitchens just reminded me how much more eloquent Hitch was about atheism). I don't doubt his love for his kids, but it's not really something I needed to be told.
So, that leaves his stories about his career, and those are pretty darn good.
(By the way, Jillette's in-your-face-all-the-time attitude wears thin after a bit. A little Penn Jillette goes a long way.)
- Penn Jillette is an atheist, proudly and smugly, and occasionally an asshole about it.
- Penn Jillette knows other celebrities and shares information about them...like telling us that Clay Aiken is a twit and Donald Trump is a narcissist.
- Penn Jillette has a long career as a performing magician, and some very interesting stories about it.
- Penn Jillette really, really, really loves his children and thinks they're the best thing in the world.
So, as far as atheism goes, he's like militant vegans - gives the movement a bad name. The celebrity mentions are largely name-dropping, rather than telling us anything about them or about Jillette (mentioning Christopher Hitchens just reminded me how much more eloquent Hitch was about atheism). I don't doubt his love for his kids, but it's not really something I needed to be told.
So, that leaves his stories about his career, and those are pretty darn good.
(By the way, Jillette's in-your-face-all-the-time attitude wears thin after a bit. A little Penn Jillette goes a long way.)
July 1, 2014
I laughed, I cried, I thought (a lot), I disagreed, I nodded with enthusiasm. I loved this book - Penn Jillette is an underrated genius. I enjoyed this book more than his BullSh*t! series on Showtime, though that has entertainment value, for sure. I like Penn Jillette the human being more than Penn Jillette the performer, and this book was a great look into a celebrity's opinion on family, celebrity, Hollywood, Vegas, and all the good/bad shit that goes along with it.
While this book was obviously written as a fleeting piece of entertainment and introspection, I found it to be inspiring and affirming as someone who lives a life without religion. If you're an easily offended Christian or other religious adherent, you may want to avoid this book unless you're looking for someone to cast stones at.
I'll continue to follow Penn's career, and wish him the best. Very happy that people like him are able to achieve success in this world.
While this book was obviously written as a fleeting piece of entertainment and introspection, I found it to be inspiring and affirming as someone who lives a life without religion. If you're an easily offended Christian or other religious adherent, you may want to avoid this book unless you're looking for someone to cast stones at.
I'll continue to follow Penn's career, and wish him the best. Very happy that people like him are able to achieve success in this world.
November 22, 2013
Not perfect (Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens are all better on deflating religion), but really, the book isn't *that* much about atheism. It's really just a collection of essays, some of which have very little, if anything, to do with atheism. Like all essay collections, there's some unevenness, but some are really excellent (yeah, "Happy Birthday," I'm looking at you). And how can you go wrong with the essay title "Easter Is A Hollow Waxy Chocolate Rabbit Who Suffers In An Unsatisfying Way for Your Sins"?
If you like Penn and Teller, you get Penn's voice here, and you'll enjoy the book.
One thing I especially liked was the fact that, even with an amazingly snarky attitude, there's nothing bitter or jaded about Gillette. The man's love for his family and friends (and especially Teller), and for honesty and ideals, comes shining through. That was cool.
If you like Penn and Teller, you get Penn's voice here, and you'll enjoy the book.
One thing I especially liked was the fact that, even with an amazingly snarky attitude, there's nothing bitter or jaded about Gillette. The man's love for his family and friends (and especially Teller), and for honesty and ideals, comes shining through. That was cool.
February 14, 2015
Every Day is an Atheist Holiday is a collection of essays about random topics by professional magician Penn Jillette (the taller, fatter and noisier side of the Penn & Teller duo). Though the title has the word “atheist” in it, the book only occasionally ventures into the subject religion, consisting instead of a collection of diverse essays about topics including: his family, Dancing with the Stars, his penis, Harry Houdini, Celebrity Apprentice, swearing, his penis, death, his friends, his penis, Martin Luther King, his penis and his penis.
Unlike his first book, Jillette largely keeps his libertarian nuttiness to himself, opting instead to tell stories that range from banal to maudlin to hilarious. Though the essays are hit and miss, I found that his ‘dogon’ story alone was probably worth the price of admission.
Unlike his first book, Jillette largely keeps his libertarian nuttiness to himself, opting instead to tell stories that range from banal to maudlin to hilarious. Though the essays are hit and miss, I found that his ‘dogon’ story alone was probably worth the price of admission.
August 14, 2014
I did not like this book at all. The title was completely misleading. Besides one chapter, there really was nothing in the book about atheism. I like Penn Jillette as an entertainer but I've always felt that he just likes to hear himself talk. I'm all for being cynical especially when religion is concerned but I feel that you should back your cynicism with actual facts and evidence. It seems to me that the few times Penn Jellette happened to mention religion he had nothing of value to say about the subject besides the fact that religion is stupid. I like more depth in an author especially on a subject like Atheism. I would have given this book 1 star if it werent for maybe 2 entertaining chapters and the front cover. The front cover is the best part of this book.
April 1, 2019
DNF.
Being brought up in a strict Baptist home and now as an adult am agnostic/atheist (haven't determined yet), I picked up this book thinking it was Penn's take on Atheism. I was hoping to find a like minded soul to help me with my decisions.
Didn't realize this was basically a biography. After quickly getting over the initial crudeness, I found I liked Penn Jillette. He tells it "like it is" which is what I like. I was tempted to keep reading because it was interesting to read about the behind the scenes part of Hollywood, & loved his writing style, but I am not a biography reader. I don't really care about his life.
Being brought up in a strict Baptist home and now as an adult am agnostic/atheist (haven't determined yet), I picked up this book thinking it was Penn's take on Atheism. I was hoping to find a like minded soul to help me with my decisions.
Didn't realize this was basically a biography. After quickly getting over the initial crudeness, I found I liked Penn Jillette. He tells it "like it is" which is what I like. I was tempted to keep reading because it was interesting to read about the behind the scenes part of Hollywood, & loved his writing style, but I am not a biography reader. I don't really care about his life.
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