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Bare Bones: I'm Not Lonely If You're Reading This Book
A touching, funny, heart-wrenching, and triumphant memoir from one of the biggest names in radio, the host of The Bobby Bones Show, one of the most listened-to drive time morning radio shows in the nation.
Growing up poor in Mountain Pine, Arkansas, with a young, addicted mom, Bobby Estell fell in love with country music. Abandoned by his father at the age of five, Bobby saw the radio as his way out—a dream that came true in college when he went on air at the Henderson State University campus station broadcasting as Bobby Bones, while simultaneously starting The Bobby Bones Show at 105.9 KLAZ. Bobby’s passions were pop, country music, and comedy, and he blended the three to become a tastemaker in the country music industry, heard by millions daily. Bobby broke the format of standard country radio, mixing country and pop with entertainment news and information, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the business, including Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, and Jason Aldean.
Yet despite the glamour, fame, and money, Bobby has never forgotten his roots, the mom and grandmother who raised him, the work ethic he embraced which saved him and encouraged him to explore the world, and the good values that shaped him. In this funny, poignant memoir told in Bobby’s distinctive patter, he takes fans on a tour of his road to radio. Bobby doesn’t shy away from the curves he continues to navigate—including his obsessive-compulsive disorder—on his journey to find the happiness of a healthy family.
Funny and tender, raw and honest, Bare Bones is pure Bobby Bones—surprising, entertaining, inspiring, and authentic.
Growing up poor in Mountain Pine, Arkansas, with a young, addicted mom, Bobby Estell fell in love with country music. Abandoned by his father at the age of five, Bobby saw the radio as his way out—a dream that came true in college when he went on air at the Henderson State University campus station broadcasting as Bobby Bones, while simultaneously starting The Bobby Bones Show at 105.9 KLAZ. Bobby’s passions were pop, country music, and comedy, and he blended the three to become a tastemaker in the country music industry, heard by millions daily. Bobby broke the format of standard country radio, mixing country and pop with entertainment news and information, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the business, including Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, and Jason Aldean.
Yet despite the glamour, fame, and money, Bobby has never forgotten his roots, the mom and grandmother who raised him, the work ethic he embraced which saved him and encouraged him to explore the world, and the good values that shaped him. In this funny, poignant memoir told in Bobby’s distinctive patter, he takes fans on a tour of his road to radio. Bobby doesn’t shy away from the curves he continues to navigate—including his obsessive-compulsive disorder—on his journey to find the happiness of a healthy family.
Funny and tender, raw and honest, Bare Bones is pure Bobby Bones—surprising, entertaining, inspiring, and authentic.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2016
619 people are currently reading
2405 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Bones
5 books174 followers Bobby Bones (born Bobby Estell) is an American radio and television personality, best known for hosting the nationally syndicated The Bobby Bones Show, originating at KISS-FM in Austin, TX, and for his role as a full-time mentor on American Idol on ABC.
He was the winner of season 27 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Sharna Burgess. He has also written two New York Times best sellers.
He was the winner of season 27 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Sharna Burgess. He has also written two New York Times best sellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
May 24, 2016
I read romance, I write romance, and as a rule, I do not read non-fiction. It tends to put me to sleep, bore me to no end, or even worse, both. But I HAD to read this book.
I also never review or rate books, but I truly loved Bare Bones. Fifty percent of the book expounded on what I knew from being a freaky-freaky-fan-girl-listener, but the other fifty? Wow.
Just, wow.
I thought I'd laugh and I did a little, but I cried. A lot. I probably cried where others would laugh, even where Bobby was self deprecating and trying to be funny about his past. But the mom in me felt only pain for a child who yearned for love, attention, and boundaries. My heart broke many times during this book as I read about a human who had nothing but the odds stacked against him. Every single time he picked himself back up to overcome, reach another goal or prove the norm wrong. And he did it all being a NICE GUY. A good guy, who's built a platform on being funny through being smart, and giving back to others through charitable work and kindness.
I wish there were more people around like you, Bobby Estell.
And, you will forever have an open invitation to join our family for Christmas. Nothing breaks my heart more than you escaping to foreign countries to avoid being home alone on December 25th. Bring you dog, you can stay for days. I can't promise Normal Rockwell, but I can promise an interesting time with company spanning the ages of 2-91 years old. PM me, I'll send you the details. It will give me a reason to makeover the guestroom sooner rather than later, and I do love a reason to makeover a room.
If you are at all fan of country music, pop culture, or just human goodness, read this book.
I also never review or rate books, but I truly loved Bare Bones. Fifty percent of the book expounded on what I knew from being a freaky-freaky-fan-girl-listener, but the other fifty? Wow.
Just, wow.
I thought I'd laugh and I did a little, but I cried. A lot. I probably cried where others would laugh, even where Bobby was self deprecating and trying to be funny about his past. But the mom in me felt only pain for a child who yearned for love, attention, and boundaries. My heart broke many times during this book as I read about a human who had nothing but the odds stacked against him. Every single time he picked himself back up to overcome, reach another goal or prove the norm wrong. And he did it all being a NICE GUY. A good guy, who's built a platform on being funny through being smart, and giving back to others through charitable work and kindness.
I wish there were more people around like you, Bobby Estell.
And, you will forever have an open invitation to join our family for Christmas. Nothing breaks my heart more than you escaping to foreign countries to avoid being home alone on December 25th. Bring you dog, you can stay for days. I can't promise Normal Rockwell, but I can promise an interesting time with company spanning the ages of 2-91 years old. PM me, I'll send you the details. It will give me a reason to makeover the guestroom sooner rather than later, and I do love a reason to makeover a room.
If you are at all fan of country music, pop culture, or just human goodness, read this book.
October 12, 2016
I don't know who the hell Bobby Bones is. I mean, I do now, since I read his book, but prior to that, I was only vaguely aware of his existence in that way you are aware of celebrities simply because they are floating around in the ether. But I am in a book club, and Bare Bones was chosen as our October book, so even though I was the opposite of excited about it, I got the audio version, stifled a yawn, and started in, feeling very much like a Book Club Martyr for reading a book that was so obviously going to be terribly boring to me.
By now, I should no longer be surprised with how this story goes, because almost every single time I read a book on someone else's suggestion that I don't think will fit my tastes, I'm blown away by how much I love it. Seriously, this happens to me all the time. Or it would, if I read books people recommend to me on any kind of regular basis. I love giving recommendations, but taking them? Eh, not so much. (I know everything, you see.)
I can't believe I enjoyed a celebrity memoir written by a celebrity I knew nothing about, but I could not stop listening to this book. Bobby's story is just so damn compelling. If you like rags to riches stories, this is one of the raggiest. His childhood, growing up in a tiny town in Arkansas with his addict mom, then somehow making it through college and onto the radio, it was all fascinating and inspiring to me. Yeah, he's a workaholic and emotionally closed off and not always great to women...but it sure makes good radio.
And his stories are hilarious. I won't spoil anything here, but the guy isn't afraid to tell embarrassing stories on himself, even though telling them clearly makes him squirm (his cringing comes through the microphone loud and clear). Listening to him talk is like sitting down with an old friend, which is I'm sure what's made his radio show so successful.
If you like reading memoirs and stories about other people's lives, you'll probably get a kick out of Bare Bones, even if you couldn't pick Bobby Bones out of a lineup.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
By now, I should no longer be surprised with how this story goes, because almost every single time I read a book on someone else's suggestion that I don't think will fit my tastes, I'm blown away by how much I love it. Seriously, this happens to me all the time. Or it would, if I read books people recommend to me on any kind of regular basis. I love giving recommendations, but taking them? Eh, not so much. (I know everything, you see.)
I can't believe I enjoyed a celebrity memoir written by a celebrity I knew nothing about, but I could not stop listening to this book. Bobby's story is just so damn compelling. If you like rags to riches stories, this is one of the raggiest. His childhood, growing up in a tiny town in Arkansas with his addict mom, then somehow making it through college and onto the radio, it was all fascinating and inspiring to me. Yeah, he's a workaholic and emotionally closed off and not always great to women...but it sure makes good radio.
And his stories are hilarious. I won't spoil anything here, but the guy isn't afraid to tell embarrassing stories on himself, even though telling them clearly makes him squirm (his cringing comes through the microphone loud and clear). Listening to him talk is like sitting down with an old friend, which is I'm sure what's made his radio show so successful.
If you like reading memoirs and stories about other people's lives, you'll probably get a kick out of Bare Bones, even if you couldn't pick Bobby Bones out of a lineup.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
May 18, 2016
I'm a huge and proud Boner (you know what I mean). I listen to the entire podcast of the show each weekday, participate in a group text with a couple friends where we talk about the show 75% of the time, I like the Facebook page, and follow everyone on the show on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (yes, even Justin the Suit), so it pains me to only give this book 3 stars. However, like I said, I listen to the show every day...so I've heard a lot of these stories. Yes, some were more detailed, but I've heard them. Yes, there were stories I hadn't heard, but they were recently hinted at or told on the show or written about in that Washington Post article. Yes, there were great, insightful, deep quotes ("When I was crying at my mom's funeral, I don't know what I was really mourning: her death, or my dream of saving her."), but they were used (very awesomely) to promote the book. So, on a scaled of 1 to Harry Potter (5), I give Bare Bones a 3. Sorry Bobby, but it's just not Harry Potter (you would understand if you'd read the books or at least seen the movies) and I've just heard too many of these stories to give it 4 stars. That said, I did learn a few things about Bobby and his career that I hadn't known. Bottom line: I really enjoyed binging this audiobook today, I'm sure I'll listen to it again, and I would recommend it to a friend, Boner or not.
May 18, 2016
I really, really wanted to love this book. I mean REALLY. I'm a huge Bobby Bones Show fan. It's the way the girls and I start our day, and the openness and honesty that the entire group has with the listeners is what makes it successful. However, it's because of all that openness and honesty that has caused me to only give the book a 2-star rating. I'm estimating that 90% of what I read I already knew just from listening to the show, and on top of that, it just wasn't that well-written. I remain a huge fan, but, please Bobby, stick to your day job. I mean that in the most loving way possible ;)
May 15, 2020
Inside depth into one of my favorite Radio Host. My family has been listening to his show for years and the book was as funny as he is. Great insight into his life.
April 14, 2025
I had never heard of Bobby Bones or his radio show before reading this book. After reading this book I have no interest in listening to his show
May 16, 2016
“WAIT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.”
BARE BONES is a fascinating look at one of the most colorful figures in radio. Bobby describes all the zany pranks that got him lots of publicity, but nearly jail time as well.
Anyone who can cost his firm a million bucks and NOT get fired must be doing something right! If you’re not familiar with this crazy event, imagine what would happen if YOU broadcast a FAKE warning over the “EAS” (Emergency Alert System.) Bobby’s show triggered all kinds of warnings on television, with viewers informed to “Wait for further information from The White House.”
Before Bobby’s career really zoomed, he admits he concocted a rather slimy scheme. He personally paid for billboards around town, attacking him personally. “I launched a massive negative PR campaign against myself to garner sympathy. Only one person other than me knew what was going on.” The idea worked!
In reading BARE BONES, I admit I sometimes had trouble believing some of the author’s tales. Did that wrestling incident really happen? (You know the incident I mean.) Is the scholarship Bobby sponsors really called the “Don’t Be Skipping Class Scholarship”? And did the Secret Service really show up during a live broadcast, forcing him to step outside, where they accused him of threatening President Obama? (Bobby notes that the agents actually never thought he did the threatening, but they had to ask him anyway.)
And I THINK I believe the story about him living in a gated community, where a murderer lived, roaming around looking for victims.
Not all of the stories are wacky or crazy. The author describes his terrible sleep problem, which happened the same time as the “Million Dollar Problem." He describes the resulting issues trying to get off sleep medication cold turkey. “As soon as I stopped taking my sleeping medication, my body went crazy…I vomited violently for days, shaking and convulsing so badly I couldn’t walk or see straight.”
The author is also painfully open about his relationship difficulties. “I don’t like the fact that I’ve never said “I love you” to a sentient being with free will.”
All of this makes Bobby Bones a really endearing soul. When he visited his home town, he noticed the sign, “Boyhood Home of Bobby Bones.” He notes that those types of things are what they put up for presidents—not radio DJ’s: “It was awesome, but also weird.” He wasn’t a famous politician or anything. In school, “I was Quiz Bowl captain, and I play Miley Cyrus and Brad Paisley.”
All in all, I found BARE BONES to be a wackily fun read. I had a blast reading this book and learned a lot more about this funny man. Kudos to the author for being so frank about his difficulties weaning himself off the drugs. Perhaps his account will be an encouragement to others facing similar problems.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of Edelweiss Book Distributors.
BARE BONES is a fascinating look at one of the most colorful figures in radio. Bobby describes all the zany pranks that got him lots of publicity, but nearly jail time as well.
Anyone who can cost his firm a million bucks and NOT get fired must be doing something right! If you’re not familiar with this crazy event, imagine what would happen if YOU broadcast a FAKE warning over the “EAS” (Emergency Alert System.) Bobby’s show triggered all kinds of warnings on television, with viewers informed to “Wait for further information from The White House.”
Before Bobby’s career really zoomed, he admits he concocted a rather slimy scheme. He personally paid for billboards around town, attacking him personally. “I launched a massive negative PR campaign against myself to garner sympathy. Only one person other than me knew what was going on.” The idea worked!
In reading BARE BONES, I admit I sometimes had trouble believing some of the author’s tales. Did that wrestling incident really happen? (You know the incident I mean.) Is the scholarship Bobby sponsors really called the “Don’t Be Skipping Class Scholarship”? And did the Secret Service really show up during a live broadcast, forcing him to step outside, where they accused him of threatening President Obama? (Bobby notes that the agents actually never thought he did the threatening, but they had to ask him anyway.)
And I THINK I believe the story about him living in a gated community, where a murderer lived, roaming around looking for victims.
Not all of the stories are wacky or crazy. The author describes his terrible sleep problem, which happened the same time as the “Million Dollar Problem." He describes the resulting issues trying to get off sleep medication cold turkey. “As soon as I stopped taking my sleeping medication, my body went crazy…I vomited violently for days, shaking and convulsing so badly I couldn’t walk or see straight.”
The author is also painfully open about his relationship difficulties. “I don’t like the fact that I’ve never said “I love you” to a sentient being with free will.”
All of this makes Bobby Bones a really endearing soul. When he visited his home town, he noticed the sign, “Boyhood Home of Bobby Bones.” He notes that those types of things are what they put up for presidents—not radio DJ’s: “It was awesome, but also weird.” He wasn’t a famous politician or anything. In school, “I was Quiz Bowl captain, and I play Miley Cyrus and Brad Paisley.”
All in all, I found BARE BONES to be a wackily fun read. I had a blast reading this book and learned a lot more about this funny man. Kudos to the author for being so frank about his difficulties weaning himself off the drugs. Perhaps his account will be an encouragement to others facing similar problems.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of Edelweiss Book Distributors.
May 16, 2021
#2021ReadingChallenge
#7.0diem3sao
Cuốn tự truyện của Bobby Bones, theo một một khuôn khá quen thuộc, từ một cậu bé bất hạnh, nghèo nàn trở thành một người dẫn chương trình nổi tiếng.
Nhưng mà, mình thấy câu chuyện này chưa thực sự truyền cảm hứng mình lắm. Kiểu lúc nhỏ, tác giả cũng chẳng thực sự bất hạnh cho lắm, và chặng đường cố gắng trở thành một người dẫn chương trình, cũng chẳng có gì quá nghịch cảnh để mà vượt qua.
Chưa kể, tính cách của tác giả có nhiều vết xước quá, kiểu cứ ngông ngông lạ lạ như bao ông sếp hãm tài. Mấy chuyện yêu đương của bác cũng chán chán thế nào đấy. Cho nên, những ai thích show của bác thì chắc thích cuốn này, chứ mình còn chưa xem show nào của tác giả cả.
Ghé thăm những bình luận của mình tại Thư viện Thảo Điền nhé
https://thuvienthaodien.wordpress.com/
----------
LÀM CHỦ NGHỊCH CẢNH (2016)
Tác giả: Bobby Bones
Thủ Đức, 12.04.2021
#7.0diem3sao
Cuốn tự truyện của Bobby Bones, theo một một khuôn khá quen thuộc, từ một cậu bé bất hạnh, nghèo nàn trở thành một người dẫn chương trình nổi tiếng.
Nhưng mà, mình thấy câu chuyện này chưa thực sự truyền cảm hứng mình lắm. Kiểu lúc nhỏ, tác giả cũng chẳng thực sự bất hạnh cho lắm, và chặng đường cố gắng trở thành một người dẫn chương trình, cũng chẳng có gì quá nghịch cảnh để mà vượt qua.
Chưa kể, tính cách của tác giả có nhiều vết xước quá, kiểu cứ ngông ngông lạ lạ như bao ông sếp hãm tài. Mấy chuyện yêu đương của bác cũng chán chán thế nào đấy. Cho nên, những ai thích show của bác thì chắc thích cuốn này, chứ mình còn chưa xem show nào của tác giả cả.
Ghé thăm những bình luận của mình tại Thư viện Thảo Điền nhé
https://thuvienthaodien.wordpress.com/
----------
LÀM CHỦ NGHỊCH CẢNH (2016)
Tác giả: Bobby Bones
Thủ Đức, 12.04.2021
June 21, 2022
Drove through Mountain Pine, Arkansas, and saw the sign "Home of Bobby Bones" and I didn't know who Bobby was. I asked and was told he was a radio personality and motivational writer. I'm not a country music fan at all but I listened to his book and it's good!! I love his success formula of showing up on time every time and never giving up. I admire his grit in overcoming many childhood and young adult miseries - his mother was 15 and his dad was 17 when he was born in 1980. His dad left when Bobby was very young and his mom developed a severe addiction problem which led to her untimely death at age 47. Bobby overcame an impoverished childhood, became an excellent student, and received a college scholarship. Incredibly admirable and a true role model regarding education and picking yourself up by the bootstraps and making a success out of yourself. The book probably deserved higher than my 3 star rating but I'm still not familiar with his radio work and I still can't stand country music, hence the 3 rating.
January 13, 2024
This isn’t to take away from his personal life, but I just found the contents to be very dry and boring. I don’t know much about Bob, other than the fact that he hosts a radio show. Yet I was hoping that I was going to enjoy this a lot more, but it was very rudimentary and forgettable.
I do like his show, but I couldn’t really get with the book .
It had potential to be big but that’s all it had.
I do like his show, but I couldn’t really get with the book .
It had potential to be big but that’s all it had.
March 25, 2020
I love Bobby Bones. His story was interesting, funny and enjoyable. Very good memoir. :)
May 27, 2016
Bobby Bones: I'm Not Lonely If You're Reading This is an entertaining read that flows so easily you find yourself at the end before you even realize it. I actually listened to this book on Audio which was narrated by none other than Bobby Bones himself. I definitely recommend a listen to this book as the voice inflections and self-deprecating chuckles as he reads his story add an extra dimension that I'm glad I got to experience.
The famous, some may say infamous, Bobby Bones writes of his impoverished childhood growing up in Mountain Pine, Arkansas and his rise to famedom through hard work, dedication and a good attitude (most of the time). If you're like me you'll find this hilariously funny in so many places and heartbreakingly sad in others. His struggles in growing up with a mom who faced addictions therefore seldom being present in her son's everyday life is so hard to read, yet left me respecting him even more.
I appreciate that Bobby doesn't shy away from the really personal and oftentimes embarrassing periods of his life as so many would. I know I could never put myself out there like he has. I'm also equally impressed that he didn't dish out the dirt on the many peripheral people in his life without their okay (and let's face it I am sure he has a ton of dirt on a ton of people). He even touched on the feuds that he's had with some of those very same super stars and readily accepts all responsibility and gives heartfelt apologies. KUDOS to you Bobby Bones!
If you get nothing from this retelling of his life growing up I think you're missing the point. Yes, it's entertaining, but really we can all learn from Bobby. It doesn't matter where you came from if you work hard and bust your butt you can make something of yourself. If and when you make stupid decisions or start stupid feuds own up to it, say you're sorry and do your best to learn from your mistakes. Maybe most importantly of all, be loyal. Bobby has proven loyal to the executives that helped him get the opportunities in life that he longed for, he's loyal to those very same execs who forgave him his idiotic mistakes, and he's loyal to the select few whom he calls friends.
I for one thank you Bobby for sharing your story and inspiring me even more than you already do. And I still have to Google that million dollar fine.
The famous, some may say infamous, Bobby Bones writes of his impoverished childhood growing up in Mountain Pine, Arkansas and his rise to famedom through hard work, dedication and a good attitude (most of the time). If you're like me you'll find this hilariously funny in so many places and heartbreakingly sad in others. His struggles in growing up with a mom who faced addictions therefore seldom being present in her son's everyday life is so hard to read, yet left me respecting him even more.
I appreciate that Bobby doesn't shy away from the really personal and oftentimes embarrassing periods of his life as so many would. I know I could never put myself out there like he has. I'm also equally impressed that he didn't dish out the dirt on the many peripheral people in his life without their okay (and let's face it I am sure he has a ton of dirt on a ton of people). He even touched on the feuds that he's had with some of those very same super stars and readily accepts all responsibility and gives heartfelt apologies. KUDOS to you Bobby Bones!
If you get nothing from this retelling of his life growing up I think you're missing the point. Yes, it's entertaining, but really we can all learn from Bobby. It doesn't matter where you came from if you work hard and bust your butt you can make something of yourself. If and when you make stupid decisions or start stupid feuds own up to it, say you're sorry and do your best to learn from your mistakes. Maybe most importantly of all, be loyal. Bobby has proven loyal to the executives that helped him get the opportunities in life that he longed for, he's loyal to those very same execs who forgave him his idiotic mistakes, and he's loyal to the select few whom he calls friends.
I for one thank you Bobby for sharing your story and inspiring me even more than you already do. And I still have to Google that million dollar fine.
March 23, 2018
I am a huge fan of the Bobby Bones show, Bobby, and the others on the show. I have been wanting to read his book for a while now, so I was excited to find it at a great price. Even though I bought the book, I ended up listening to the audiobook. I highly recommend it as Bobby is the narrator!
If you listen to the show, you gets bits and pieces about Bobby and his past. Several stories in the book have been told during the show, but he does go into a little more detail in the book. He is pretty closed off about certain things, so I think this book helps you understand him so much better. I loved how vulnerable he was as he shares his story.
My only complaint is that it was too short. I am happy that he another book coming out, as I want to read more.
Overall, if you love the show I think you will love this.
If you listen to the show, you gets bits and pieces about Bobby and his past. Several stories in the book have been told during the show, but he does go into a little more detail in the book. He is pretty closed off about certain things, so I think this book helps you understand him so much better. I loved how vulnerable he was as he shares his story.
My only complaint is that it was too short. I am happy that he another book coming out, as I want to read more.
Overall, if you love the show I think you will love this.
July 9, 2020
I've been a Bobby Bones fan since he started his morning show in Austin so I knew I would love this book and I did. However, there were a couple disappointing things. His voice was so different...he was definitely trying too hard...and didn't have to. Secondly, Bobby has always been so open about bringing fans into his whole life that it was a little disappointing that he gave so many people "nicknames" rather than reveal their true identities. I get it ...but still...
Overall, a very entertaining book!
Overall, a very entertaining book!
January 27, 2025
I've listened to the Bobby Bones Show for years and finally decided to give this audiobook a listen to and I absolutely loved it! Although I knew he came from a very poor upbringing, I had no idea the extent it was and what he went through as a child. I love when someone makes something of themselves, despite their upbringing, so his story definitely warms my heart. It is sprinkled with humor, jaw-dropping stories of near death, and so much more! And I love that it was read by him! Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of his show ... you won't regret it!
May 13, 2017
I've been listening to The Bobby Bones Show for years now. So a lot of stuff in this book are things I've heard already but it was still interesting to read more of the backstory on his life. Bobby is such an inspiration and the show is something I listen to every week. This is the first non-romance book I've read willingly and finished it in a day.
If you guys listen to the show, I recommend reading this one just to get some more insight :)
If you guys listen to the show, I recommend reading this one just to get some more insight :)
March 8, 2019
Awesome Book! I am a fan of Bobby Bones and I have the hardback of this book, but when I saw the audible book and that he was narrating I had to listen. Bobby is a fascinating person who grew up hard and worked really hard and is now successful. He shows his vulnerability, and his success authentically and with self deprecating humor. This was a great listen I highly recommend! Whether you are a Bobby Bones fan or not this is a great read about an inspirational person.
May 19, 2023
I had not heard of Bobby Bones until a coworker lent me this book. In a nutshell, Bobby Bones is basically the Ryan Seacrest of country music. This memoir takes us from Bobby’s impoverished childhood and upbringing in a small town in Arkansas, to the pinnacle of his career as a top 40s morning show host.
As far as memoirs go, I’d say this was decent. I found Bobby’s story to be sincere and more inspirational than I was expecting.
Recommend ✅
3.5/5 ⭐️
As far as memoirs go, I’d say this was decent. I found Bobby’s story to be sincere and more inspirational than I was expecting.
Recommend ✅
3.5/5 ⭐️
July 14, 2025
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be authentic. While I’m a sucker for a memoir, authenticity is what’s most important to me reading any book, but especially an autobiography or memoir. While maybe not the traditional “best” kind of writing, it was so conversational where I felt like I was listening to The Bobby Bones Show. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading. This book just felt like a nice hug.
August 6, 2018
I work for iHeartMedia and Bobby Bones is on one of my local stations, so I thought I'd read up on him and learn more about his story. The book was a great look into his life... which you already do hear a lot about on the radio, but a lot of it was still new to me. I do love his show, he's very funny and he was down to earth when I met him. This honesty of this book just gave me another reason to love his show even more.
March 21, 2023
I picked this book up on the clearance shelf awhile ago at B&N. As a country music fan, I was aware of who Bobby Bones was, but had no knowledge of his background or the type of person he was. I haven't even listened to this radio show much. After reading this, I can say I'm a fan and will give his morning show a listen from time to time. The book was written in a way that kept my attention and he seems like a really down to earth, relatable dude. Amazing how he created his own success from nothing.
March 3, 2024
I love Bobby Bones. He is such a sweet, honest guy. I’m glad I read this book to get to know him better. His childhood is very similar to mine in a way. I miss listening to his show everyday.
“It’s all about the choice and the change that comes every Mel ing when each of us rises to face a new day.”
“It’s all about the choice and the change that comes every Mel ing when each of us rises to face a new day.”
October 17, 2020
Loved this book from Bobby Bones! Listening to him tell his story was so entertaining and humbling. He is hilarious and dorky and I love that about him. He truly is a testament to how hard work and dedication pays off.
September 25, 2017
Wonderful audiobook!!!!!!!!!
February 22, 2020
After moving to Kentucky I started to listen to the Bobby Bones Show, since the show is so interesting I decided to give Bobby’s book a go. I don’t normally read non-fiction, however this book is very good. Bobby went through a lot to be where he is and his journey is very interesting.
July 13, 2023
Love him, his podcasts, and his first book. This book only made me love and respect him more as a human. I will definitely be reading his other book soon! Always a fan!
September 28, 2022
I love memoirs so I enjoyed this book. Nothing super great about it but I enjoyed his story.
January 27, 2018
Memoir Review
Bobby Estell, otherwise known as Bobby Bones, is a very popular country radio host who, despite having been given a very rough start to life, was able to make something of his situation and achieve his dreams. Bones’ book, Bare Bones, gives an in depth look in to his life from growing up in a small town in Arkansas to becoming the image of country radio in the United States. The book is called Bare Bones, because it gives a very bare and raw account of his life. It is a very fitting title for a memoir such as this. Bones is very revealing when informing the audience how his life was a lot harsher than a typical life would play out. His mother was very young when he was born, and this caused a snowball effect of other problems that set Bones back for many years to come. Bones had no one pushing him to achieve anything, and was continually beat down by his peers. Even with this early setback, he continued to pursue a career in radio and successfully achieved that goal. He came from nothing, but with motivation and passion was able to achieve his dreams.
Since Bones’ mother was only sixteen when she gave birth to him, she had to fight early on to support herself and a young boy. She could not keep a job for a long period of time and eventually turned to alcohol to wash her troubles away. She was addicted, and nothing that Bones did could make her turn away from this horrible condition. “A couple years before she died, I went back to her trailer outside of Mountain Pine to visit her (she never came to visit me in Austin) and found her passed out on the couch with an empty bottle of mouthwash right next to her. She was drunk on mouthwash because she couldn’t afford booze. That was a terrible moment for me. I was faced with the reality of how low my mom had fallen, and saw with stark clarity that her life was consumed by drinking” (Bones 120). This habit of hers began because of never being able to make anything of herself. She was never given the chance. This addiction also affected Bones’ life in many ways. Since his mother spent what little money she had on alcohol, Bones was stuck sleeping on the couch for his entire childhood since they could not afford a house big enough for Bones to have his own room. He also never had money for anything that a typical child or teenager might want money for. He could not afford school supplies, clothes, dates, or even food most of the time. They lived off of food stamps, which really embarrassed Bones. “I dreaded going to the Piggly Wiggly or Food 4 Less because I knew at some point Mom was going to have to take out the heap of brightly colored construction paper they called food stamps back then... We were basically screaming, ‘Here we are with our construction paper money. That’s right, we’re poor!’ Counting off the stamps at the cash register was humiliating” (Bones 9). The fact of being poor is mentioned many times. It is the most common theme that can be traced throughout Bones’ memoir. It was something that really affected him, because he did not like people feeling sorry for him. He does not like being the center of attention, but when you are the poorest kid on the block, you tend to get noticed a lot.
Bobby Bones was also noticed a lot due to his small stature. He did not hit his growth spurt until he was a senior in high school, so he was, in simpler terms, a shrimp. He tried not to let this get in his way, however. In high school, he played football despite being the smallest kid on the team. This led to many years of bullying and hazing, but he still did not let that stop him from trying to be better than he was. “If I had to describe my life in three words, it would be these: Fight. Grind. Repeat” (Bones 107). These three words are chosen very ingeniously to describe his life. After reading his memoir and all the adversities he faced, I agree with this choice. Everyday, Bones had to fight, grind, and repeat to achieve his dreams of becoming a radio host, and that dream started when he was five years old.
On his fifth birthday, Bones’ mother contacted the local radio station and persuaded them to wish her son a happy birthday. It was only a sentence that lasted a couple seconds, but it completely changed his life. For the next couple of years, he would make routine visits to the station and they would allow him to say a couple of words live on the radio. This fueled his passion and eventually he became a full-time radio host of the station for the night. When he went to college, Bobby gained another night show at the local station near his college. These night shows gave him the experience needed to move to Nashville, Tennessee, and take control of the country radio station there. Now, he has a full team of his closest friends and the most popular country radio show in the United States.
Bobby Bones has always tried to be authentic. One of the reasons his radio show is so popular is due to the fact that he always gives his audience a real, unscripted account of everything that goes on. He comes up with topics, and without his friends having prior knowledge of them, presents the topics to them. Doing so gives his show an authenticity that other radio shows don’t have. His producers thought he was crazy at first, but look where he is now. This attempt at authenticity reflects in Bones’ writing. All accounts of events in the memoir are very authentic. This gives the reader a sense of closeness and relatability to Bones’ that you do not feel reading memoirs from other authors. Even if you cannot relate to Bones’ life story, somehow you feel like you can due to how real it all is. It is an aspect of the memoir that I very much enjoyed while reading.
The style of the memoir is very different from other memoirs and books that I have read. Bones’ has a tendency to insert in parenthesis “clarification” notes. He does this throughout the whole memoir and I have never seen any other writers do this as much as Bones does. In the first hundred pages, I counted there to be seventy-two of these clarifications. That means almost seventy-two percent of the pages had some sort of note to help you understand what he is talking about. The pages that did not have any parenthesis were accounted for by other pages that had multiple clarifications on them. Personally, I found this to be a distracting. I believe he should have just gotten to the point instead of adding all the notes. Usually the notes were unnecessary information, or they could have easily been added to the sentence. This, however, is just Bones’ writing style. Remember, he is not a writer. He is a radio host, so he deserves some credit for finding the time to write the memoir in the first place with his crazy schedule.
Among the stylistic choices of the memoir is the tone that Bones chooses to use. Despite it being a sad story about all the challenges that Bones faced and the short straw he was given at birth, the memoir retains a happy, motivated tone. At times, you feel sorry for him, but for the most part Bones writes so you forget about his adversities and remember his accomplishments. This could be due to the fact that Bones continually overcomes his misfortunes and becomes successful in his life, but the motivating tone makes the reader want to pursue their passions as well and overcome their hardships.
Despite some stylistic choices that deter from the understanding of the memoir as a whole, the book is well written and is very good at helping the reader understand who Bobby Bones is and what he has gone through to be where he is now. Every person can read Bare Bones and be assured that no matter what adversities you are faced in life, anyone can achieve their dreams with hard work. Bones is living proof that even if you come from nothing, you can accomplish your dreams as long as you have motivation and passion.
Bobby Estell, otherwise known as Bobby Bones, is a very popular country radio host who, despite having been given a very rough start to life, was able to make something of his situation and achieve his dreams. Bones’ book, Bare Bones, gives an in depth look in to his life from growing up in a small town in Arkansas to becoming the image of country radio in the United States. The book is called Bare Bones, because it gives a very bare and raw account of his life. It is a very fitting title for a memoir such as this. Bones is very revealing when informing the audience how his life was a lot harsher than a typical life would play out. His mother was very young when he was born, and this caused a snowball effect of other problems that set Bones back for many years to come. Bones had no one pushing him to achieve anything, and was continually beat down by his peers. Even with this early setback, he continued to pursue a career in radio and successfully achieved that goal. He came from nothing, but with motivation and passion was able to achieve his dreams.
Since Bones’ mother was only sixteen when she gave birth to him, she had to fight early on to support herself and a young boy. She could not keep a job for a long period of time and eventually turned to alcohol to wash her troubles away. She was addicted, and nothing that Bones did could make her turn away from this horrible condition. “A couple years before she died, I went back to her trailer outside of Mountain Pine to visit her (she never came to visit me in Austin) and found her passed out on the couch with an empty bottle of mouthwash right next to her. She was drunk on mouthwash because she couldn’t afford booze. That was a terrible moment for me. I was faced with the reality of how low my mom had fallen, and saw with stark clarity that her life was consumed by drinking” (Bones 120). This habit of hers began because of never being able to make anything of herself. She was never given the chance. This addiction also affected Bones’ life in many ways. Since his mother spent what little money she had on alcohol, Bones was stuck sleeping on the couch for his entire childhood since they could not afford a house big enough for Bones to have his own room. He also never had money for anything that a typical child or teenager might want money for. He could not afford school supplies, clothes, dates, or even food most of the time. They lived off of food stamps, which really embarrassed Bones. “I dreaded going to the Piggly Wiggly or Food 4 Less because I knew at some point Mom was going to have to take out the heap of brightly colored construction paper they called food stamps back then... We were basically screaming, ‘Here we are with our construction paper money. That’s right, we’re poor!’ Counting off the stamps at the cash register was humiliating” (Bones 9). The fact of being poor is mentioned many times. It is the most common theme that can be traced throughout Bones’ memoir. It was something that really affected him, because he did not like people feeling sorry for him. He does not like being the center of attention, but when you are the poorest kid on the block, you tend to get noticed a lot.
Bobby Bones was also noticed a lot due to his small stature. He did not hit his growth spurt until he was a senior in high school, so he was, in simpler terms, a shrimp. He tried not to let this get in his way, however. In high school, he played football despite being the smallest kid on the team. This led to many years of bullying and hazing, but he still did not let that stop him from trying to be better than he was. “If I had to describe my life in three words, it would be these: Fight. Grind. Repeat” (Bones 107). These three words are chosen very ingeniously to describe his life. After reading his memoir and all the adversities he faced, I agree with this choice. Everyday, Bones had to fight, grind, and repeat to achieve his dreams of becoming a radio host, and that dream started when he was five years old.
On his fifth birthday, Bones’ mother contacted the local radio station and persuaded them to wish her son a happy birthday. It was only a sentence that lasted a couple seconds, but it completely changed his life. For the next couple of years, he would make routine visits to the station and they would allow him to say a couple of words live on the radio. This fueled his passion and eventually he became a full-time radio host of the station for the night. When he went to college, Bobby gained another night show at the local station near his college. These night shows gave him the experience needed to move to Nashville, Tennessee, and take control of the country radio station there. Now, he has a full team of his closest friends and the most popular country radio show in the United States.
Bobby Bones has always tried to be authentic. One of the reasons his radio show is so popular is due to the fact that he always gives his audience a real, unscripted account of everything that goes on. He comes up with topics, and without his friends having prior knowledge of them, presents the topics to them. Doing so gives his show an authenticity that other radio shows don’t have. His producers thought he was crazy at first, but look where he is now. This attempt at authenticity reflects in Bones’ writing. All accounts of events in the memoir are very authentic. This gives the reader a sense of closeness and relatability to Bones’ that you do not feel reading memoirs from other authors. Even if you cannot relate to Bones’ life story, somehow you feel like you can due to how real it all is. It is an aspect of the memoir that I very much enjoyed while reading.
The style of the memoir is very different from other memoirs and books that I have read. Bones’ has a tendency to insert in parenthesis “clarification” notes. He does this throughout the whole memoir and I have never seen any other writers do this as much as Bones does. In the first hundred pages, I counted there to be seventy-two of these clarifications. That means almost seventy-two percent of the pages had some sort of note to help you understand what he is talking about. The pages that did not have any parenthesis were accounted for by other pages that had multiple clarifications on them. Personally, I found this to be a distracting. I believe he should have just gotten to the point instead of adding all the notes. Usually the notes were unnecessary information, or they could have easily been added to the sentence. This, however, is just Bones’ writing style. Remember, he is not a writer. He is a radio host, so he deserves some credit for finding the time to write the memoir in the first place with his crazy schedule.
Among the stylistic choices of the memoir is the tone that Bones chooses to use. Despite it being a sad story about all the challenges that Bones faced and the short straw he was given at birth, the memoir retains a happy, motivated tone. At times, you feel sorry for him, but for the most part Bones writes so you forget about his adversities and remember his accomplishments. This could be due to the fact that Bones continually overcomes his misfortunes and becomes successful in his life, but the motivating tone makes the reader want to pursue their passions as well and overcome their hardships.
Despite some stylistic choices that deter from the understanding of the memoir as a whole, the book is well written and is very good at helping the reader understand who Bobby Bones is and what he has gone through to be where he is now. Every person can read Bare Bones and be assured that no matter what adversities you are faced in life, anyone can achieve their dreams with hard work. Bones is living proof that even if you come from nothing, you can accomplish your dreams as long as you have motivation and passion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2016
First off, this book was graciously provided from the publisher to me through one of the Goodreads contests. They would appreciate an honest and unbiased opinion and I'll attempt to do so here.
MY MIND WAS JUST BLOWN!! Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not really a fan of non-fiction. It is not that I don't read it, I simply do not necessarily enjoy it as much as I do a good get-lost-in-the-pages stroll through a fictional account. Add to this the fact that I had no clue who Bobby Bones even was when I first picked up the book. Another big surprise--I'm not a country music fan! It was so awesome to find that I didn't have to be a fan of either of these things to totally get into Mr. Bones' memoir. So conversational and approachable, I read it (almost) in one sitting and walked away wanting to know more and research this cool dude I didn't even know existed. Rather than banter on and on about his accomplishments or bore me with self-depreciating humor, he gained my trust and readership the hard way--by simply being himself. His hard early years were tempered by his ability to look back on those things for what they were, a past that didn't define him in total. There are loads of snicker-worthy little tidbits like, "I learned an important lesson that night. If you ever knock on an ex's door and there's another guy sitting on the couch inside, just pack it up and go home.", as well as a middle section featuring snaps from his childhood up to now. It was almost like looking into the crazed scrapbook experience of an old buddy, reliving the high points of his childhood and early adulthood, that helped to inform the maturing man he continues on this journey to becoming (maybe).
For the person looking for something deeply affecting and cathartic, do I think you're going to walk away feeling transformed or deeply moved? NO. Don't even approach this book that way. Move along...nothing to see here. If instead, you're interested in a quick and funny peer into the mind wanderings of an easy buddy or pal, often touching upon some of the same familial and social minefields that many of us have traversed throughout life, then this may be a great read for you. In his final chapter, Every Day is A Good Day, he pretty much sums up this romp through his manic musings..."Now I know what you're thinking, Wait, everyday really isn't a good day. No, it's not true in a literal sense...every single day was an opportunity for a good day." And that's how I spent my day, enjoying this gem.
December 12, 2016
“every day that I am not moving forward is a day I’m not moving backward.”
I really enjoyed the positive energy that flowed from this novel. Bobby has a great attitude about life and his outlook is optimistic and hopeful and I could definitely feel that after reading his book. I feel that his childhood is his motivation in life. He grew up poor and he will tell you on air and in the novel about how poor he really was, but that doesn’t stop him from achieving his goals and that doesn’t stop him from being who he wants to be. One thing that I noticed is that Bobby doesn’t blame his past for his mistakes in life, I have to applaud him for that. There are many individuals who have done this and I was overwhelmed to read his whole novel and not see the blame finger being pointed at anyone. Bobby is moving forward, he is making a stand for himself and this book was refreshing to read.
Bobby is proud of who is and what he has gone through to become who he is today. He tries to entertain people on his radio show everyday who he feels are just like him. I was surprised after reading this novel how much work it takes to put on each show because as I listen to Bobby and his crew, it feels to me as if they are just talking, like nothing has been prepared and now, I know differently and I know how much time and love Bobby has taken to entertain me. I know bits and pieces of Bobby’s life just by listening to him on the radio but now, I know more after reading his book and I know the true meaning of some of the stories that he tells his viewers. I know the inside story. His name Bobby Bones, I never knew where that came from or how his life on the radio began but now I do and I know how devoted he was to putting his voice to the mike and how he wanted to become someone. He was once a small-town boy, who had a dream, we all have dreams but this boy had motivation and determination and was willing to go the extra mile. Bobby is who he is.
I really enjoyed the positive energy that flowed from this novel. Bobby has a great attitude about life and his outlook is optimistic and hopeful and I could definitely feel that after reading his book. I feel that his childhood is his motivation in life. He grew up poor and he will tell you on air and in the novel about how poor he really was, but that doesn’t stop him from achieving his goals and that doesn’t stop him from being who he wants to be. One thing that I noticed is that Bobby doesn’t blame his past for his mistakes in life, I have to applaud him for that. There are many individuals who have done this and I was overwhelmed to read his whole novel and not see the blame finger being pointed at anyone. Bobby is moving forward, he is making a stand for himself and this book was refreshing to read.
Bobby is proud of who is and what he has gone through to become who he is today. He tries to entertain people on his radio show everyday who he feels are just like him. I was surprised after reading this novel how much work it takes to put on each show because as I listen to Bobby and his crew, it feels to me as if they are just talking, like nothing has been prepared and now, I know differently and I know how much time and love Bobby has taken to entertain me. I know bits and pieces of Bobby’s life just by listening to him on the radio but now, I know more after reading his book and I know the true meaning of some of the stories that he tells his viewers. I know the inside story. His name Bobby Bones, I never knew where that came from or how his life on the radio began but now I do and I know how devoted he was to putting his voice to the mike and how he wanted to become someone. He was once a small-town boy, who had a dream, we all have dreams but this boy had motivation and determination and was willing to go the extra mile. Bobby is who he is.
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