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Stay Interesting: I Don't Always Tell Stories about My Life, But When I Do They're True and Amazing
What makes a life truly interesting? Is it the people you meet? The risks you take? The adventures you remember?
Jonathan Goldsmith has many answers to that question. For years he was a struggling actor in New York and Los Angeles, with experiences that included competing for roles with Dustin Hoffman, getting shot by John Wayne, drinking with Tennessee Williams, and sailing the high seas with Fernando Lamas, never mind romancing many lovely ladies along the way.
However, it wasn't all fun and games for Jonathan. Frustrated with his career, he left Hollywood for other adventures in business and life. But then, a fascinating opportunity came his way--a chance to star in a new campaign for Dos Equis beer. A role he was sure he wasn't right for, but he gave it a shot all the same. Which led to the role that would bring him the success that had so long eluded him--that of "The Most Interesting Man in the World."
A memoir told through a series of adventures and the lessons he's learned and wants to pass on, Stay Interesting is a truly daring and bold tale, and a manifesto about taking chances, not giving up, making courageous choices, and living a truly adventurous, and always interesting life.
Jonathan Goldsmith has many answers to that question. For years he was a struggling actor in New York and Los Angeles, with experiences that included competing for roles with Dustin Hoffman, getting shot by John Wayne, drinking with Tennessee Williams, and sailing the high seas with Fernando Lamas, never mind romancing many lovely ladies along the way.
However, it wasn't all fun and games for Jonathan. Frustrated with his career, he left Hollywood for other adventures in business and life. But then, a fascinating opportunity came his way--a chance to star in a new campaign for Dos Equis beer. A role he was sure he wasn't right for, but he gave it a shot all the same. Which led to the role that would bring him the success that had so long eluded him--that of "The Most Interesting Man in the World."
A memoir told through a series of adventures and the lessons he's learned and wants to pass on, Stay Interesting is a truly daring and bold tale, and a manifesto about taking chances, not giving up, making courageous choices, and living a truly adventurous, and always interesting life.
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First published June 13, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 13, 2018
Who?
Jonathan Goldsmith?
You’ve never heard of him?
Then why would you want to read his memoir?
I hadn’t heard of him, either. But I bought his book because I recognized the man on the cover, sitting on a posh couch, a drink in one hand, a cigar in the other . . . the spokesman for Dos Equis beer.
It was actor Jonathan Goldsmith’s last gig. It rescued him from bankruptcy and made him a wealthy man one more time.
I bought the book for a second reason. The price was right. A dollar at the Dollar Tree store. Any book that’s remaindered in less than six months after it hits the bookstores didn’t sell many copies.
Memoirs, because the writer is trying to cover all of his or her life, tend to contain a fair amount of dark, introspective, boring stuff.
Not here. As Goldsmith quotes himself on the cover, “I don’t always tell stories about my life, but when I do they’re true and amazing.”
Like the time he and a friend decided to climb Mount Whitney. They got trapped on the mountain by a snowstorm, and, while trying to get off the mountain, saved the life of a third climber not only trapped but lost in the same storm. Pages 149-159, you have to read this chapter.
And then there’s the chapter titled “Three’s Company, a Freeway’s a Crowd” in which Goldsmith locks himself out a friend’s house. He doesn’t have a stitch on. Now that’s a story in itself. When Goldsmith can’t get back in, he decides to drive home—fast.
Nude.
In his convertible.
And he runs out of gas on the 101, the Hollywood Freeway.
A wild and hilarious chapter.
True to the title Goldsmith gave his memoir, Stay Interesting.
Jonathan Goldsmith?
You’ve never heard of him?
Then why would you want to read his memoir?
I hadn’t heard of him, either. But I bought his book because I recognized the man on the cover, sitting on a posh couch, a drink in one hand, a cigar in the other . . . the spokesman for Dos Equis beer.
It was actor Jonathan Goldsmith’s last gig. It rescued him from bankruptcy and made him a wealthy man one more time.
I bought the book for a second reason. The price was right. A dollar at the Dollar Tree store. Any book that’s remaindered in less than six months after it hits the bookstores didn’t sell many copies.
Memoirs, because the writer is trying to cover all of his or her life, tend to contain a fair amount of dark, introspective, boring stuff.
Not here. As Goldsmith quotes himself on the cover, “I don’t always tell stories about my life, but when I do they’re true and amazing.”
Like the time he and a friend decided to climb Mount Whitney. They got trapped on the mountain by a snowstorm, and, while trying to get off the mountain, saved the life of a third climber not only trapped but lost in the same storm. Pages 149-159, you have to read this chapter.
And then there’s the chapter titled “Three’s Company, a Freeway’s a Crowd” in which Goldsmith locks himself out a friend’s house. He doesn’t have a stitch on. Now that’s a story in itself. When Goldsmith can’t get back in, he decides to drive home—fast.
Nude.
In his convertible.
And he runs out of gas on the 101, the Hollywood Freeway.
A wild and hilarious chapter.
True to the title Goldsmith gave his memoir, Stay Interesting.
July 8, 2017
When you run across a story such as this, you wonder which of the three possibilities are the reality: A) Being cast as the world's most interesting man in the Dos Equis commercials became a self-fulfilling prophecy, or B) The man who played the world's most interesting man really did lead an interesting life—maybe not one of such mythic proportion—but very interesting none the less or C) The man in real life is nothing like the one he portrays.
The answer in this particular case is not A for the simple reason that this autobiography ends with him being selected to play the role in the Dos Equis commercials, so we don't know what impact the success of the ads had on his life other than the fact that he was invited to the White House and Camp David and that a lot of young film stars expressed their admiration of Jonathan and the ads and we can assume that he became very wealthy.
Although answers A, B and C aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, you can assume that the answer is B in that his life must have been interesting enough that a publisher thought the story could sell books. So, although Jonathan Goldsmith is Jewish and not Latin, the story demonstrates one simple fact and that is that his whole life, in essence, led him to this role, not the least of which was the fact that he was good friends with Fernando Lamas and would often try to imitate his accent.
You realize his whole life prepared him for the role of the world's most interesting man.
The answer in this particular case is not A for the simple reason that this autobiography ends with him being selected to play the role in the Dos Equis commercials, so we don't know what impact the success of the ads had on his life other than the fact that he was invited to the White House and Camp David and that a lot of young film stars expressed their admiration of Jonathan and the ads and we can assume that he became very wealthy.
Although answers A, B and C aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, you can assume that the answer is B in that his life must have been interesting enough that a publisher thought the story could sell books. So, although Jonathan Goldsmith is Jewish and not Latin, the story demonstrates one simple fact and that is that his whole life, in essence, led him to this role, not the least of which was the fact that he was good friends with Fernando Lamas and would often try to imitate his accent.
You realize his whole life prepared him for the role of the world's most interesting man.
February 10, 2018
I don't always list to audiobooks, but when I do, I want them to be interesting....
Goldsmith delivers this (and narrates it himself) with a frank telling of his sexual exploits rising to the gigolo level -- garbage man and gigolo -- a real rags to something tale. His long list of credited and non-credited roles (often as a killed druggie or other ne'er-do-well) is punctuated with name-dropping run-ins with Judy Garland, Burt Lancaster, sexual dynamo Tina Louise, and more. There's also seafaring adventures, debunking psychic surgery the Philippines, fly fishing, mountain hiking, and more.
Goldsmith delivers this (and narrates it himself) with a frank telling of his sexual exploits rising to the gigolo level -- garbage man and gigolo -- a real rags to something tale. His long list of credited and non-credited roles (often as a killed druggie or other ne'er-do-well) is punctuated with name-dropping run-ins with Judy Garland, Burt Lancaster, sexual dynamo Tina Louise, and more. There's also seafaring adventures, debunking psychic surgery the Philippines, fly fishing, mountain hiking, and more.
October 13, 2018
Who is Jonathan Goldsmith?
Juvenile delinquent, son, bohemian, fisherman, archer, sometimes-lover of most of the women in Hollywood, entrepreneur, adventurer, mountain climber, rescuer of dogs, gigolo, john, cowboy, a dead bad guy in something you've seen at some point, hobo hopping trains, homeless man living out of a car, vagabond, wanderer, naked man on a freeway, rescued by lifeguards while having sex, friend and archery competitor of Barack Obama, and more.
He is, the most interesting man in the world.
This was a really good and funny book. I would highly recommend if you're a fan of Kerouac, misguided adventures, and generally all round interesting characters.
Juvenile delinquent, son, bohemian, fisherman, archer, sometimes-lover of most of the women in Hollywood, entrepreneur, adventurer, mountain climber, rescuer of dogs, gigolo, john, cowboy, a dead bad guy in something you've seen at some point, hobo hopping trains, homeless man living out of a car, vagabond, wanderer, naked man on a freeway, rescued by lifeguards while having sex, friend and archery competitor of Barack Obama, and more.
He is, the most interesting man in the world.
This was a really good and funny book. I would highly recommend if you're a fan of Kerouac, misguided adventures, and generally all round interesting characters.
February 18, 2022
For a book with the word "interesting" in the title, this was a little boring. There were moments of interest, and that's what kept me listening, but overall, I wish I'd put it down. For an anecdotes from an actor memoir, read Christopher Plummer's In Spite of Myself instead.
February 18, 2025
Although there were some interesting parts here and there, the irony remains that this book didn’t “stay interesting” but rather was mostly boring.
August 16, 2017
belongs in every frat house. short, breezy chapters with exploits in every one.
February 10, 2019
LOL, this isn't the type of book I would normally read, but on the other hand, this book contained everything that I look for in a book. I happened to be in my favorite bookstore, Ollies, browsing through books to see if I could find something interesting. There it was, right in the title, "Stay Interesting." I had seen the character before, in a beer commercial of a beer that I have never drank. But the commercials were catchy and I would always pause when one came on. So it was an easy choice to read the book, especially after reading the front and back covers.
Stay Interesting is the story of John Goldsmith, or should I say this book is comprised of all the stories of John's life. It caught my attention because as I currently write my own book, his is fashioned exactly how I intend to tell my story. I loved that two page chapters. That gives the reader the sense that he is moving quickly through the book. More importantly, each short story about a time in Jonathan's life is short, sweet and to the point. Why else would someone read about someone they don't know? It worked.
I can tell you that you will enjoy the ride if you pick this book up. It's not profound, it's not going to change your life, but you more than likely will enjoy it. Of the few things I take away from reading this book, I'll share with you what he shares with his readers: Luxury doesn't have to do with material wealth or possessions, it doesn't have to do with the size of your house or the car you drive. According to this book, luxury is a life well lived. Now, I added a little of my own context to that, but that's essentially what he is saying. In the book it just says luxury is a life well lived. But the entire book makes the point.
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a waste of my time.
Stay Interesting is the story of John Goldsmith, or should I say this book is comprised of all the stories of John's life. It caught my attention because as I currently write my own book, his is fashioned exactly how I intend to tell my story. I loved that two page chapters. That gives the reader the sense that he is moving quickly through the book. More importantly, each short story about a time in Jonathan's life is short, sweet and to the point. Why else would someone read about someone they don't know? It worked.
I can tell you that you will enjoy the ride if you pick this book up. It's not profound, it's not going to change your life, but you more than likely will enjoy it. Of the few things I take away from reading this book, I'll share with you what he shares with his readers: Luxury doesn't have to do with material wealth or possessions, it doesn't have to do with the size of your house or the car you drive. According to this book, luxury is a life well lived. Now, I added a little of my own context to that, but that's essentially what he is saying. In the book it just says luxury is a life well lived. But the entire book makes the point.
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a waste of my time.
August 18, 2017
Definitely interesting. Audio book is read by Jonathan Goldsmith himself, which is incredible. His emotions come through so well, I heard him tearing up at his last meeting with his dad, and the genuine fondness. I'm not sure I'd want to meet him, but I am glad he was willing to share his incredible experiences."
September 6, 2017
Too bad the book wasn't all that interesting. Perhaps the author is better in person, telling about his life. As it is, this was a big snooze.
October 29, 2017
I didn’t get to discuss this book at book club (too busy with 10th anniversary party). I enjoyed this bio, not sure I believe it all, but not sure that really matters.
October 21, 2018
Enjoyable but get the library edition if possible
March 31, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: STAY THIRSTY MY FRIEND… A RACONTEUR’S RACONTEUR… SPRINKLED WITH SOME BS
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The “FORMER” (what a weak joke replacement for the greatest!) Dos Equis commercial beer spokesman… will forever live in me and my best buddies’ hearts for all eternity. He was made… for the role… though it took decades upon decades… for … Jonathan Goldsmith to get the role of a lifetime. And the fact that role portrays a Latin bon vivant… and Jonathan is a Jewish guy from the Bronx… adds even a larger “twinkle” in his character’s (and his fans) eyes… for as long as there are guys like me… who every weekend… when popping open our first ICE-COLD-BREWSKI… yell out to all who will listen… **STAY-THIRSTY-MY-FRIEND!!**.
Jonathan has lived an amazing life… if all his stories shared are one-hundred-per-cent true… or even if… seventy-two-per-cent are one-hundred-per-cent accurate. Potential readers should be aware there really is very little in this entertaining book about the Dos Equis experience… but what this iconic… mesmerizing… character… portrayal… has done… is give him a stage… with no introduction needed… to wax poetic… about his womanizing… drinking… adventures… over land… over sea… and around the globe. The author is an excellent story teller… and his ardent followers (like me)… will be able to see… and exhilarate… as his voice comes through with a wink-of-an-eye to all of us in every story.
Along with THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD’S constant female conquests… (it seems like he would have been the man to call in off the bench when Wilt Chamberlain left the earth)… there is another major theme… throughout the book. The absolute love affair… between an adoring son… Jonathan… and his Father. The admiration… appreciation… and outright love… from youth to a full life lived… is utterly touching… and almost counter balances… the seemingly Hugh Hefner-like dalliance’s. A Father who wasn’t rich or famous… except perhaps within some amateur sports circles as a coach… taught his son to love the outdoors… with his greatest love being fly fishing. Jonathan’s relationship with his Mother… was sad… and disappointing. It included abandonment… and then a second marriage to a rich man… did not make things any better. The constant… in Goldsmith’s life… was the love for his Father. In the midst of all the sexual conquest bluster… comments from Jonathan… are heartwarming… and are like a sea change throughout the book… such as when his Dad died he says… “HE LIVED TO FISH. IT’S A PRETTY GREAT THING TO LIVE FOR. I ALSO BELIEVE HE LIVED TO LOVE. I KNOW HE LOVED ME, AND HE KNEW I LOVED HIM… I THINK THAT’S A PRETTY GREAT THING TO LIVE FOR TOO.”
Names are dropped ranging from John Wayne… to Warren Beatty… Dustin Hoffman… Tina Louise (Hi Gilligan!)… to Joan Fontaine… and more… all before his big break. After his big break everyone from Michael Jordan to Jennifer Lawrence want their picture taken WITH HIM! (Did I mention Barack Obama?) Through it all… you feel a “tongue-in-cheek” presence that is almost Walter Mitty like. One thing I found very strange throughout… is that the author never mentions dates… I mean not even the year on any achievement… rendezvous… situation… anything? (I may have forgotten one or two… but it seems strange)
Well… it’s almost Friday… and I’ve got to get ready to send a text to my buddy in Wisconsin… stating… ***STAY-THIRSTY-MY-FRIEND*** … so he’ll know the drinking light has been lit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The “FORMER” (what a weak joke replacement for the greatest!) Dos Equis commercial beer spokesman… will forever live in me and my best buddies’ hearts for all eternity. He was made… for the role… though it took decades upon decades… for … Jonathan Goldsmith to get the role of a lifetime. And the fact that role portrays a Latin bon vivant… and Jonathan is a Jewish guy from the Bronx… adds even a larger “twinkle” in his character’s (and his fans) eyes… for as long as there are guys like me… who every weekend… when popping open our first ICE-COLD-BREWSKI… yell out to all who will listen… **STAY-THIRSTY-MY-FRIEND!!**.
Jonathan has lived an amazing life… if all his stories shared are one-hundred-per-cent true… or even if… seventy-two-per-cent are one-hundred-per-cent accurate. Potential readers should be aware there really is very little in this entertaining book about the Dos Equis experience… but what this iconic… mesmerizing… character… portrayal… has done… is give him a stage… with no introduction needed… to wax poetic… about his womanizing… drinking… adventures… over land… over sea… and around the globe. The author is an excellent story teller… and his ardent followers (like me)… will be able to see… and exhilarate… as his voice comes through with a wink-of-an-eye to all of us in every story.
Along with THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD’S constant female conquests… (it seems like he would have been the man to call in off the bench when Wilt Chamberlain left the earth)… there is another major theme… throughout the book. The absolute love affair… between an adoring son… Jonathan… and his Father. The admiration… appreciation… and outright love… from youth to a full life lived… is utterly touching… and almost counter balances… the seemingly Hugh Hefner-like dalliance’s. A Father who wasn’t rich or famous… except perhaps within some amateur sports circles as a coach… taught his son to love the outdoors… with his greatest love being fly fishing. Jonathan’s relationship with his Mother… was sad… and disappointing. It included abandonment… and then a second marriage to a rich man… did not make things any better. The constant… in Goldsmith’s life… was the love for his Father. In the midst of all the sexual conquest bluster… comments from Jonathan… are heartwarming… and are like a sea change throughout the book… such as when his Dad died he says… “HE LIVED TO FISH. IT’S A PRETTY GREAT THING TO LIVE FOR. I ALSO BELIEVE HE LIVED TO LOVE. I KNOW HE LOVED ME, AND HE KNEW I LOVED HIM… I THINK THAT’S A PRETTY GREAT THING TO LIVE FOR TOO.”
Names are dropped ranging from John Wayne… to Warren Beatty… Dustin Hoffman… Tina Louise (Hi Gilligan!)… to Joan Fontaine… and more… all before his big break. After his big break everyone from Michael Jordan to Jennifer Lawrence want their picture taken WITH HIM! (Did I mention Barack Obama?) Through it all… you feel a “tongue-in-cheek” presence that is almost Walter Mitty like. One thing I found very strange throughout… is that the author never mentions dates… I mean not even the year on any achievement… rendezvous… situation… anything? (I may have forgotten one or two… but it seems strange)
Well… it’s almost Friday… and I’ve got to get ready to send a text to my buddy in Wisconsin… stating… ***STAY-THIRSTY-MY-FRIEND*** … so he’ll know the drinking light has been lit.
December 24, 2018
I was looking for something completely different to enjoy as an audio book and this fit the bill. This is the memoir of the actor who became "The World's Most Interesting Man" in the Dos Equis commercials. I had no idea what to expect. I was greatly surprised and entertained to hear a touching tale, stretching from Goldsmith's troubled childhood, through his trials and tribulations as an actor to his life as a not-quite-star in Hollywood. The author is a natural storyteller, and he tells his stories in his own voice on the audiobook. This makes it even more interesting, as there is power in his voice when he talks about his father, the women he loved and the adventures he has had. Some of the tales are hilarious and I burst out laughing in my car. Highly recommended for folks who like Hollywood, or just a good life, well lived.
July 3, 2019
Engaging and well written autobiography of "The Most Interesting Man in the World". That role was literally written with Jonathan Goldsmith in mind; the ad execs just hadn't met him yet (and didn't know they absolutely must have a Jewish kid from NYC to play their Hispanic hero - a role he repeatedly thought himself completely wrong for). His stories are interesting, adventurous, at times embarrassing but always engaging. He claims friends of his have been great storytellers, but I'd posit that he is also a great storyteller. Looking forward to his next book, sounds as if there is much more to tell.
Stay interesting my friends.
Stay interesting my friends.
December 28, 2022
In some ways this reminds me of the Kenneth Anger book about Hollywood; not because it covers the same ground but rather because of the small stories and connections made. This is a story of an actor who was working - ish, and eventually caught a lucky break.
He sets up his audition at the end by telling you about his life and how his life informed the improv of the day. It is a convincing setup. You really end up liking the guy even though, by his own admission, he was probably somewhat of a heel on occasion.
Regardless, it was a quick read. It entertained.
He sets up his audition at the end by telling you about his life and how his life informed the improv of the day. It is a convincing setup. You really end up liking the guy even though, by his own admission, he was probably somewhat of a heel on occasion.
Regardless, it was a quick read. It entertained.
August 10, 2023
Nice collection of stories from the guy who was the Most Interesting part of a clever campaign for a not-so-good beer. He may not always drink beer, but when he does, he makes Chuck Norris serve it to him in a tutu.
“When I was a boy, my uncle Herbie, my dad’s brother, once told me, “Your father is the most successful man I know.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he has no ambition at all.” [Goldsmith has lots of good things to say about his father.]
“Introductions to people who can help you are critical, but knowing how to handle them properly can change your life.”
“When I was a boy, my uncle Herbie, my dad’s brother, once told me, “Your father is the most successful man I know.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he has no ambition at all.” [Goldsmith has lots of good things to say about his father.]
“Introductions to people who can help you are critical, but knowing how to handle them properly can change your life.”
May 15, 2018
Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World had lived an interesting life. However, this is a very adult boot with lots of sex and nudity. Along the way he met many famous people. The book jumped around, and never really got to know his true private life. This is more of the locker room talk - stuff you brag about to your buddies. Overall, felt more like a great story the Most Interesting Man in the World would tell.
June 17, 2017
A look into the life of "The Most Interesting Man in the World". I really enjoyed this as an audiobook and hearing Mr. Goldsmith read his own story. Reliving moments of his life from childhood to today. The joys, hardships, falling off a horse (literally) and getting back up...it's all there for us to enjoy.
August 23, 2021
An excellent read, detailing a life few can honestly include in their memoirs. I hope there is more coming, but would not begrudge Mr. Goldsmith a smooth, quietly relaxing ride into the sunset with the wind in his sails and a smile on his face.
August 15, 2017
Since he is not a well known actor I was hoping for more about the Dos Equis story. But that was ch.1 and the final chapter. very short. Disappointing.
September 9, 2017
Loved it. What a treat to go on a journey I'd be too afraid to go on myself, but inspiring me to get outside my comfort zone at least a bit more. Bawdy scandalous and sweet. Great summer read
September 19, 2017
Quick read and pretty good. Some of the highlights from this guy's life. Sometimes the best stories are the experiences of one's life.
April 3, 2018
Great book, would definitely recommend. His experiences are enlightening and shows that success can be obtained at various stages in life and at any age.
May 2, 2018
Not so interesting to me.
December 11, 2018
Some interesting stories and a look back so many experiences. You really get a sense of the scope of life and adventures.
January 15, 2019
This book was fun and interesting to read. It was engaging and even in it's own way inspiring to go out and do things; to have experiences.
February 10, 2019
Such a fun read... This guy really is the most interesting man in the world!
January 1, 2023
3.5 rounded up
A few quibbles, but rounded up because it was actually interesting for the most part. Coulda done without the kissing-&-telling …. that chapter felt kinda cheap.
A few quibbles, but rounded up because it was actually interesting for the most part. Coulda done without the kissing-&-telling …. that chapter felt kinda cheap.
September 15, 2023
A funny, interesting quick read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews