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OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea
'Funny, smart, soulful and sometimes devastating, this book shows life in all its shades. It made me laugh and cry.' Emilie Pine, author of Notes to Self
'Hilariously, painfully, Freynefully brilliant' Joseph O'Connor
Patrick Freyne has tried a lot of stupid ideas in his life. Now, in his scintillating debut, he is here to tell you about them: like the time (aged 5) he opened a gate and let a horse out of its field, just to see what would happen; or the time (aged 19) he jumped out of a plane for charity, even though he didn't much care about the charity and was sure he'd end up dead; or the time (aged old enough to know better) he used a magazine as a funnel for fuel when the petrol cap on his band's van broke.
He has also learned a few things: about the power of group song; about the beauty of physically caring for another human being; about childlessness; about losing friends far too young. Life as seen through the eyes of Patrick Freyne is stranger, funnier and a lot more interesting than life as we generally know it. Like David Sedaris or Nora Ephron, he creates an environment all his own - fundamentally comic, sometimes moving, always deeply humane. OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea is a joyous reading experience from an instantly essential new writer.
'Patrick Freyne is a comic genius' Marian Keyes
'Clever, lovely and great, great fun' Roddy Doyle
'Patrick Freyne has a distinct and enviable gift for story-telling, guiding the reader into the tardis of his brilliant brain; from music and families to society and loss. Full of humour and tenderness, this book is an absolute JOY' Sinéad Gleeson, author of Constellations
'Patrick Freyne is a writer of rare humour, depth, and humanity. These essays are a delight' Mark O'Connell, author of To Be a Machine
'Hilariously, painfully, Freynefully brilliant' Joseph O'Connor
Patrick Freyne has tried a lot of stupid ideas in his life. Now, in his scintillating debut, he is here to tell you about them: like the time (aged 5) he opened a gate and let a horse out of its field, just to see what would happen; or the time (aged 19) he jumped out of a plane for charity, even though he didn't much care about the charity and was sure he'd end up dead; or the time (aged old enough to know better) he used a magazine as a funnel for fuel when the petrol cap on his band's van broke.
He has also learned a few things: about the power of group song; about the beauty of physically caring for another human being; about childlessness; about losing friends far too young. Life as seen through the eyes of Patrick Freyne is stranger, funnier and a lot more interesting than life as we generally know it. Like David Sedaris or Nora Ephron, he creates an environment all his own - fundamentally comic, sometimes moving, always deeply humane. OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea is a joyous reading experience from an instantly essential new writer.
'Patrick Freyne is a comic genius' Marian Keyes
'Clever, lovely and great, great fun' Roddy Doyle
'Patrick Freyne has a distinct and enviable gift for story-telling, guiding the reader into the tardis of his brilliant brain; from music and families to society and loss. Full of humour and tenderness, this book is an absolute JOY' Sinéad Gleeson, author of Constellations
'Patrick Freyne is a writer of rare humour, depth, and humanity. These essays are a delight' Mark O'Connell, author of To Be a Machine
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 17, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 19, 2020
Patrick Freyne is a features journalist for the Irish Times. He has always struck me as a kind and compassionate writer, so it's no surprise to see evidence of these attributes in this memoir-style collection.
There are two types of essay in the book. The first contain Sedaris-esque attempts at humour, such as memories from childhood and having a military man for a father. I'm afraid these pieces didn't work so well for me - I just didn't find them all that interesting or funny. Though the book's blurb does contain praise from the likes of Joseph O'Connor and Marian Keyes, hailing Freyne as a comic genius. I suppose it comes down to the reader's sense of humour. (This must make me sound like I don't have any!)
I much preferred the more heartfelt pieces, where Freyne's empathy comes to the fore. Sing a New Song to Drive the Sorrows Away talks about the simple joy of singing. Freyne used to be a member of a rock band, but these days he organizes regular singing nights with his wife and friends and it fills him with happiness. I love music too and I find it hard to describe the way it makes me feel, but I think he does a pretty good job of it:
The subject of parenthood comes up again in Something Else. Freyne describes the delight of being in the company of his nephews and nieces, but he also mentions that, for him and his wife, having children would be very complicated. His anxiety at missing out on a fundamental aspect of life is something that really chimes with me, as an ageing singleton:
The standout essay in the book is Care, about Freyne's previous job as care-worker. It's a beautiful piece of writing, full of thoughtful paragraphs that left me nodding my head in agreement:
The job involved working with intellectually disabled adults and was not without its challenges, but there were also times when its rewards were priceless:
The best thing about the book is that it's so wide-ranging, there is something for everyone. If a particular essay doesn't tickle your fancy, the next one surely will. Freyne's talent is in no doubt and he comes across as a very likeable human being indeed.
There are two types of essay in the book. The first contain Sedaris-esque attempts at humour, such as memories from childhood and having a military man for a father. I'm afraid these pieces didn't work so well for me - I just didn't find them all that interesting or funny. Though the book's blurb does contain praise from the likes of Joseph O'Connor and Marian Keyes, hailing Freyne as a comic genius. I suppose it comes down to the reader's sense of humour. (This must make me sound like I don't have any!)
I much preferred the more heartfelt pieces, where Freyne's empathy comes to the fore. Sing a New Song to Drive the Sorrows Away talks about the simple joy of singing. Freyne used to be a member of a rock band, but these days he organizes regular singing nights with his wife and friends and it fills him with happiness. I love music too and I find it hard to describe the way it makes me feel, but I think he does a pretty good job of it:
"I don't know why singing makes me cry. But I think it's because when we construct a song from the air with our memories and lungs and mouths, I feel connected to other people in a way I struggle with otherwise. I like losing myself in the thickets of othe people's voices, in my friends' voices. We're people in middle age and life has happened to us: bereavement, separation, children, no children, ill health, redundancy, pain. Sometimes you can hear it in the way we sing."
The subject of parenthood comes up again in Something Else. Freyne describes the delight of being in the company of his nephews and nieces, but he also mentions that, for him and his wife, having children would be very complicated. His anxiety at missing out on a fundamental aspect of life is something that really chimes with me, as an ageing singleton:
"At my most vulnerable, I worry that being without children makes me an un-important non-person. I worry that I'm going to get weird, that not having a feedback loop of care with a smaller human is going to cause my heart and soul to shrivel up. I worry that we were put here on Earth to be people-makers and that if I don't get on with that task I'll lose my membership card for the human race. And I worry that having children grants people access to some big secret that's denied to the rest of us."
The standout essay in the book is Care, about Freyne's previous job as care-worker. It's a beautiful piece of writing, full of thoughtful paragraphs that left me nodding my head in agreement:
"Young men from backgrounds like mine are encouraged to be ambitious and clever, and, maybe, in a slightly detached way, to be kind. We're taught abstract notions like 'ethics.' But we're not conditioned to nurture or care. The most socially respectable approach to care for the middle classes is to earn enough money to pay other people to do it. So, with all that in mind, it's a beautiful thing when you realize that it's something you can do: to physically care for a stranger."
The job involved working with intellectually disabled adults and was not without its challenges, but there were also times when its rewards were priceless:
"For every day that I drove home from work with scratches and bruises, feeling like I'd earned my wages, there'd be another where I had experienced the simple force of someone else's love and it felt like I had stolen something."
The best thing about the book is that it's so wide-ranging, there is something for everyone. If a particular essay doesn't tickle your fancy, the next one surely will. Freyne's talent is in no doubt and he comes across as a very likeable human being indeed.
June 22, 2023
Absolutely hilarious and heartwarming. Moving and poignant parts that give you all the feels, but mostly good old Irish humour.
November 14, 2020
"There's a way in which you can alter the timbre of your voice to blend in with the person who's telling the story in a way that makes them sound better. Alternatively, you can glissando up and down the scale loudly in a way that says 'And I am also here' and actively undermine your singing partner. That can be fun too, to be honest."
"It never occurred to to any of us that the correct response to hallucinating while driving is to stop driving and sleep, not to learn how to correctly recognise hallucinations."
"At this point I realised something important about myself. I realised that I would rather die screaming than be a little bit embarrassed in front of a hunky stranger."
Perfect, hilarious, read it in one evening
"It never occurred to to any of us that the correct response to hallucinating while driving is to stop driving and sleep, not to learn how to correctly recognise hallucinations."
"At this point I realised something important about myself. I realised that I would rather die screaming than be a little bit embarrassed in front of a hunky stranger."
Perfect, hilarious, read it in one evening
September 11, 2020
Neat Narratives are generally lies
One gets to know about someone famous and then read their autobiography to know them better. In this case, I had no idea who this person was and I got to know about this crazy adventurous person after reading this book. Why? The book title promised, if nothing, he would have a sense of humor.
The essays aren't really chronological and not many of the ideas are really stupid. The Irish upbringing is replete with crazy family members, singing, rebellions, death and friends. Sure, they may be common across any upbringing, but you would be surprised if you don't find them in any Irish author's writing.
Patrick Freyne's funny bones are intact and there were some parts that are laugh out loud. Some of the seeming stupid ideas read like a funny blog post.
Sample this:
"'Tough but fair', they always add, which makes me picture him punching them in the nose but then giving them an appreciative pat on the head."
The funny parts are spaced out and some of the serious content, serious enough to leave a lump in your throat, are squeezed in. The philosophy into which Freyne meanders or the crazy adventures don't seem forced despite the in-credulousness.
I mostly liked the writing. In the preface the author's friend gives him candid feedback "It seems like any other autobiography" to set the expectation bar low. And hence smartly the author exceeds it.
Colorful read.
Note: I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin books for providing the ARC of the book
One gets to know about someone famous and then read their autobiography to know them better. In this case, I had no idea who this person was and I got to know about this crazy adventurous person after reading this book. Why? The book title promised, if nothing, he would have a sense of humor.
The essays aren't really chronological and not many of the ideas are really stupid. The Irish upbringing is replete with crazy family members, singing, rebellions, death and friends. Sure, they may be common across any upbringing, but you would be surprised if you don't find them in any Irish author's writing.
Patrick Freyne's funny bones are intact and there were some parts that are laugh out loud. Some of the seeming stupid ideas read like a funny blog post.
Sample this:
"'Tough but fair', they always add, which makes me picture him punching them in the nose but then giving them an appreciative pat on the head."
The funny parts are spaced out and some of the serious content, serious enough to leave a lump in your throat, are squeezed in. The philosophy into which Freyne meanders or the crazy adventures don't seem forced despite the in-credulousness.
I mostly liked the writing. In the preface the author's friend gives him candid feedback "It seems like any other autobiography" to set the expectation bar low. And hence smartly the author exceeds it.
Colorful read.
Note: I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin books for providing the ARC of the book
September 21, 2020
Re reviewing this cos it's out now, so hopefully you are reminded about this book and you go get it and read it, it's brill
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This is a really really good collection of essays about family and growing up and being in a band and writing and loads of other things. I gave it 4 stars because GoodReads won't let me give it 3.8 stars. The Irish Times published one of the essays in this book a while back and you can read it here (https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/ho...), along with a load of Patrick Freyne's other really really good pieces (this is one of his more recent articles and it's gas https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/lo...). In the acknowledgements he thanks Sinead Gleeson and Emilie Pine and you can really see the effect they all had on each other's writings. Patrick Freyne is probably a bit lighter and funnier (this is a really funny book) but if you liked Constellations or Notes to Self you'll probably like this too. This is a great book that you'll sit down and fly through, his writing really draws you in because large chunks of it are about very universal feelings and moments, and then, of course, large chunks of it are off the walls nuts or are about feelings and moments that you hope you'll never be able to relate to. He's a great writer and he hits a wide spectrum of topics and emotions bang on - what a talent!
You should read this.
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This is a really really good collection of essays about family and growing up and being in a band and writing and loads of other things. I gave it 4 stars because GoodReads won't let me give it 3.8 stars. The Irish Times published one of the essays in this book a while back and you can read it here (https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/ho...), along with a load of Patrick Freyne's other really really good pieces (this is one of his more recent articles and it's gas https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/lo...). In the acknowledgements he thanks Sinead Gleeson and Emilie Pine and you can really see the effect they all had on each other's writings. Patrick Freyne is probably a bit lighter and funnier (this is a really funny book) but if you liked Constellations or Notes to Self you'll probably like this too. This is a great book that you'll sit down and fly through, his writing really draws you in because large chunks of it are about very universal feelings and moments, and then, of course, large chunks of it are off the walls nuts or are about feelings and moments that you hope you'll never be able to relate to. He's a great writer and he hits a wide spectrum of topics and emotions bang on - what a talent!
You should read this.
September 23, 2020
Terrific
I enjoyed this so much. The essay on working as a carer is absolutely spot on and really took me back to a particular time in my life. I laughed and I cried the whole way through this book and can’t recommend it enough.
I enjoyed this so much. The essay on working as a carer is absolutely spot on and really took me back to a particular time in my life. I laughed and I cried the whole way through this book and can’t recommend it enough.
December 19, 2020
An absolute joy of a book.
October 19, 2020
I enjoyed this collection of funny and life affirming essays by Journalist Patrick Freyne. I found many of the chapters or essays within to be not only funny but in many ways to have a moral element to them as well which made reading the book more enjoyable.
I give it 3 stars because I am not usually a huge fan of essay books with little storyine or plot or character development but I understand that this book is not trying to be that, it looks to be something different and I believe it achieves that to a large extent.
+Easy to read
+Entertaining
+Provides life lessons and experiences that everyone can relate to or take something from
- A little shallow in its execution - it tends not to veer beyond certain stories and some of the stories can get a little monotonous... at least in my view they do..
6.5/10
I give it 3 stars because I am not usually a huge fan of essay books with little storyine or plot or character development but I understand that this book is not trying to be that, it looks to be something different and I believe it achieves that to a large extent.
+Easy to read
+Entertaining
+Provides life lessons and experiences that everyone can relate to or take something from
- A little shallow in its execution - it tends not to veer beyond certain stories and some of the stories can get a little monotonous... at least in my view they do..
6.5/10
December 29, 2020
Both joyful and sad, these essays find humour and tenderness at the heart of ordinary life. Patrick Freyne describes his childhood as the son of a military man, his adolescence and early youth spent in an unsuccessful band, and muses on various facets of adult life. This sounds very dry, but I honestly laughed so hard at some of these that I fell off the couch. Freyne's self-deprecating humour and general good-nature sets his essays apart, making them both very witty and very kind. It's a pleasure to read them, though hard to talk about humour without sounding completely dull. Freyne's narrative voice is very individual and wry, and carries the reader through lots of self-revelations, midnight conversations, and pirate-radio related hijinks. There are also some more serious essays here: I found Something Else, about parenthood and not having children, to be very moving and very helpful to me personally, and Care, an essay about the caring profession and Freyne's own experience with intellectually disabled adults, to be considered and thoughtful. I read most of these while I was recovering from a migraine, and they did a remarkable job distracting me from nausea and pain. I can't ask for more, really. I'll almost certainly read them again!
November 11, 2025
This was well-written and funny, but I think I read it too fast. It would have worked better as a series of columns maybe. I laughed out loud a good few times, and I especially liked when he described his parents. There were a couple of more serious sections, but it felt like they weren't given enough time or attention. Overall a quick and entertaining read, but a bit superficial.
January 11, 2021
A great book of essays that will have you laughing, crying and wanting to go out and do stupid things- if just to have a good story from it.
February 1, 2021
One of the books I kept hearing about in 2020 and just never got around to buying I was absolutely delighted to receive it for Christmas. I started it on New Years Day and finished a few days later. It certainly held a few laughs but also has some great stories outside of the humour. Probably a book I will return to and dip in and out of. I really enjoyed it.
October 17, 2020
Hilarious and heartfelt read. I really enjoyed the various essays.
May 26, 2020
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Patrick Freyne has tried a lot of stupid ideas in his life. Now, in his scintillating debut, he is here to tell you about them: like the time (aged 5) he opened a gate and let a horse out of its field, just to see what would happen; or the time (aged 19) he jumped out of a plane for charity, even though he didn’t much care about the charity and was sure he’d end up dead; or the time (aged old enough to know better) he used a magazine as a funnel for fuel when the petrol cap on his band’s van broke.
He has also learned a few things: about the power of group song; about the beauty of physically caring for another human being; about childlessness; about losing friends far too young. Life as seen through the eyes of Patrick Freyne is stranger, funnier and a lot more interesting than life as we generally know it. Like David Sedaris or Nora Ephron, he creates an environment all his own – fundamentally comic, sometimes moving, always deeply humane. OK, Let’s Do Your Stupid Idea is a joyous reading experience from an instantly essential new writer.
Review: This book just wasn’t for me. I originally thought it was fiction, but embarrassingly half way through discovered it was not. Freyne has many incredible stories to tell, and they are great stories, but for almost every chapter I found myself wanting to skip through a lot of it. I know that is Freyne’s writing style, and it’s not a bad thing! It just wasn’t for me. It definitely has a lot of character, and Freyne’s personality shines through in his writing, which brings a refreshing change compared to some other non-fiction literature.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for a copy of this book in exchange for my review
Rated 3/5 stars
Patrick Freyne has tried a lot of stupid ideas in his life. Now, in his scintillating debut, he is here to tell you about them: like the time (aged 5) he opened a gate and let a horse out of its field, just to see what would happen; or the time (aged 19) he jumped out of a plane for charity, even though he didn’t much care about the charity and was sure he’d end up dead; or the time (aged old enough to know better) he used a magazine as a funnel for fuel when the petrol cap on his band’s van broke.
He has also learned a few things: about the power of group song; about the beauty of physically caring for another human being; about childlessness; about losing friends far too young. Life as seen through the eyes of Patrick Freyne is stranger, funnier and a lot more interesting than life as we generally know it. Like David Sedaris or Nora Ephron, he creates an environment all his own – fundamentally comic, sometimes moving, always deeply humane. OK, Let’s Do Your Stupid Idea is a joyous reading experience from an instantly essential new writer.
Review: This book just wasn’t for me. I originally thought it was fiction, but embarrassingly half way through discovered it was not. Freyne has many incredible stories to tell, and they are great stories, but for almost every chapter I found myself wanting to skip through a lot of it. I know that is Freyne’s writing style, and it’s not a bad thing! It just wasn’t for me. It definitely has a lot of character, and Freyne’s personality shines through in his writing, which brings a refreshing change compared to some other non-fiction literature.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for a copy of this book in exchange for my review
Rated 3/5 stars
January 27, 2021
I enjoyed these essays. The more humorous ones felt a little forced though but still had their laugh aloud moments. I loved the more thoughtful reflective pieces especially the one on being a carer which was deeply insightful and compassionate; also the ones of not having children and losing a friend much too young. I listened to the audiobook which was beautifully read.
Read
January 10, 2024Enjoy Patrick Freyne's work in The Irish Times so was looking forward to this collection of essays. It didn't disappoint, although I responded better to the more heartfelt/emotional entries than the anecdotal/slice of life ones.
August 6, 2021
So good!!
As I've said before and will probably say til the day I die, Irish writing just DOES something to me. Perhaps its the relatability, the familiar slang or the dry humour, either way it just sucks me right in and this memoir was no exception.
In short, Patrick Freyne is great writer and seems like a really cool, sweet lad that I would love to go for pints with and hear more of his stories.
I highly recommend the audiobook btw, its read by Patrick himself and its available on borrowbox for those in Ireland!!
As I've said before and will probably say til the day I die, Irish writing just DOES something to me. Perhaps its the relatability, the familiar slang or the dry humour, either way it just sucks me right in and this memoir was no exception.
In short, Patrick Freyne is great writer and seems like a really cool, sweet lad that I would love to go for pints with and hear more of his stories.
I highly recommend the audiobook btw, its read by Patrick himself and its available on borrowbox for those in Ireland!!
August 4, 2023
OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea may be taken as a collection of essays about Freyne himself and the world he lives in, yet it verges on an early memoir as which it is humbly presented in its preface. Then again, considering its style and structure, it comes very close to an autofiction novel as well.
Why should one read such a piece by a journalist with a relatively normal life? Because it has a lot of witty moments and Freyne has a clear insight on what will truly matter down the line. Especially the episodes with his band and the time he had been working as a care-worker really struck a chord.
Honest and down-to-earth reckoning with a life from a mid-life point of view.
Why should one read such a piece by a journalist with a relatively normal life? Because it has a lot of witty moments and Freyne has a clear insight on what will truly matter down the line. Especially the episodes with his band and the time he had been working as a care-worker really struck a chord.
Honest and down-to-earth reckoning with a life from a mid-life point of view.
January 6, 2021
I had no idea know who Patrick Freyne was when I picked up this memoir but he surely has got many entertaining anecdotes to share. He's clever, hilarious and affectionate. I certainly learned a thing or two about life from his stories which reaffirmed by belief that everybody - famous or unknown, good or bad, rich or poor - can teach us something. Also, great title - I wouldn't have picked the book up if not for its pick-baity title.
April 27, 2021
This was such an enjoyable read with so many laugh out loud moments, but also profound stories of friendship and loss. It’s such a rarity that a book can actually make you laugh and this one really surprised me over and over again. My only complaint is that I wish it had been available on Audible because it would have been so fantastic! Such a fab read!
October 1, 2021
2.5/5 an amusing collection of essays with a good mix of humour and heart throughout. I listened to the audio book version read by the author himself (available on BorrowBox) and found it generally enjoyable but it did get a little monotonous at times.
March 4, 2022
You know those books where you pick them up based purely on the title and the cover, and then you get them home and read them, and they make you laugh and cry and everything in between and you know you made the right choice? This is one of those.
June 19, 2022
Will Smith - you should read this book. See my previous review.
I laughed out loud. It hit me square in the heart and I resonated with so much of what Patrick had to say.
Belonging
The Curragh
Moving - a lot
Music - singing in groups and the joy it brings
Childlessness
The 90’s
Empathy over drive
And then I laughed some more.
I’d love to be able to write like this….
I laughed out loud. It hit me square in the heart and I resonated with so much of what Patrick had to say.
Belonging
The Curragh
Moving - a lot
Music - singing in groups and the joy it brings
Childlessness
The 90’s
Empathy over drive
And then I laughed some more.
I’d love to be able to write like this….
January 4, 2021
A great read. Insightful, sincere, very very funny.
Read
August 11, 2021Both funny and bittersweet, this was an essay collection that kept me consistently interested even as it flitted around different periods of the author's life. While I really liked the audiobook narration (done by the author), I'm not sure it was the best format for this book as I thought it was a little murky where some essays started and ended due to internal lists and sections within individual essays - but maybe that's on me for listening to the audiobook over a longer period of time rather than in just a few days.
September 26, 2023
Charming essay collection which made me laugh out loud.
December 29, 2020
Listened to this book narrated by Patrick Freyne
Really enjoyed it was funny & sad and he has a lovely way to speaking & describing
Really enjoyed it was funny & sad and he has a lovely way to speaking & describing
March 18, 2021
Love Freyne's writing. Makes you want to (try) put pen to paper to remember the stories so far too.
October 20, 2024
Een zeer grappige memoir! Zeker een aanrader
June 5, 2025
I adored this book, such a snapshot of Irish life, so witty and so emotionally charged, positively and negatively. Amazing bookín!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews