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It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
"The Gang" from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia attempts their most ill-conceived, get-rich quick scheme yet: publishing a “self-help book” to hilarious, sometimes dangerous, and often revolting, results.
The Gang may have finally found their golden ticket. Left alone to close down Paddy’s Pub one night, Charlie Kelly inadvertently scored himself, and his friends, the opportunity of a lifetime—a book deal with a real publishing company, real advance money, and a real(ly confused) editor. While his actual ability to read and write remains unclear, Charlie sealed the deal with some off-the-cuff commentary on bird law and the nuances of killing rats (and maybe with the help of some glue fumes in the basement with an unstable editor on a bender). While The Gang is stunned by the news, and the legally binding, irrevocable contract left on the bar, they are also ready to rise to the task and become millionaires—and of course, help Charlie actually write the book.
In their own inimitable voices, Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Sweet Dee, and Frank weigh in on important topics like Relationships, Financial Success and Career, Fashion and Personal Grooming, Health and Diet, and Survival Skills, providing insane advice, tips, tricks, and recipes (Rum Ham anyone?) as only they can.
Fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia rejoice and welcome the most influential work in the history of the written word (or at least since the script for The Nightman Cometh): The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today.
The Gang may have finally found their golden ticket. Left alone to close down Paddy’s Pub one night, Charlie Kelly inadvertently scored himself, and his friends, the opportunity of a lifetime—a book deal with a real publishing company, real advance money, and a real(ly confused) editor. While his actual ability to read and write remains unclear, Charlie sealed the deal with some off-the-cuff commentary on bird law and the nuances of killing rats (and maybe with the help of some glue fumes in the basement with an unstable editor on a bender). While The Gang is stunned by the news, and the legally binding, irrevocable contract left on the bar, they are also ready to rise to the task and become millionaires—and of course, help Charlie actually write the book.
In their own inimitable voices, Charlie, Mac, Dennis, Sweet Dee, and Frank weigh in on important topics like Relationships, Financial Success and Career, Fashion and Personal Grooming, Health and Diet, and Survival Skills, providing insane advice, tips, tricks, and recipes (Rum Ham anyone?) as only they can.
Fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia rejoice and welcome the most influential work in the history of the written word (or at least since the script for The Nightman Cometh): The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
May 19, 2015
Apparently there’s a lost episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that was titled The Gang Gets A Book Deal.
Fans of the show might be slightly confused as to how these selfish, delusional, scheming, amoral, profane, drunken misfits with an uncanny ability to wreck the lives of anyone they encounter have managed to write a book, let alone get it published. (Hell, Charlie can’t even read!) The fact that it’s supposed to be a self-help book makes it even more mind boggling considering that the most important thing this pack of jackals has ever accomplished with their miserable lives is managing to somehow stay out of jail.
The introduction from a former editor of Harper Collins sets the stage that one of their employees with a substance abuse problem found his way to Paddy’s Pub and after a blackout drunk signed The Gang to an ill-advised deal. They, of course, instantly see this as being an easy way to wind up as famous authors who will be on the best seller list in no time. However, it should come as no surprise to regular viewers that things start going off the rails when they realize they’re actually going to have to sit their beers down long enough to write the goddamn thing.
The book uses the idea of each character is writing different sections to do a hilarious job of capturing the voice and tone of everyone. So we get details on Mac’s delusions of being bad ass, Dennis’ narcissism, Frank’s various perversions, Sweet Dee’s neurotic insecurities, and Charlie’s deranged worldview. It’s very funny and more than a little terrifying to spend time in the minds of these people. The running gag that The Gang is getting increasingly frustrated with writing the book and the exasperated notes from the editors that show how much money and time they’re costing the publisher also provides some of the book’s best bits.
However, it does rely a bit too much on calling back to incidents and jokes from the show. Any tie-in book like this is going to lean on the history, but when it’s done really well, like say How to Archer, it seems like a continuation of the show and not just references. When there are things like a whole chapter based on Dennis getting shushed one time it feels a little too much like a call back rather than building on what's come before.
Still it’s a pretty funny companion piece to the show. It probably won’t mean much to anyone who isn't a hard core fan, but if you aren't a hard core fan, then why would you read the book? Any member of The Gang would tell you that you’re just an idiot if you did that.
Fans of the show might be slightly confused as to how these selfish, delusional, scheming, amoral, profane, drunken misfits with an uncanny ability to wreck the lives of anyone they encounter have managed to write a book, let alone get it published. (Hell, Charlie can’t even read!) The fact that it’s supposed to be a self-help book makes it even more mind boggling considering that the most important thing this pack of jackals has ever accomplished with their miserable lives is managing to somehow stay out of jail.
The introduction from a former editor of Harper Collins sets the stage that one of their employees with a substance abuse problem found his way to Paddy’s Pub and after a blackout drunk signed The Gang to an ill-advised deal. They, of course, instantly see this as being an easy way to wind up as famous authors who will be on the best seller list in no time. However, it should come as no surprise to regular viewers that things start going off the rails when they realize they’re actually going to have to sit their beers down long enough to write the goddamn thing.
The book uses the idea of each character is writing different sections to do a hilarious job of capturing the voice and tone of everyone. So we get details on Mac’s delusions of being bad ass, Dennis’ narcissism, Frank’s various perversions, Sweet Dee’s neurotic insecurities, and Charlie’s deranged worldview. It’s very funny and more than a little terrifying to spend time in the minds of these people. The running gag that The Gang is getting increasingly frustrated with writing the book and the exasperated notes from the editors that show how much money and time they’re costing the publisher also provides some of the book’s best bits.
However, it does rely a bit too much on calling back to incidents and jokes from the show. Any tie-in book like this is going to lean on the history, but when it’s done really well, like say How to Archer, it seems like a continuation of the show and not just references. When there are things like a whole chapter based on Dennis getting shushed one time it feels a little too much like a call back rather than building on what's come before.
Still it’s a pretty funny companion piece to the show. It probably won’t mean much to anyone who isn't a hard core fan, but if you aren't a hard core fan, then why would you read the book? Any member of The Gang would tell you that you’re just an idiot if you did that.
April 11, 2017
catch me rewatching Sunny taking notes on gender dysphoric Dennis
January 17, 2015
If you don't want to be a jabroni, read this book.
If you don't know what a jabroni is you should also read this book.
Don't be a jabroni.
If you don't know what a jabroni is you should also read this book.
Don't be a jabroni.
January 15, 2015
Like a jerk-wad I assumed I'd be taught how to do ocular pat-downs in this book...
April 11, 2023
cat ♡ mac 4evr
god i love it’s always sunny in philadelphia.
god i love it’s always sunny in philadelphia.
June 20, 2015
3.5; somewhat hit or miss, but when it does hit (as in the hilarious chapter on making steaks out of raccoon carcasses) it's a bullseye, perfectly recreating the dementia and sociopathy of the characters that makes the show so devilishly entertaining.
October 4, 2021
If you have never watched an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" then this book is not for a jabroni like you.
But if you are a glue-huffing degenerate who enjoys the antics of the most wretched gang of drunks (who are a fusion the best and worst of the"Trailer Park Boys" and "Seinfeld") this is a self-help book for written just for ussuckers geniuses.
The funniest sections were Charlie's by far. It's ironic that an illiterate's writings and rants were the best. Love his advice for stalking the one you love. His avian brilliance also reminds us why he is the pre-eminent expert on US bird law.
And his recipes for making cheese are priceless. Remember that old Polly-o String Cheese Commercial?
(Blond kid walks into pizzeria):"Gimme me pizza with extra cheese....And hold the sauce...And hold the crust."
(Bewildered cashier):"Hey Jimmy, give me a cheese with nuttin'!"
(Jimmy dumbfounded): "Nuttin'?!!"
Other cheese making recipes include stealing from rat traps or making your own cheese with orange juice and half and half, letting it sit around for a couple of weeks behind a toilet...and enjoy!
That Charlie, he's a cheese-rat genius.
Dennis' sections are lucid and intelligent. He actually gives good advice on how to not get stuck doing Charlie work and how a man should properly apply makeup (to his face, abs and penis). Dennis may be a potential serial killer, is questionably a rapist and absolutely is a voyeur, but other than that, he's a golden god with a body sculpted to proportions of Michaelangelo's David, so what he says matters.
I love Frank's advice how to screw over everybody. That man knows his stuff. And his recipes! Mmm-mmm! Now I know how to make a delicious rum ham using only a canned ham, a few bottles of rum, a gun and several bullets. Plus Italian parsley for garnish to make it classy. There's his blue-jean tea recipe which require crabs dredged out from the polluted Delaware river. But his recipe for raccoon...yummy! For you "Hannibal" fans afraid to take the leap into full-out cannibalism, a raccoon is as close as you'll get to tasting human flesh. Just watch out for those tapeworms. Unless you want tapeworms to lose weight, then it's all good.
Dee's sections surprisingly didn't suck, even though she's the useless chick. As we all know in this group there is the Wildcard: Charlie, The Brain: Mac, The Looks: Dennis, The Muscle: Frank and the Useless Chick: Dee (also known as the giant bird). Her reverse D.E.N.N.I.S system S.I.N.N.E.D. is awesome, because while Dennis bangs chicks just to bang them and leave, Dee bangs guys to steal from them. Even Frank says he's proud of his girl because she is both a whore and a thief, and that's the best way to get through life is whorin' and thievin'. (She's also likes to poison people, but that big, yellow bird can't do anything right!)
Mac...well his sections weren't awful, but they were the least funny. At first I did laugh at how he went on and on about the oily, buffed, masculine physiques of certain action stars (Carl Weathers, Sly Stallone, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dolph Lundgren) and we all know he is certainly 1000% not gay, so there's nothing to be read in there. And his comment about it being "Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve Hawking" did merit a chuckle, but he should stick to topics he knows best, like his martial art moves and occular patdowns.
This book is a classic destined to be treasured forever with the writings of Shakespeare and Twain and Hemingway. No doubt will it be taught in classrooms for decades to come.
5 stars
But if you are a glue-huffing degenerate who enjoys the antics of the most wretched gang of drunks (who are a fusion the best and worst of the"Trailer Park Boys" and "Seinfeld") this is a self-help book for written just for us
The funniest sections were Charlie's by far. It's ironic that an illiterate's writings and rants were the best. Love his advice for stalking the one you love. His avian brilliance also reminds us why he is the pre-eminent expert on US bird law.
And his recipes for making cheese are priceless. Remember that old Polly-o String Cheese Commercial?
(Blond kid walks into pizzeria):"Gimme me pizza with extra cheese....And hold the sauce...And hold the crust."
(Bewildered cashier):"Hey Jimmy, give me a cheese with nuttin'!"
(Jimmy dumbfounded): "Nuttin'?!!"
Other cheese making recipes include stealing from rat traps or making your own cheese with orange juice and half and half, letting it sit around for a couple of weeks behind a toilet...and enjoy!
That Charlie, he's a cheese-rat genius.
Dennis' sections are lucid and intelligent. He actually gives good advice on how to not get stuck doing Charlie work and how a man should properly apply makeup (to his face, abs and penis). Dennis may be a potential serial killer, is questionably a rapist and absolutely is a voyeur, but other than that, he's a golden god with a body sculpted to proportions of Michaelangelo's David, so what he says matters.
I love Frank's advice how to screw over everybody. That man knows his stuff. And his recipes! Mmm-mmm! Now I know how to make a delicious rum ham using only a canned ham, a few bottles of rum, a gun and several bullets. Plus Italian parsley for garnish to make it classy. There's his blue-jean tea recipe which require crabs dredged out from the polluted Delaware river. But his recipe for raccoon...yummy! For you "Hannibal" fans afraid to take the leap into full-out cannibalism, a raccoon is as close as you'll get to tasting human flesh. Just watch out for those tapeworms. Unless you want tapeworms to lose weight, then it's all good.
Dee's sections surprisingly didn't suck, even though she's the useless chick. As we all know in this group there is the Wildcard: Charlie, The Brain: Mac, The Looks: Dennis, The Muscle: Frank and the Useless Chick: Dee (also known as the giant bird). Her reverse D.E.N.N.I.S system S.I.N.N.E.D. is awesome, because while Dennis bangs chicks just to bang them and leave, Dee bangs guys to steal from them. Even Frank says he's proud of his girl because she is both a whore and a thief, and that's the best way to get through life is whorin' and thievin'. (She's also likes to poison people, but that big, yellow bird can't do anything right!)
Mac...well his sections weren't awful, but they were the least funny. At first I did laugh at how he went on and on about the oily, buffed, masculine physiques of certain action stars (Carl Weathers, Sly Stallone, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dolph Lundgren) and we all know he is certainly 1000% not gay, so there's nothing to be read in there. And his comment about it being "Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve Hawking" did merit a chuckle, but he should stick to topics he knows best, like his martial art moves and occular patdowns.
This book is a classic destined to be treasured forever with the writings of Shakespeare and Twain and Hemingway. No doubt will it be taught in classrooms for decades to come.
5 stars
January 11, 2015
As a fan of the show, I thought this book had everything I could have hoped for (and more), including a list of broads Frank banged in the 70s, Charlie's glue-huffing-inspired poetry (scribbled in illiterate crayon), Mac's definitely-not-gay-or-racist examinations of the hottest male physiques, the recipe for the perfect rum ham, etc. It's definitely a love letter to fans. Those who haven't seen the show will get some laughs, but will be lost by references to Peter Nincompoop, Cricket, etc. I loved getting inside these characters' heads and finding all the references to the Gang's past exploits! I only hope that Frank's tease of a sequel really happens. The acknowledgement section mentions that Dan Dunn provided some contributions, so I definitely plan on checking out his other writings.
January 10, 2015
I didn't know how their depravity would translate into a self-help book, but boy oh boy...
The last section was probably the best of all. Although, any chapter written by Charlie or Frank were HILARIOUS :)
The last section was probably the best of all. Although, any chapter written by Charlie or Frank were HILARIOUS :)
February 2, 2016
3.5/5, rounded down for the sense of wanting it to be over
So this is really just written for people that have seen every episode of the show multiple times. They do make a lot of obscure references, so you get the pleasant "Oh look at me and my knowing of references" feeling. But then you also get the feeling that the book is driven by making references and doesn't rely that much on original material.
That said, it's a quick read and it's funny. Of course it loses something in translation, as the show is so driven by body language and tone. High points are easily the sections written by Charlie, his hand-drawn quiz especially.
If you're an Always Sunny completionist, you're going to read it regardless. And if you're not, then you're not going to read it regardless. So reviews might be a little irrelevant on this one.
So this is really just written for people that have seen every episode of the show multiple times. They do make a lot of obscure references, so you get the pleasant "Oh look at me and my knowing of references" feeling. But then you also get the feeling that the book is driven by making references and doesn't rely that much on original material.
That said, it's a quick read and it's funny. Of course it loses something in translation, as the show is so driven by body language and tone. High points are easily the sections written by Charlie, his hand-drawn quiz especially.
If you're an Always Sunny completionist, you're going to read it regardless. And if you're not, then you're not going to read it regardless. So reviews might be a little irrelevant on this one.
February 4, 2015
I think my initial expectations for this book were unreasonably high. Since the idea of The Gang writing a real self-help book as a get-rich-quick scheme was completely plausible, I guess I expected this to be a much more focused but completely depraved parody of the stereotypical new age self-empowerment mumbo-jumbo. Instead, it's exactly what I should have expected from these characters: a get-rich-quick scheme without much substance.
The chapters are extremely short and end abruptly, and most of the book is strung together with some weak filler material and attempts at meta-humor that get particularly exhausting after the first few "editor's notes" and footnotes. The rest of it reads like the typical banter of The Gang, and you can practically hear them yelling over each other as you read it. Unfortunately, this is far less entertaining in print than it is on the screen.
While there is a chapter or two from each character that contains the horrible "advice" you'd expect, it's quite scattered and mostly just rehashing old jokes and situations from the series. You don't have to be a hardcore fan of the series to pick up on subtle inside jokes or references in these pages; there aren't any. If you're even vaguely familiar with their most popular episodes, you can expect to be bludgeoned repeatedly with those same jokes for most of the book.
If your sense of humor is mostly regurgitating funny one-liners and pop culture references and you also enjoy watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you're probably going to love this book. If you just enjoy the show and don't feel like reliving it, you should probably wait until you find it in a bargain bin before adding it to your collection.
The chapters are extremely short and end abruptly, and most of the book is strung together with some weak filler material and attempts at meta-humor that get particularly exhausting after the first few "editor's notes" and footnotes. The rest of it reads like the typical banter of The Gang, and you can practically hear them yelling over each other as you read it. Unfortunately, this is far less entertaining in print than it is on the screen.
While there is a chapter or two from each character that contains the horrible "advice" you'd expect, it's quite scattered and mostly just rehashing old jokes and situations from the series. You don't have to be a hardcore fan of the series to pick up on subtle inside jokes or references in these pages; there aren't any. If you're even vaguely familiar with their most popular episodes, you can expect to be bludgeoned repeatedly with those same jokes for most of the book.
If your sense of humor is mostly regurgitating funny one-liners and pop culture references and you also enjoy watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you're probably going to love this book. If you just enjoy the show and don't feel like reliving it, you should probably wait until you find it in a bargain bin before adding it to your collection.
December 27, 2022
This book was a Christmas gift to me from my better half, Shay – so thank you, Shay.
If you recognise the names of the authors of this one, I can only assume that you watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Here, we have a humorous take on the usual bs-filled non-fiction fare that we see all over the place, but with an Always Sunny twist.
The concept is that Charlie got an editor drunk and managed to convince them that he was a self-help guru. They signed him up for a book deal, and this thing is the result, even though the publishers tried to block its publication and recommend not bothering with it, unless you want to help them to recoup their losses.
I’m not sure whether this was written by the same people who write the scripts for the show, but I feel like it isn’t. It’s still super funny though, and if you like the humour that we see in the show then it’s definitely worth picking this up, whether or not you have an amazing girlfriend who’ll buy it for you. You might be surprised by its epic profundity.
If you recognise the names of the authors of this one, I can only assume that you watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Here, we have a humorous take on the usual bs-filled non-fiction fare that we see all over the place, but with an Always Sunny twist.
The concept is that Charlie got an editor drunk and managed to convince them that he was a self-help guru. They signed him up for a book deal, and this thing is the result, even though the publishers tried to block its publication and recommend not bothering with it, unless you want to help them to recoup their losses.
I’m not sure whether this was written by the same people who write the scripts for the show, but I feel like it isn’t. It’s still super funny though, and if you like the humour that we see in the show then it’s definitely worth picking this up, whether or not you have an amazing girlfriend who’ll buy it for you. You might be surprised by its epic profundity.
November 25, 2019
I'm impressed they went through with it and did the whole pisstake Self Help book. But it did wear thin after the first few chapters.
March 6, 2017
this ...is kind of all over the place in terms of content and how in character everyone seems in any given chapter. there are some really good parts but all in all it probably would have been better if they had tried to put in more new material instead of just an endless list of inside jokes / references from the show. basically if you're a diehard fan you should probably check it out just for fun but make sure you get it secondhand or from the library because let me tell you i would have been pissed if i had actually spent $14 on this thing. like lmao who are they fucking kidding.
February 3, 2018
I'm a huge fan of the show so I was pretty excited to find this at a bargain bookstore. Truthfully, the book is exactly what I expected. It relies on references to the TV show and doesn't really build on anything new. There are a few "ha ha" moments like mentioning Arnold Schwarzenegger being in a movie with a weird little guy who played his twin brother.
Overall, it's cute but I don't think I could re-read it so it'll go back to the bargain bookstore.
Overall, it's cute but I don't think I could re-read it so it'll go back to the bargain bookstore.
January 10, 2015
As a fan of the show, I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it anyone who watches It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I can certainly see the things in the book that haven't happened on the show being in future episodes.
January 16, 2015
OMG these stupid people that I love so dearly. What I loved about this book was that it made me laugh the whole time. I could hear each character very distinctly in my mind. I love the show and the characters and this was entertaining as hell.
February 11, 2022
It was exactly what I would expect if the gang were to write a book. After a while, I wished I had just watched a 20 min episode of the gang writing a book rather than spend as much time as I did reading the whole thing.
August 9, 2017
A fun book for those who are really big fans of the show. However, if you aren't a huge fan I wouldn't waste my time. It is amusing, just not as funny as the show itself!
July 6, 2024
there are cathedrals (macdennis subtext and plot lines) everywhere for those with the eyes (yaoi lovers) to see
December 10, 2017
First off, I would like to say that I loved this book. I loved watching the show, and, boy, was I excited to read their book. Not only was I pleasantly given content that overshot my standards, but I also got to hear more about the even-farther-in-detail shenanigans that take place between the characters. The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today is probably my new favorite book.
This book rotates first-person narratives between the characters on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. These characters include Dennis, the Brains; Charlie, the Illiterate Wildcare; Dee, the Accident-Prone Bird; Mac, the Muscle and so-called Undisputed Leader; and Frank, the Drunk, Firearm-Wielding Rich Guy. This book includes: arguments, strong opinions, bad advice, personal experience, and a lot of thrown shade. The characters constantly throw shade at each other through any form of text. I think this story is well written from the perspectives of the characters, but could’ve been better with some changes.
I liked so much about this book. Probably my favorite part of all was the Charlie interpretations. They were fantastic. Either including his chicken scratch writing beforehand, and then a translation, or just “As told to __”. Having the chapters written with Franks crudeness or Dennis’ snide comments in the subscripts or Dee’s completely changing the story to make it agree with what she thinks or anyone’s shortening the lack of Charlie saying things over and over and over and over and over and over*. I especially like that every chapter was written perfectly in character. I know since it was released by FX that, obviously or at least presumably, it would be written by the writers of the show, but if I was skeptical at all of how in-character it was going to be, after the first chapter, all of that doubt disappeared. It was written well enough that I even read the chapters in the characters’ voices. I appreciate that farther into the book, some characters realize that they are “still going” with the book, like they thought it was finished already. From that point on it seems like they were grasping at nothing, looking for content to finish the book, and I find it hilarious. I like the explanation to why the book was written at the beginning of the book, and I appreciate the small editor’s notes further on within it. I really loved this book because it perfectly mimicked the humor of the show itself, and it perfectly appealed to my sense of humor—crude and definitely not PG 13.
I didn't dislike much about this book, but personally, other than Charlie’s Quiz Quorner, I didn't really like it. I didn't really care for reading all the small little tidbits to answer the questions. Before I started reading the book, I read the chapter names, because I knew they would all be comical. One specific chapter that caught my eye was “Part III: Fashion and Person Grooming, How to Look Like a Giant Bird.” I was excited for this chapter, but I knew I had to wait to get to it, and that I shouldn’t just skip around and read it right away. When I finally read up to the chapter, I was so excited!... until I realized it was written by Dee instead of Dennis. I thought it was going to be a funny chapter of Dennis making fun of Dee for looking like the giant, stupid bird she does, but instead it turned out to be Dee rambling on about this guy or something. That was my main problem with the book, otherwise, I would say this book is A+ material.
This book rotates first-person narratives between the characters on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. These characters include Dennis, the Brains; Charlie, the Illiterate Wildcare; Dee, the Accident-Prone Bird; Mac, the Muscle and so-called Undisputed Leader; and Frank, the Drunk, Firearm-Wielding Rich Guy. This book includes: arguments, strong opinions, bad advice, personal experience, and a lot of thrown shade. The characters constantly throw shade at each other through any form of text. I think this story is well written from the perspectives of the characters, but could’ve been better with some changes.
I liked so much about this book. Probably my favorite part of all was the Charlie interpretations. They were fantastic. Either including his chicken scratch writing beforehand, and then a translation, or just “As told to __”. Having the chapters written with Franks crudeness or Dennis’ snide comments in the subscripts or Dee’s completely changing the story to make it agree with what she thinks or anyone’s shortening the lack of Charlie saying things over and over and over and over and over and over*. I especially like that every chapter was written perfectly in character. I know since it was released by FX that, obviously or at least presumably, it would be written by the writers of the show, but if I was skeptical at all of how in-character it was going to be, after the first chapter, all of that doubt disappeared. It was written well enough that I even read the chapters in the characters’ voices. I appreciate that farther into the book, some characters realize that they are “still going” with the book, like they thought it was finished already. From that point on it seems like they were grasping at nothing, looking for content to finish the book, and I find it hilarious. I like the explanation to why the book was written at the beginning of the book, and I appreciate the small editor’s notes further on within it. I really loved this book because it perfectly mimicked the humor of the show itself, and it perfectly appealed to my sense of humor—crude and definitely not PG 13.
I didn't dislike much about this book, but personally, other than Charlie’s Quiz Quorner, I didn't really like it. I didn't really care for reading all the small little tidbits to answer the questions. Before I started reading the book, I read the chapter names, because I knew they would all be comical. One specific chapter that caught my eye was “Part III: Fashion and Person Grooming, How to Look Like a Giant Bird.” I was excited for this chapter, but I knew I had to wait to get to it, and that I shouldn’t just skip around and read it right away. When I finally read up to the chapter, I was so excited!... until I realized it was written by Dee instead of Dennis. I thought it was going to be a funny chapter of Dennis making fun of Dee for looking like the giant, stupid bird she does, but instead it turned out to be Dee rambling on about this guy or something. That was my main problem with the book, otherwise, I would say this book is A+ material.
March 15, 2018
The book I read, called The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four - Hour Giant, Today is based on a TV show called It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There are 12 seasons of the show, and if you like the show you will love this book 100%. The book is about a gang of 5 friends. In this gang there is the Wildcard: Charlie, The Brain: Mac, The Looks: Dennis, The Muscle: Frank and the Useless Chick: Dee (also known as the giant bird). The book doesn’t really have a plot, it’s more like a bunch of short stories written by each of the characters in the gang.
Dennis, the ‘looks’, writes a funny story about how to imagine a new you. He writes,
"so, let's get started. Find a comfortable chair. Take a moment to center yourself. Now draw in a deep breath and close your eyes. Dark, huh? And scary. You don't know who might be in here with you, do you? Well surprise, surprise, cowboy. It's me. And we have a few things to talk about, pardner. Seems you haven't been exactly upfront with me here. See, I distinctly remember telling you to close your eyes. And yet, you're still here still reading my book even though you have your eyes closed.” Part of the reason I like this is because he writes with sarcasm, which I find funny! I learned a lot of valuable things from this book, one of which is Frank’s recipe for Racoon Steak. Frank, the muscle, writes, “"Raccoon steak can also come in handy if you wanna get a tapeworm to lose some weight. That stuff is lousy with parasites. If you're going the tapeworm route, you'll want the prepare your coon meat rare. You get a good solid tapeworm to set up shop in your stomach, and within three weeks you'll have dropped thirty pounds.” My favorite character in the book and the TV show is Charlie, the wildcard. He’s funny and not very bright. In the TV show, he is actually illiterate, but he writes chapters in the book. One is his chapters on cheese making is hilarious. “ This recipe is rock solid. The most reliable recipe I know of. A little expensive, but if you can afford this fancy book then you can afford this. Order a large extra-cheese pizza. Ask them to hold the dough and the sauce. Boom. You just made cheese.” Overall, this book made me happy. I love to read funny things and the short story format kept my attention. If you are a fan of the show you will totally be a fan of this book.
I would rate this book a 5 on a 1-5 scale. The content is hilarious and if you know the show well you will get the book. If you don’t know the TV show, I would recommend watching the show before you read this book.
Dennis, the ‘looks’, writes a funny story about how to imagine a new you. He writes,
"so, let's get started. Find a comfortable chair. Take a moment to center yourself. Now draw in a deep breath and close your eyes. Dark, huh? And scary. You don't know who might be in here with you, do you? Well surprise, surprise, cowboy. It's me. And we have a few things to talk about, pardner. Seems you haven't been exactly upfront with me here. See, I distinctly remember telling you to close your eyes. And yet, you're still here still reading my book even though you have your eyes closed.” Part of the reason I like this is because he writes with sarcasm, which I find funny! I learned a lot of valuable things from this book, one of which is Frank’s recipe for Racoon Steak. Frank, the muscle, writes, “"Raccoon steak can also come in handy if you wanna get a tapeworm to lose some weight. That stuff is lousy with parasites. If you're going the tapeworm route, you'll want the prepare your coon meat rare. You get a good solid tapeworm to set up shop in your stomach, and within three weeks you'll have dropped thirty pounds.” My favorite character in the book and the TV show is Charlie, the wildcard. He’s funny and not very bright. In the TV show, he is actually illiterate, but he writes chapters in the book. One is his chapters on cheese making is hilarious. “ This recipe is rock solid. The most reliable recipe I know of. A little expensive, but if you can afford this fancy book then you can afford this. Order a large extra-cheese pizza. Ask them to hold the dough and the sauce. Boom. You just made cheese.” Overall, this book made me happy. I love to read funny things and the short story format kept my attention. If you are a fan of the show you will totally be a fan of this book.
I would rate this book a 5 on a 1-5 scale. The content is hilarious and if you know the show well you will get the book. If you don’t know the TV show, I would recommend watching the show before you read this book.
January 11, 2019
The book “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today” written by The Gang (Charlie, Mac, Dee, Dennis, and Frank) is a hilarious page turner that gets you gripped from the beginning that's why I just read this book to the finish for 5 hours straight.. I was strolling through the shelves for a humor book when I stumble upon this masterpiece. I had seen the whole show so I was immediately hooked by just reading the “colorful” chapter titles. The book’s humor was really raunchy type comedy so I loved every page of the book!
The books general summary is that it’s a “self help book” written by the gang. Each character writes a chapter about some important life topic like love. However, their advice along with their bar leaves something to be desired. Each chapter was filled to the brim with rambles, sidetracks, interruptions, side notes, and great humor. However, I have to say that this type of humor is for people that think if it can make you laugh then it’s OK to say no matter what it is. The group ranges from racism to sexism to tell jokes all while in good taste of course. Every so often a character has a quiz on the most random and outrageous things that I can’t say on this website.
Honestly I loved this book so much and I would recommend this to anyone that watches the show or used to watch it. I especially loved how dead on the characters in the book matched the characters in the show. They didn’t even have Charlie write any chapters because he can’t read or write. The authors got Dennis’ narcissism dead on and Dee’s pride. My favorite part was Frank and Mac’s chapters because there was nothing they wouldn’t say. I found myself showing my friend a part of the book that I found funny every 30 seconds.
I think the one drawback to this book is that you would have had to have seen the show to understand many of the jokes and appreciate them to their fullest.
The books general summary is that it’s a “self help book” written by the gang. Each character writes a chapter about some important life topic like love. However, their advice along with their bar leaves something to be desired. Each chapter was filled to the brim with rambles, sidetracks, interruptions, side notes, and great humor. However, I have to say that this type of humor is for people that think if it can make you laugh then it’s OK to say no matter what it is. The group ranges from racism to sexism to tell jokes all while in good taste of course. Every so often a character has a quiz on the most random and outrageous things that I can’t say on this website.
Honestly I loved this book so much and I would recommend this to anyone that watches the show or used to watch it. I especially loved how dead on the characters in the book matched the characters in the show. They didn’t even have Charlie write any chapters because he can’t read or write. The authors got Dennis’ narcissism dead on and Dee’s pride. My favorite part was Frank and Mac’s chapters because there was nothing they wouldn’t say. I found myself showing my friend a part of the book that I found funny every 30 seconds.
I think the one drawback to this book is that you would have had to have seen the show to understand many of the jokes and appreciate them to their fullest.
November 1, 2021
A good mini episode of the show, if you will, the "what if the gang had written a self help vook as a poorly conceived get rich quick scheme".
The characters take it in turns to write sections of the book and are true to form (Charlie is illiterate and usually dictates his segments to one of the others, who may take liberties with the process).
It's a nice idea and there's some great new writing and innovations in here (the book has a footnote system and Mac is the first to try to use it and completely screws it up as an amusing character note), but I feel there isnt quite enough new material to get it the full five stars.
The beginning of the book has fresher material and I thought to myself it would work as a comedy piece even for those not so familiar with the show, but the later chapters reference the show more and more heavily as it goes on.
It's an interesting parallel, the characters are getting fed up with "writing" the self help book and voice their frustrations and are candid about doing anything to reach the word count.. .. and then the actual authors of the book start to increasingly return to established IASIP episodes to quote/reference larger and larger sections of it verbatim.
I feel they returned to the well a bit too liberally and so I've docked it a star. I'm a huge fan of the show but I think some more new materials or riffing was warranted.
The characters take it in turns to write sections of the book and are true to form (Charlie is illiterate and usually dictates his segments to one of the others, who may take liberties with the process).
It's a nice idea and there's some great new writing and innovations in here (the book has a footnote system and Mac is the first to try to use it and completely screws it up as an amusing character note), but I feel there isnt quite enough new material to get it the full five stars.
The beginning of the book has fresher material and I thought to myself it would work as a comedy piece even for those not so familiar with the show, but the later chapters reference the show more and more heavily as it goes on.
It's an interesting parallel, the characters are getting fed up with "writing" the self help book and voice their frustrations and are candid about doing anything to reach the word count.. .. and then the actual authors of the book start to increasingly return to established IASIP episodes to quote/reference larger and larger sections of it verbatim.
I feel they returned to the well a bit too liberally and so I've docked it a star. I'm a huge fan of the show but I think some more new materials or riffing was warranted.
March 18, 2024
A fun book! You’ve gotta understand a lot of references, so from a perspective of a fan of the show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” this was a fun book to read. If a person picked it up and had never watched the show, they might have a different take on it, but that’s the whole point - it’s for promotion!
I love how each characters’ personalities shone through in each chapter that they individually wrote; I’m imagining (and hoping) that each characters’ actors were writing and illustrating each respective chapter that their character “wrote”, makes it all the funnier.
I did really enjoy this, especially more because I love the show, and going from reading serious books to reading fun books is such a fun switch up.
I love how each characters’ personalities shone through in each chapter that they individually wrote; I’m imagining (and hoping) that each characters’ actors were writing and illustrating each respective chapter that their character “wrote”, makes it all the funnier.
I did really enjoy this, especially more because I love the show, and going from reading serious books to reading fun books is such a fun switch up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2021
If you ever wanted to have some other form of a great TV show besides the show itself, this is great! As someone who reads primarily novels and nothing else, it was refreshing to read something that made me laugh and didn’t have a plot. While it wasn’t a “self-help” book really, I don’t think it was ever going to be considering the show. That being said, it was still very entertaining and was true to all the characters which was awesome!
August 31, 2020
The dialogue parts were effectively like reading a scene from an episode of Always Sunny. Satirical. Particularly enjoyed anything written as Charlie or Mac. A quick, easy read -devoid of any meaning but humorous and engaging, as it was meant to be.
May 12, 2020
I love always sunny and I guess I expected more. The quizzes and some of the rants just went on to fill the pages. It was still a fun, quick read and left me laughing out loud several times.
November 9, 2025
I got this as a birthday present and i looved it. It's like a long episode of it's always sunny.
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November 17, 2025“This is the last time I’m going to say this. I am NOT responsible for Fleetwood Mac breaking up.”
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