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Bob Honey
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff
By turns tender and terrifying, Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff captures America on the verge of political upheaval in 2016 and introduces us to a man who just might be able to save us from the oncoming horror. Yes, Bob Honey - carnival carny, sewage specialist, and government operative, among other occupations - has spent years in preparation, crisscrossing the world in the employ of a mysterious government program that pays in small bills. He stopped in New Orleans to help Katrina victims; traveled to Baghdad, Beirut, South Sudan, and elsewhere on sewage emergencies; and submerged himself in the Pacific Ocean in search of sea life - all while living out of a quiet house on a residential street in Woodview, California, where he sometimes disturbs the neighbors with the sound of his lawn mower.
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff marks the debut of a dazzling literary talent. With comic bravado and an urgent agenda, Pappy Pariah has created a haunting, hilarious vision of an American middle-aged man with a mission - a loner struggling to find truth amid the chaos of a political campaign that threatens to destroy the values of the country he loves.
Bringing Pariah's revelatory prose to life is actor, director, and filmmaker Sean Penn (Mystic River, Milk, Dead Man Walking), whose knack for choosing nuanced roles and delivering emotionally rich character studies finds an apt bedfellow in Bob Honey. Penn's distinct voice - here, an expertly crafted tightrope walk between oddball jocularity and grave prophecy - perfectly captures the caustic truth telling of Pariah's message. With brazen and unabashed affection for Pariah's hero, Penn takes the story of Bob Honey to dizzying new heights.
About the Pappy Pariah was disputably born in Summerton Feathers, Iowa, in the year of our Lord 1960. He has written voluminous travelogues and articles under a pseudonym for many mainstream American press outlets. At the age of 13, his appendix exploded while he was playing flag football, and it was during treatment for extreme peritonitis that he was first driven to put pen to paper. This is his first work of fiction.
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff marks the debut of a dazzling literary talent. With comic bravado and an urgent agenda, Pappy Pariah has created a haunting, hilarious vision of an American middle-aged man with a mission - a loner struggling to find truth amid the chaos of a political campaign that threatens to destroy the values of the country he loves.
Bringing Pariah's revelatory prose to life is actor, director, and filmmaker Sean Penn (Mystic River, Milk, Dead Man Walking), whose knack for choosing nuanced roles and delivering emotionally rich character studies finds an apt bedfellow in Bob Honey. Penn's distinct voice - here, an expertly crafted tightrope walk between oddball jocularity and grave prophecy - perfectly captures the caustic truth telling of Pariah's message. With brazen and unabashed affection for Pariah's hero, Penn takes the story of Bob Honey to dizzying new heights.
About the Pappy Pariah was disputably born in Summerton Feathers, Iowa, in the year of our Lord 1960. He has written voluminous travelogues and articles under a pseudonym for many mainstream American press outlets. At the age of 13, his appendix exploded while he was playing flag football, and it was during treatment for extreme peritonitis that he was first driven to put pen to paper. This is his first work of fiction.
3 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 18, 2016
13 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Pappy Pariah
1 book10 followersPseudonym for Sean Penn
Pappy Pariah was disputably born in Summerton Feathers, Iowa, in the year of our Lord 1960. He has written voluminous travelogues and articles under a pseudonym for many mainstream American press outlets. At the age of 13, his appendix exploded while he was playing flag football, and it was during treatment for extreme peritonitis that he was first driven to put pen to paper. Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff is his first work of fiction.
Pappy Pariah was disputably born in Summerton Feathers, Iowa, in the year of our Lord 1960. He has written voluminous travelogues and articles under a pseudonym for many mainstream American press outlets. At the age of 13, his appendix exploded while he was playing flag football, and it was during treatment for extreme peritonitis that he was first driven to put pen to paper. Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff is his first work of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
December 8, 2016
There's satire and humor here and this audio book is timely. The political landscape is current and even Bob Dylan's recent award of the Nobel Prize in Literature is here.
I think I understand what this piece tried to do, however I'm not sure it succeeded. At times very funny, (Francis McDormand I'm looking at you), and other times flat out WTF confusing, (Welcome to Nightvale anyone?), I'm trying to figure out if I should listen to this again. Sometimes authors, (Pappy Pariah, are you Sean Penn?), get too witty for their own, (or my own) good.
To give Bob Honey the benefit of the doubt: it probably didn't help that I listened to this audio on election day and the day after what I consider to be a stunning outcome. Perhaps in a less charged atmosphere I would have taken away more than I what I did. Then again, perhaps not.
I decided. I'm not listening again.
It's free at Audible if you want to give it a try.
I think I understand what this piece tried to do, however I'm not sure it succeeded. At times very funny, (Francis McDormand I'm looking at you), and other times flat out WTF confusing, (Welcome to Nightvale anyone?), I'm trying to figure out if I should listen to this again. Sometimes authors, (Pappy Pariah, are you Sean Penn?), get too witty for their own, (or my own) good.
To give Bob Honey the benefit of the doubt: it probably didn't help that I listened to this audio on election day and the day after what I consider to be a stunning outcome. Perhaps in a less charged atmosphere I would have taken away more than I what I did. Then again, perhaps not.
I decided. I'm not listening again.
It's free at Audible if you want to give it a try.
October 20, 2016
Well..that was a pile of shit.
Read
August 4, 2017I'm not really quite sure what to say about this book? Free download from Audible, Sean Penn as main narrator and from what I can ascertain from other reviewers here, the chief publicist and potentially Pappy Pariah himself.
Bob Honey is deeply disturbed but I kinda liked him. I'm not sure if that was a cliff hanger there at the end or if it was the end end, I think I missed something. I'm not going to rate it as I'm not sure what the message was supposed to be. It was a short book. I may listen again soon.
Bob Honey is deeply disturbed but I kinda liked him. I'm not sure if that was a cliff hanger there at the end or if it was the end end, I think I missed something. I'm not going to rate it as I'm not sure what the message was supposed to be. It was a short book. I may listen again soon.
October 21, 2016
...uhh...
I can't even describe what this was about. Weird. Very weird.
This was another freebie from Audible.
I can't even describe what this was about. Weird. Very weird.
This was another freebie from Audible.
January 26, 2019
What the heck did I just listen to? Dear Audible, thanks for this freebie. But OMG! Very, very weird.
Dear Sean Penn, please stick to acting and/or voice-acting, which you did very well here. But please stop writing, this was a complete and utterly undecipherable mess! Political activism, et cetera, I get it. But this was painful.
Frances McDormand, I love you! Please read me your shopping list!
Recommended: to nobody!
Dear Sean Penn, please stick to acting and/or voice-acting, which you did very well here. But please stop writing, this was a complete and utterly undecipherable mess! Political activism, et cetera, I get it. But this was painful.
Frances McDormand, I love you! Please read me your shopping list!
Recommended: to nobody!
October 20, 2016
Sean Penn, you should stick to acting.
This book read like the political rambling of a 10th grader who thinks they have the makings of the next great American novel. Over use of alliteration, assonance, and platitudes? Check. Overly preachy with an "edgy" storyline that borders on the absurd? Check.
This book read like the political rambling of a 10th grader who thinks they have the makings of the next great American novel. Over use of alliteration, assonance, and platitudes? Check. Overly preachy with an "edgy" storyline that borders on the absurd? Check.
October 20, 2016
Cringeworthy. Almost as much as the story Sean Penn cooked up to introduce this Pappy Pariah character that feels so much like Penn's pen name. Certainly not my cup of tea. I'm left feeling that this free book was too expensive.
October 23, 2016
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."
"One day I will find the right words. And they will be simple."
"It's always the old that lead us to the war. It's always the young that fall. ..."
"Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast."
The audible production is 2.5 hours long. Part prose, part rhyme.
I listened to the first hour, wondering what was going on.
I decided to start again. Glad I did.
Then I listened to it again.
There's a message there, if you can find it ... sorta like listening to Bob Dylan.
(AND, the narrators; Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Ari Fliakos, and Leila George ... TOO GOOD!) Oh, and did I mention? ... IT WAS FREE!
"One day I will find the right words. And they will be simple."
"It's always the old that lead us to the war. It's always the young that fall. ..."
"Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast."
The audible production is 2.5 hours long. Part prose, part rhyme.
I listened to the first hour, wondering what was going on.
I decided to start again. Glad I did.
Then I listened to it again.
There's a message there, if you can find it ... sorta like listening to Bob Dylan.
(AND, the narrators; Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Ari Fliakos, and Leila George ... TOO GOOD!) Oh, and did I mention? ... IT WAS FREE!
October 22, 2016
This was a fun and delightful listen! I had to make my commute into "the city" today and at 2 hours and some change it was just long enough to cover most of the drive.
At first I was in love with Bob Honey, the lovable weirdo. By the end I definitely didn't love him any more, but I liked living in his head for a few hours.
This book is just right. Not too long, not too short. It's perfect for commuter blues. Anything that passes the time better is great. Sean Penn was a remarkable narrator, and I found myself letting out a literal "lol" at the description/ narration of an explosion.
As for the naysayers, it's a free book, and far from the worst freebie from Audible. However, I do not think this book is for everyone. If you are a fan the Genitalia Grabbing orange dude then this book is absolutely not your cup of tea. If you enjoy high brow important literature, fancy yourself a romance fan, or enjoy lovable, endearing literary souls, then also not for you.
For us folks with warped senses of humors and long drives, it's a solid 5-star listen. Sean Penn, you were the best part of my day today.
At first I was in love with Bob Honey, the lovable weirdo. By the end I definitely didn't love him any more, but I liked living in his head for a few hours.
This book is just right. Not too long, not too short. It's perfect for commuter blues. Anything that passes the time better is great. Sean Penn was a remarkable narrator, and I found myself letting out a literal "lol" at the description/ narration of an explosion.
As for the naysayers, it's a free book, and far from the worst freebie from Audible. However, I do not think this book is for everyone. If you are a fan the Genitalia Grabbing orange dude then this book is absolutely not your cup of tea. If you enjoy high brow important literature, fancy yourself a romance fan, or enjoy lovable, endearing literary souls, then also not for you.
For us folks with warped senses of humors and long drives, it's a solid 5-star listen. Sean Penn, you were the best part of my day today.
October 18, 2016
This is a free audiobook by Sean Penn (Pappy Pariah--pshh, whatever, it's Sean Penn) published by Audible. He talked it up on The Late Show, and highlighted that it was free, so I pre-ordered it.
Meh, I mean, it's a free audiobook.
Sometimes funny, but more weird than funny most of the time. I mean the main character is a guy who goes around murdering the elderly with a mallet. But we're still supposed to sympathize with him... ? Actually, I don't know about that; maybe we're supposed to loathe him. Can't really tell. His "voice" was annoying, though; it reminded me of the King of the Hill.
I don't even disagree with Penn's politics. The book spends a few minutes trashing on the 2016 election and most specifically T***p, and I'm fine with that. But the smattering of political/social commentary doesn't really add up to anything.
At least it was short (two and half hours). And free (thus, the "because it was free" shelf).
Meh, I mean, it's a free audiobook.
Sometimes funny, but more weird than funny most of the time. I mean the main character is a guy who goes around murdering the elderly with a mallet. But we're still supposed to sympathize with him... ? Actually, I don't know about that; maybe we're supposed to loathe him. Can't really tell. His "voice" was annoying, though; it reminded me of the King of the Hill.
I don't even disagree with Penn's politics. The book spends a few minutes trashing on the 2016 election and most specifically T***p, and I'm fine with that. But the smattering of political/social commentary doesn't really add up to anything.
At least it was short (two and half hours). And free (thus, the "because it was free" shelf).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2017
If you think MSNBC is the cat's meow, you might really enjoy this audio book. If you think only Fox News tells the truth, this book might enrage you. If instead you think mindless allegiance to a political party is silly, then you might be as bored as I was.
I got this audio book free from Audible. I wish they hadn't been so "generous." I didn't finish, but still wasted almost two hours of my life. Thank you Frances McDormand for providing a little levity to a bad book.
I got this audio book free from Audible. I wish they hadn't been so "generous." I didn't finish, but still wasted almost two hours of my life. Thank you Frances McDormand for providing a little levity to a bad book.
October 20, 2016
My opinion: no wonder it was offered for free.
The story is strange and meandering and one keeps guessing what the protagonist really does for a living. Information gets revealed but none of it is satisfying.
Why is the title bad grammatically?
I have no idea.
Sean Penn's performance is excellent. I hope he narrates a good book in the future.
The story is strange and meandering and one keeps guessing what the protagonist really does for a living. Information gets revealed but none of it is satisfying.
Why is the title bad grammatically?
I have no idea.
Sean Penn's performance is excellent. I hope he narrates a good book in the future.
October 20, 2016
Loved this, complete with its sociopathic fever dreams and beatnik poetic sensibilities. i dont know(or care) who Pappy Pariah is, he's brilliant. Awesome narration and just so strange that I'll buy it in print when it becomes available.
October 19, 2016
A blurb compares this to Vonnegut, but there's also plenty of Palahniuk in there. This book was trying some interesting things. By engaging with the audiobook medium directly rather than just being a recorded book, it brings us back around to recorded radio dramas, but with some new conventions blended in. Like Palahniuk, "Pappy Pariah" creates flawed characters about whom we feel ambivalent, but Bob Honey in its cultural criticism never seemed to rise above the level of taking pot shots, and I never felt emotionally engaged in the way I do with the best Palahniuk novels. So I'd call this a nice first attempt from a budding writer who wants to write experimental satirical fiction.
October 24, 2016
To say a novel is timely is one thing, but this novel feels like it's being written right as you're reading it (assuming you read or listen to it in October 2016). It's quite a trip and Sean Penn's performance in the audiobook is fantastic.
The prose wastes little time moving this short book along, and yet doesn't feel rushed. Instead it feels more like a movie about one man's experience of the 2016 presidential election based on a screenplay by a protégée of Hunter S. Thompson's (who I'm pretty sure is Sean Penn himself).
PS: There's a reference to "Zimmerman's nobel-winning poetry" in the book. How's that for recent...
The prose wastes little time moving this short book along, and yet doesn't feel rushed. Instead it feels more like a movie about one man's experience of the 2016 presidential election based on a screenplay by a protégée of Hunter S. Thompson's (who I'm pretty sure is Sean Penn himself).
PS: There's a reference to "Zimmerman's nobel-winning poetry" in the book. How's that for recent...
October 20, 2016
If you are fan of the writing style of Hunter S. Thompson, Chuck Palahniuk etc. I think you'll get a kick out of this book. Whoever the mysterious author Pappy Pariah is (I hope it is Sean Penn) is no slouch in terms of their writing skills, the writing is tight, punchy, evocative and at sometimes beautiful. It is a book of the moment, but seems to me that it could stand the test of time (as long as you know your late 20th / 21st century). The audio-production is superb, and if you can get hold of this I would highly recommend it.
October 22, 2016
This piece of garbage is not even worth it's price (which is free by the way)
June 3, 2017
I... am just so confused. What exactly happened in this audiobook? This was weird and occasionally funny, but not really worth the purchase, which is saying something considering that it was free.
April 13, 2018
The reviews calling this Utter Garbage were wholly too kind...
November 20, 2022
Satirical books are hard for me to enjoy. I never seem to get the point of the story because I can't determine which part is supposed to be funny. It's hard for me to make light of or lampoon serious issues. I guess I don't have much of a sense of humor about these things. Maybe that's why I don't find Bill Maher very funny. After listening to the audiobook twice, I can't say I disliked the story but I'm still trying to figure it out. Maybe that's a good thing
October 20, 2016
I know this is supposed to be satire, but I just did not get what it was about. I mostly just found it very strange. From the horrible rating it has I gather I'm not alone in this.
November 28, 2016
The subject matter of this story is not my cup of tea. However, I loved Sean Penn's narration which kept me listening till the end.
October 28, 2016
Okay it was free....
Sean Penn has been on all the late night talk shows promoting this book, written by an old acquaintance from his youth (believe it or not) but Sean Penn does narrate the audio book and seems to believe very much in the books message for the American people just weeks before this election.
If you can read that really long sentence, than you might be able to tackle Bob Honey.
I get what "Pappy" is trying to say, but I believe the book was written in either drug induced haze along with Gary Johnson, or at a lot of bars on napkins while watching the news with Clinton staffers.
I did enjoy the book. I had many, WTF moments LOL moments and some "did her really just say that moments.
Maybe if I was in the same condition reading this book as I believe Pappy was writing it, I would totally get it.
I am pretty sure Jeff Spicoli understood the whole thing.
Sean Penn has been on all the late night talk shows promoting this book, written by an old acquaintance from his youth (believe it or not) but Sean Penn does narrate the audio book and seems to believe very much in the books message for the American people just weeks before this election.
If you can read that really long sentence, than you might be able to tackle Bob Honey.
I get what "Pappy" is trying to say, but I believe the book was written in either drug induced haze along with Gary Johnson, or at a lot of bars on napkins while watching the news with Clinton staffers.
I did enjoy the book. I had many, WTF moments LOL moments and some "did her really just say that moments.
Maybe if I was in the same condition reading this book as I believe Pappy was writing it, I would totally get it.
I am pretty sure Jeff Spicoli understood the whole thing.
October 20, 2016
4 stars - This book has a complete description on Goodreads and in Audible. Nevertheless, this book simply defies description. I can only say that if you have listened to the Welcome to Nightvale podcast, or read or listened to the book, then this book is kind of the same but different. In spite of my inability to give the story a cogent description, i found the audible book enjoyable. Sean Penn is a great narrator and the story is short and will hold your interest, if for no other reason than from trying to figure out what is going on. I recommend this, but not if you need an easily followable plot.
October 23, 2016
This was a free, short audiobook. I expected it to be weird and it was interesting at times, but I felt like the point was slipping away from me. It always seemed like it was on the verge of making sense, but then, no, Bob Honey just does something else and makes heavily veiled political commentary.
Maybe it makes more sense to read it? Maybe I should try it again?
Maybe it makes more sense to read it? Maybe I should try it again?
March 16, 2017
There were parts of this that I found really engaging and interesting, but also large swathes of it where I kinda zoned out and found it hard to pay attention (I was listening to the audiobook).
Despite the interesting and interestingly written parts, I would have a hard time recommending this to someone. It wasn't awful, but it just didn't grab me.
Despite the interesting and interestingly written parts, I would have a hard time recommending this to someone. It wasn't awful, but it just didn't grab me.
October 21, 2016
It started out interesting enough, but it devolved into this bizarre meandering tale of a guy that I had no connection with, good or bad. When I was at least content with it started getting overtly political and the 'message' (?) came more into view. At least it was cheap.
October 25, 2016
I loved this audiobook. The mixture of strange with information made it highly entertaining. I enjoyed the use of rhyme.
Bob presents as odd and slow, but is highly organised and skilled. The narration added to the entertainment value. I recommend this book if you want something different.
Bob presents as odd and slow, but is highly organised and skilled. The narration added to the entertainment value. I recommend this book if you want something different.
October 25, 2016
This is 2 1/2 hours I'm never getting back. It was described as hilarious. It wasn't really funny at all. I do not see the entertainment value. It was free and I feel like I paid too much (because of lost time).
October 25, 2016
Sometimes you get a great free book on Audible as The Dispatcher, which I've just reviewed and gave 5 stars, some other times you get...this. Whatever it was. I'm not sure. Bizarre, convoluted, meaningless are some words that come to mind.
In any case, Sean Penn is a great narrator.
In any case, Sean Penn is a great narrator.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews