What do you think?
Rate this book
Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit: Life Lessons from Pop Culture
Much like a dragon-guarded mountain filled with stolen dwarf gold, Pop Culture is far more than just a side quest or afternoon’s it contains a veritable treasure trove overflowing with life lessons.
If there’s one takeaway from more than 40 years of Scooby-Doo mysteries, it’s that the vast majority of life’s villains are old white men using literal scare tactics to hold on to whatever privilege they have; Stranger Things taught us that any group of bike-riding kids are either running from or toward a vast governmental conspiracy; The Wizard of Oz proved that fashion can only take you so far; The Lord of the Rings showed us not only about the power of statement jewelry but that gifts come with strings attached; and Jaws was evidence that no matter how prepared you think you are, you should always expect the unexpected.
This modern-day fable takes the best elements of My Dinner With Andre , The Big Bang Theory , and How to Make Friends and Influence People , to tell the story of three cosplaying friends sharing what they have learned from their favorite (and hated) movies, series, and games in a cafe after a day of walking the halls of a convention center.
Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit invites readers to a never-before-seen and slightly skewed look at the most memorable moments in films, shows, books, comic books, graphic novels, and video games. By the end of this pop-culture tour, fans of all ages will be given more inside knowledge than could ever be gotten at a comic convention, more self-help tools than can fit into any utility belt, more treasures than can be found in a cave of wonders, and more smiles than can be seen on any joker’s face.
If there’s one takeaway from more than 40 years of Scooby-Doo mysteries, it’s that the vast majority of life’s villains are old white men using literal scare tactics to hold on to whatever privilege they have; Stranger Things taught us that any group of bike-riding kids are either running from or toward a vast governmental conspiracy; The Wizard of Oz proved that fashion can only take you so far; The Lord of the Rings showed us not only about the power of statement jewelry but that gifts come with strings attached; and Jaws was evidence that no matter how prepared you think you are, you should always expect the unexpected.
This modern-day fable takes the best elements of My Dinner With Andre , The Big Bang Theory , and How to Make Friends and Influence People , to tell the story of three cosplaying friends sharing what they have learned from their favorite (and hated) movies, series, and games in a cafe after a day of walking the halls of a convention center.
Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit invites readers to a never-before-seen and slightly skewed look at the most memorable moments in films, shows, books, comic books, graphic novels, and video games. By the end of this pop-culture tour, fans of all ages will be given more inside knowledge than could ever be gotten at a comic convention, more self-help tools than can fit into any utility belt, more treasures than can be found in a cave of wonders, and more smiles than can be seen on any joker’s face.
112 pages, Hardcover
Published October 5, 2021
4 people are currently reading
2023 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 1, 2021
Quick fun read.
January 10, 2022
Would have been an enjoyable read without all the social justice propaganda.
September 8, 2021
“
“Live like a Vulcan, Love like a Wookie, Laugh like a Hobbit” follows the adventure of a geek after a day at a comic con wherein his search for the rest, he found a bar with an elder, a Vulcan, a Wookie and a Hobbit. Our five protagonists will go through life lessons they learned from Pop Culture. They’ll talk about the toxicity of certain fandoms to how we should not judge people without knowing their past.
I really liked that book, first because I am a huge nerd and I had consumed and love most of the shows or books they talked about. When covid was not a thing I used to go to 2 conventions every year and it was an amazing experience meeting people that share my interests.
The philosophy part and the parallels they made between Pop Culture and our lives were very interesting and I was pleased to see that I already made some of them myself. I highlighted a lot of quotes, one of them was “ We don’t win by defeating what we hate, we win by saving the things we love”.
The only downside someone could find is that there are some mild spoilers, but I guess that it won’t be relevant as it is destined for a public more in touch with masterpieces from Pop Culture.
For me, that book deserves 5/5 stars.
Ps: I’ll probably binge watch some of the shows and movies mentioned in the near future
“Live like a Vulcan, Love like a Wookie, Laugh like a Hobbit” follows the adventure of a geek after a day at a comic con wherein his search for the rest, he found a bar with an elder, a Vulcan, a Wookie and a Hobbit. Our five protagonists will go through life lessons they learned from Pop Culture. They’ll talk about the toxicity of certain fandoms to how we should not judge people without knowing their past.
I really liked that book, first because I am a huge nerd and I had consumed and love most of the shows or books they talked about. When covid was not a thing I used to go to 2 conventions every year and it was an amazing experience meeting people that share my interests.
The philosophy part and the parallels they made between Pop Culture and our lives were very interesting and I was pleased to see that I already made some of them myself. I highlighted a lot of quotes, one of them was “ We don’t win by defeating what we hate, we win by saving the things we love”.
The only downside someone could find is that there are some mild spoilers, but I guess that it won’t be relevant as it is destined for a public more in touch with masterpieces from Pop Culture.
For me, that book deserves 5/5 stars.
Ps: I’ll probably binge watch some of the shows and movies mentioned in the near future
September 22, 2021
I selected this book on the presumption that it would feel like a comforting, familiar, and philosophical read. It was definitely all 3 of these, plus fulfilled the nerdy joy in my heart!
Pearlman describes a scene of being a weary traveller during a period of a convention (comic con?) with “a Hobbit, a Wookiee, a Vulcan and an Elder in a bar…” (in this case, a tavern) and proceeds to elaborate on his conversation about the lessons learned from our favourite sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero genres.
What I liked about this book was the little snippets of all my favourites series. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Avengers were all discussed. Pearlman showed the value that fiction can bring and the lessons imparted on us from the characters and quests we hold dear.
It was quite brief and I would have loved more in-depth discussions of the themes and values from all these texts. But a solid read for fans of any pop culture book, tv show, movie, and comic book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Smart Pop Books for my advanced copy in exchange for a review! Release date: 05.10.2021.
Pearlman describes a scene of being a weary traveller during a period of a convention (comic con?) with “a Hobbit, a Wookiee, a Vulcan and an Elder in a bar…” (in this case, a tavern) and proceeds to elaborate on his conversation about the lessons learned from our favourite sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero genres.
What I liked about this book was the little snippets of all my favourites series. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Avengers were all discussed. Pearlman showed the value that fiction can bring and the lessons imparted on us from the characters and quests we hold dear.
It was quite brief and I would have loved more in-depth discussions of the themes and values from all these texts. But a solid read for fans of any pop culture book, tv show, movie, and comic book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Smart Pop Books for my advanced copy in exchange for a review! Release date: 05.10.2021.
October 14, 2021
Book Review
Live Like Vulcan, Love Like a Wookie, Laugh Like a Hobbitt by Robb Pearlman
My inner geek is in love. Like the Fellowship of the Ring this group of fanboys have been brought together to share their wisdom… at a pub…. In cosplay. Their gift for gab knows no bounds- they discuss everything and anything and it always comes back to the lessons learned from their favourite characters from their favourites fandoms. Filled with humour and pop culture references this book filled the void of missing out on Fan Expo and Comic Con.
This book Gave me Hitchhiker vibes- light and fluffy on the outside but there is depth to the content of these friends conversations and their different outlooks and opinions on life in general.
ThaNks to @netgalley and @benbellabooks for my gifted copy in return for an honest review
Live Like Vulcan, Love Like a Wookie, Laugh Like a Hobbitt by Robb Pearlman
My inner geek is in love. Like the Fellowship of the Ring this group of fanboys have been brought together to share their wisdom… at a pub…. In cosplay. Their gift for gab knows no bounds- they discuss everything and anything and it always comes back to the lessons learned from their favourite characters from their favourites fandoms. Filled with humour and pop culture references this book filled the void of missing out on Fan Expo and Comic Con.
This book Gave me Hitchhiker vibes- light and fluffy on the outside but there is depth to the content of these friends conversations and their different outlooks and opinions on life in general.
ThaNks to @netgalley and @benbellabooks for my gifted copy in return for an honest review
January 25, 2022
Structured like a Platonic dialogue, this book presents a conversation among five people attending an unspecified "pop culture" convention as they discuss how pop culture stories and characters offer a variety of positive values and life lessons. Although "pop culture" can have a very wide meaning, in this case, it refers particularly to science fiction, fantasy, and monster genres in movies, television, and video games. The five characters are the narrator and four costumed convention-goers identified only by their outfits: an Elder, a Hobbit, a non-binary Wookie who uses they/them pronouns, and a Vulcan (aside from the Wookiee, all the cosplayers are male).
The narrator, apparently not in costume, meets up with the other four (who all know each other) in a pub in the convention hotel and they all begin discussing what pop culture has taught them. Using references from such properties as Frankenstein, Star Trek, Jaws, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Battlestar Galactica, and the most recent superhero movies (and many more), they discuss topics like respect, tolerance, being prepared, teamwork, and the titular activities of living, loving, and laughing (and many more).
The book seems to be partly a how-to for living a good life and partly a defence of these genres as more than just mere entertainment. The "life lessons" themselves are fine, if a bit obvious and banal. I also found the delivery to be flat. The dialogue comes across a bit like a high school lecture; just a bit too formal and mature for beer-drinking cosplayers. I suspect, in fact, that this book may be aimed at young adults rather than mature, experienced readers like me. I wasn't surprised to find in the author biography at the end of the book that Robb Pearlman has also written books on pop culture for kids.
If you're not fairly familiar with these movies and shows, many of the references will be meaningless, as they are presented with very little context. You already have to be into these genres to get what this book is trying to say.
I appreciate the message here, but I wish it had been presented with a little more adult passion and enthusiasm.
The narrator, apparently not in costume, meets up with the other four (who all know each other) in a pub in the convention hotel and they all begin discussing what pop culture has taught them. Using references from such properties as Frankenstein, Star Trek, Jaws, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Battlestar Galactica, and the most recent superhero movies (and many more), they discuss topics like respect, tolerance, being prepared, teamwork, and the titular activities of living, loving, and laughing (and many more).
The book seems to be partly a how-to for living a good life and partly a defence of these genres as more than just mere entertainment. The "life lessons" themselves are fine, if a bit obvious and banal. I also found the delivery to be flat. The dialogue comes across a bit like a high school lecture; just a bit too formal and mature for beer-drinking cosplayers. I suspect, in fact, that this book may be aimed at young adults rather than mature, experienced readers like me. I wasn't surprised to find in the author biography at the end of the book that Robb Pearlman has also written books on pop culture for kids.
If you're not fairly familiar with these movies and shows, many of the references will be meaningless, as they are presented with very little context. You already have to be into these genres to get what this book is trying to say.
I appreciate the message here, but I wish it had been presented with a little more adult passion and enthusiasm.
September 27, 2021
As someone who has attended several comic conventions during the last few years, I felt as if this book was a pretty good description of the environment one lives while attending one. Of course there are the panels, the celebrity photo-ops and autographs, the exhibitors stands to get your attention but the experience of meeting other fellow geek fans is truly important.
I enjoyed reading this book and how the author exceeded at portraying accurately how this experience is for most of us, but at the same time, using knowledge and the learning given by a plethora of pop culture properties we are familiar with. It felt truly organic having four different characters, a Vulcan, a Wookiee, a Hobbit and an Elder - or four different individuals dressed as - interacting with the author from a first-person narrative and providing their wisdom and knowledge.
When attending a con, it's common to act as the character you're dressed with. You're no longer John, an accountant from Kansas or Laura, a teacher from Illinois, you're embodied by your cosplay and that's a really nice experience. To have these four people engaging in such enriching conversation covering different topics with the author felt as if one as the reader was sitting aside them, listening to them.
And regardless the discourse that might exist in all types of fandom, I appreciated that the author acknowledge the different point of views from fans without focusing too much on it. Generally speaking, the perspective of this book is focusing on the positives rather than the negative side of the fandom. On how a person attending on its own can find themselves as part of a larger community and find kindred spirits to hang out with. And this book meets its purpose: on bringing a nice perspective on attending a con and enjoying the experience, not only the activities per se, but the people you get to meet when you go to one. And especially during these pandemic times, though con activity has restarted at a certain extent, but it's not back to pre-pandemic levels, it is quite helpful to remember and value that person-to-person experience as something worth having.
I enjoyed reading this book and how the author exceeded at portraying accurately how this experience is for most of us, but at the same time, using knowledge and the learning given by a plethora of pop culture properties we are familiar with. It felt truly organic having four different characters, a Vulcan, a Wookiee, a Hobbit and an Elder - or four different individuals dressed as - interacting with the author from a first-person narrative and providing their wisdom and knowledge.
When attending a con, it's common to act as the character you're dressed with. You're no longer John, an accountant from Kansas or Laura, a teacher from Illinois, you're embodied by your cosplay and that's a really nice experience. To have these four people engaging in such enriching conversation covering different topics with the author felt as if one as the reader was sitting aside them, listening to them.
And regardless the discourse that might exist in all types of fandom, I appreciated that the author acknowledge the different point of views from fans without focusing too much on it. Generally speaking, the perspective of this book is focusing on the positives rather than the negative side of the fandom. On how a person attending on its own can find themselves as part of a larger community and find kindred spirits to hang out with. And this book meets its purpose: on bringing a nice perspective on attending a con and enjoying the experience, not only the activities per se, but the people you get to meet when you go to one. And especially during these pandemic times, though con activity has restarted at a certain extent, but it's not back to pre-pandemic levels, it is quite helpful to remember and value that person-to-person experience as something worth having.
March 24, 2025
I really tried to like this book, it’s trying to be a modern geek’s wisdom literature (job, psalms, proverbs, Ecclesiastes et al), but it’s mostly just a collection of random quotes, post modern philosophy, and modern politically correct social mores cosplaying as classic geek culture. It’s a discussion between some costumed pop culture nerds, minding me a bit of job’s friends, mostly cause these dudes are just as utterly clueless and frustrating, getting on their soap box and spewing complete nonsense, but that’s as close as it comes to true wisdom. You can’t have Story and post modernism (truth is relative). It in itself is a contradiction, it starts out saying truth is everything but shortly goes on to say everyone has their own truth and good and evil are just as relative, so you can’t say a particular story is bad, even if it is atrocious because someone somewhere might like it. The title characters are from stories with a solid worldview and plot based on truth and the existence of good and evil but apparently “it doesn’t mean what you think it means.” I guess if you are a fan of the latest editions of any popular and beloved modern epics, you’ll like this too, but if you think there might be even something a little lacking in many a modern remake, adaptation, or spin off you’ll find the same frustration with this soulless book. What drew people to such Tales was the underlying hope, courage, and love, but now it is just drivel churned out en masse to make money and when the fans complain that somebody murdered their favorite and reanimated the corpse, the fans are attacked as awful human beings incapable of appreciating art, but rather it is Modern Art that does not understand story, and worse what makes us human. Guess I’ll have to stick with Job!
September 14, 2021
The book starts as the MC walks into a vulcan, a wookie, a hobbit and an elder in a bar, and they start talking. The topics they discuss are interesting, and if you're invested in a fandom (or more than one), you'll probably find conversations that you had with other fans : the impact our favorite characters have on our life, how books, series, movies, etc, belong both to authors and to fans...
The writing style of the discussions didn't always make them very natural (personally, I wouldn't discuss how a movie changed how I see death with a stranger I just met in a bar), but the topics discussed are interesting and there are some good points that are made.
I agree with many points made in the books, about the positive impacts that fiction can have on our life, and that embrassing being a nerd can be an amazing thing, but I would have liked more discussion about certain sadder points in fandoms : the harassment that authors, actors/actresses, and sometimes even fans, can endure, because they decided on a specific ending, or that the character they play is queer, or they pointed out that a part of a beloved story is racist. I love being part of many fandoms and made great friends through that, but we shouldn't forget that fandoms (and the universe they're based on) are places where sexism, racism, queerphobia and other oppressions still exist.
Thank you netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
The writing style of the discussions didn't always make them very natural (personally, I wouldn't discuss how a movie changed how I see death with a stranger I just met in a bar), but the topics discussed are interesting and there are some good points that are made.
I agree with many points made in the books, about the positive impacts that fiction can have on our life, and that embrassing being a nerd can be an amazing thing, but I would have liked more discussion about certain sadder points in fandoms : the harassment that authors, actors/actresses, and sometimes even fans, can endure, because they decided on a specific ending, or that the character they play is queer, or they pointed out that a part of a beloved story is racist. I love being part of many fandoms and made great friends through that, but we shouldn't forget that fandoms (and the universe they're based on) are places where sexism, racism, queerphobia and other oppressions still exist.
Thank you netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
October 4, 2021
A Vulcan, a Wookie and a Hobbit walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a really esoterica joke, right? It was the title of the book that originally drew my attention. Moderated by the one they call Elder, three cos-playing friends attending a science fiction convention finish their day in the hotel bar and enter into a conversation about life. Along the way, the adopt a young loner, also an attendee, who had only stopped for dinner. And so the reader embarks on a discussion of pop culture and the life lessons it can teach us. Sound corny? I thought so too until the first time I had to stop and take a minute to think about just what was being said. I found myself bookmarking pages, taking notes and annotating.
One of the things I really liked about the book is that the chapters are short. Each one tackles a different aspect of our everyday life and the things we can learn through a shared love of pop culture. And it's not limited to science fiction references. With references to everything from Jaws and Scooby Doo to The Lego Movie and Disney, there's something to which everyone can relate. There wasn't a single chapter of this book that didn't make me stop and think. I plan for this book to hold a prominent place on my keeper shelf.
One of the things I really liked about the book is that the chapters are short. Each one tackles a different aspect of our everyday life and the things we can learn through a shared love of pop culture. And it's not limited to science fiction references. With references to everything from Jaws and Scooby Doo to The Lego Movie and Disney, there's something to which everyone can relate. There wasn't a single chapter of this book that didn't make me stop and think. I plan for this book to hold a prominent place on my keeper shelf.
September 10, 2021
I thought that I was prepared to read this book, by virtue of the "All I need to know about life, I learned from Star Trek" poster hanging in our 'Geek Study'. After all, between me, my hubby, and our adult sons, our family fandom covers most genres, from movies to video games to books.
I was wrong. This book, it turns out, is everything I imagine could happen should I get into conversations about the geeky things we love, but were much more eloquent in our delivery. Sure, we've had conversations about the inner meanings of the different things we love, but we've never come close to the depth that Robb Pearlman's characters do.
The book is eye opening and relevant, and I feel like the main character does at the end, looking at the world of fandom with new eyes. While I did know the various things outlined in the book, having it put through the lens of an Elder, a Vulcan, a Wookie and a Hobbit makes the life lessons much more entertaining and easier to swallow.
Beyond that, the book is well written and concise, flowing nicely from start to finish.
Everyone can learn something about life from reading it.
As the characters in Harry Potter would say, Brilliant!
I was wrong. This book, it turns out, is everything I imagine could happen should I get into conversations about the geeky things we love, but were much more eloquent in our delivery. Sure, we've had conversations about the inner meanings of the different things we love, but we've never come close to the depth that Robb Pearlman's characters do.
The book is eye opening and relevant, and I feel like the main character does at the end, looking at the world of fandom with new eyes. While I did know the various things outlined in the book, having it put through the lens of an Elder, a Vulcan, a Wookie and a Hobbit makes the life lessons much more entertaining and easier to swallow.
Beyond that, the book is well written and concise, flowing nicely from start to finish.
Everyone can learn something about life from reading it.
As the characters in Harry Potter would say, Brilliant!
September 20, 2021
I found the concept of this book highly interesting. This is a self-help book on life but at the same time a highly entertaining novel.
The whole book revolves around 5 convention going "geeks". The main character walks into a bar where he meets an Elder, a Wookiee, a Hobbit and a Vulcan.
They discuss all the life lessons that can be learnt from our favourite tv shows, movies and books.
While some I already figured out when watching/reading them, Others were a revelation, albeit, nothing revolutionary. Sometimes, the discussion felt a little forced. As if the author couldn't quite figure out how to go from one subject to another.
Where the speed rounds necessary? I dont know, but I did enjoy them.
Some chapter I found more relevant than other. Some spoke straight to me, and the analogies used are very cleaved and very relatable.
The style is easy to read and the book is rather short, but not too short. I didn't find myself wanting more. The author seems to have pinpointed the exact amount of pop culture life lessons one can digest in one book.
Would like to thank NetGalley for providing a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
The whole book revolves around 5 convention going "geeks". The main character walks into a bar where he meets an Elder, a Wookiee, a Hobbit and a Vulcan.
They discuss all the life lessons that can be learnt from our favourite tv shows, movies and books.
While some I already figured out when watching/reading them, Others were a revelation, albeit, nothing revolutionary. Sometimes, the discussion felt a little forced. As if the author couldn't quite figure out how to go from one subject to another.
Where the speed rounds necessary? I dont know, but I did enjoy them.
Some chapter I found more relevant than other. Some spoke straight to me, and the analogies used are very cleaved and very relatable.
The style is easy to read and the book is rather short, but not too short. I didn't find myself wanting more. The author seems to have pinpointed the exact amount of pop culture life lessons one can digest in one book.
Would like to thank NetGalley for providing a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2021
Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookie, Laugh Like a Hobbit is a quick, entertaining read that would be a perfect gift for a middle school/high school or college age fans of popular culture, especially those who are into Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR/Hobbit or super hero comics/movies. The book describes an evening spent in a tavern with cosplayers after a day at a comic-con, as they muse about the life lessons one can learn from heroes and villains and how they could be applied to ordinary, normal lives of everyone. The book has a few nuggets of depth (how quicksand in movies is imaginary, just as the internal negativity we use to block our progress), but most is a fun reminiscing of favorite stories from books, movies, TV, and comics. The "speed round" chapters are especially light on content, as they speed through naming various titles or characters and then a sentence describing a lesson we all can take away from it. I personally thought it would be more in-depth , so this book wasn't for me. It was light and humorous (not laugh out loud funny, but sweet), so again might be a great read to inspire a young person who is very into pop culture.
March 31, 2022
I read this book over the course of a few weeks with my students in class and they were always requesting to continue it. Chapters are generally quite short, making it easy to plan and squeeze into daily routines. There were moments that I had to edit the text out loud as it felt too politically or socially "preachy" for the classroom, but there were more than a few chapters that provided some really thoughtful discussions to support the students' mental health journey! One chapter to highlight is "We're gonna need a bigger boat" about Jaws (obviously) discussing how we all have different talents and it's okay to have help from those with differing talents. We can't do it all alone. The superhero discussions also resonated very well with my students, as they already saw those figures as role models. Again, for school, this required some periodic censoring due to one or two political/social claims that were too strong for the nature of my classroom, but overall, I and my students thoroughly enjoyed this book!
September 7, 2021
This was definitely enjoyable reading and I found it very interesting, but I'm still not 100% sure about the narrative structure. I was expecting a collection of articles/essays around each point, but they were instead shaped into a storytelling format about people meeting up for a meal during a comic convention.
Because it was set up like that, I was expecting some element of a plot, but it's more just an enlightening conversation. That said, the conversation was entertaining, but I couldn't quite get my head around why that was the choice or wondering if I would have liked it better without that conceit. I did enjoy the rapid-fire rounds, though--they were funny, touching, and spot on! And I appreciated the overall message that there's a lot of wisdom in pop culture that can help us become our best selves.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.
Because it was set up like that, I was expecting some element of a plot, but it's more just an enlightening conversation. That said, the conversation was entertaining, but I couldn't quite get my head around why that was the choice or wondering if I would have liked it better without that conceit. I did enjoy the rapid-fire rounds, though--they were funny, touching, and spot on! And I appreciated the overall message that there's a lot of wisdom in pop culture that can help us become our best selves.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.
September 9, 2021
When i Saw the tittle of this book i jumped at the oportunity of reading it, i am as geek as they come 😅.
I do agree with most quotes of the book but at the same time it wasnt nothing out of this world, i mean the whole story takes place in a bar/coffee shop in a anime convention and the story its mostly quotes, talking about scenes and characters of other fandoms.
It's funny to have Spok sewing the hobbit vest with needles and thread that the Wookie had stored in his costume and all vilains are the Heroes of their stories except negan 😅 did i see a grundge there?
But its a short read, maybe you'll like it a lot, just give it a try.
I recieved an ARC of this book through netgalley and i am voluntary leaving a review.
I do agree with most quotes of the book but at the same time it wasnt nothing out of this world, i mean the whole story takes place in a bar/coffee shop in a anime convention and the story its mostly quotes, talking about scenes and characters of other fandoms.
It's funny to have Spok sewing the hobbit vest with needles and thread that the Wookie had stored in his costume and all vilains are the Heroes of their stories except negan 😅 did i see a grundge there?
But its a short read, maybe you'll like it a lot, just give it a try.
I recieved an ARC of this book through netgalley and i am voluntary leaving a review.
September 17, 2021
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute book that's around 3.5 stars for me.
I like the concept. Our main character meets some cosplayers at a convention and they talk about what each of their favorite franchises taught them about life. It's fairly high-level and easy to read. There are a lot of quotes from movies. That being said, the order things are written in are a bit confusing and there's some jumping around. There's also "speed rounds" where the characters sum up the moral of each story which are even shorter than the already short chapters and didn't really add a lot to me.
It's goofy, it's kind of sweet, and it talks about philosophy with a pop culture spin.
This is a cute book that's around 3.5 stars for me.
I like the concept. Our main character meets some cosplayers at a convention and they talk about what each of their favorite franchises taught them about life. It's fairly high-level and easy to read. There are a lot of quotes from movies. That being said, the order things are written in are a bit confusing and there's some jumping around. There's also "speed rounds" where the characters sum up the moral of each story which are even shorter than the already short chapters and didn't really add a lot to me.
It's goofy, it's kind of sweet, and it talks about philosophy with a pop culture spin.
October 6, 2021
NetGalley ARC Review:
"Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit" by Robb Pearlman had so much potential. The premise is great. It promises to offer pop culture wisdom through the lens of fantasy, mostly movie fantasy, in a Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael" style, but it falls short. Instead of a wise, talking gorilla, this book offers its perspectives via a quartet of cosplaying convention attendees to a man who happens upon them in a bar. They talk about philosophy, self-help, and how to change the world with stories and quotes from popular fantasy movies. Their dialogue could have been whimsical and hilarious, deep and challenging, but instead it came across as forced and wooden leaving the reader wishing for more and dreaming of what could have been.
"Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit" by Robb Pearlman had so much potential. The premise is great. It promises to offer pop culture wisdom through the lens of fantasy, mostly movie fantasy, in a Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael" style, but it falls short. Instead of a wise, talking gorilla, this book offers its perspectives via a quartet of cosplaying convention attendees to a man who happens upon them in a bar. They talk about philosophy, self-help, and how to change the world with stories and quotes from popular fantasy movies. Their dialogue could have been whimsical and hilarious, deep and challenging, but instead it came across as forced and wooden leaving the reader wishing for more and dreaming of what could have been.
March 2, 2024
"Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit" by Robb Pearlman with illustrations by Jason Kayser is a book that draws on the wisdom of pop culture characters to offer life lessons.
A guy at a pop culture convention stops in a bar and meets some unusual characters: a wizard, a hobbit and a Wookiee. While they converse, they show how life lessons can be gleaned from many forms of pop culture. Along the way there are speed rounds and hundreds of nerdy references from the worlds of Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and other franchises.
The book is a lighthearted and entertaining read, but a bit shallow and kind of pop psychology. It is a quick read and would be a fun gift for that superfan in your life.
A guy at a pop culture convention stops in a bar and meets some unusual characters: a wizard, a hobbit and a Wookiee. While they converse, they show how life lessons can be gleaned from many forms of pop culture. Along the way there are speed rounds and hundreds of nerdy references from the worlds of Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and other franchises.
The book is a lighthearted and entertaining read, but a bit shallow and kind of pop psychology. It is a quick read and would be a fun gift for that superfan in your life.
September 13, 2021
What a funny, refreshing book.
The title itself was enough to lure me in, and anyone who is into movies, books, TV shows, pop culture in general will appreciate this. There are so, so, so many references to some of the most loved characters, you're bound to get sucked in.
It's pretty short, and you can read it at once, or do it like I did, read a couple of chapters every day.
It's funny, insightful, full of great lessons from pop culture. Plenty, plenty of lovely and memorable quotes and moments that will make you wonder. It has a very hopeful, positive outlook on the world, and I loved it.
The title itself was enough to lure me in, and anyone who is into movies, books, TV shows, pop culture in general will appreciate this. There are so, so, so many references to some of the most loved characters, you're bound to get sucked in.
It's pretty short, and you can read it at once, or do it like I did, read a couple of chapters every day.
It's funny, insightful, full of great lessons from pop culture. Plenty, plenty of lovely and memorable quotes and moments that will make you wonder. It has a very hopeful, positive outlook on the world, and I loved it.
October 7, 2021
This title focuses on a conversation between several men after a day at Comic Con. You'll find out answers to questions like: Why would three friends be hanging out dressed like characters from three completely different franchises? What does it mean to have a mantra to " love like a wookiee?" What is the moral of Scooby-Doo? Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit is it short read that is simultaneously funny, delicate, diverse, thought-provoking, relevant and insightful. You don't have to be a fan of any particular franchise or be someone that attends Comic-Con to enjoy the interesting back-and-forth style take on how modern pop culture could help shape who we are.
October 10, 2021
Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit is a fast paced entertaining book about life lessons seen through pop culture..
The book is setup as an ongoing conversation at a restaurant near a comic con between four friends, cosplaying as a Vulcan, Wookiee, Hobbit, and an elder, who befriend a lone attendee and together they discuss what pop culture can teach us about life. The speed round chapters give quick fire answers showing a life lesson each fandom in rapid succession the other chapters go into more detail.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys any fandom be it movies, video games or books.
The book is setup as an ongoing conversation at a restaurant near a comic con between four friends, cosplaying as a Vulcan, Wookiee, Hobbit, and an elder, who befriend a lone attendee and together they discuss what pop culture can teach us about life. The speed round chapters give quick fire answers showing a life lesson each fandom in rapid succession the other chapters go into more detail.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys any fandom be it movies, video games or books.
October 28, 2021
3.5 stars. This was fun to read. The subtitle says it all: Life lessons from pop culture. Yep. And it’s chock full of nuggets of wisdom, some that I know, some was a huh that’s right kind of moment. And from various movies and tv series too. I didn’t get all the movies and tv show references, but the point are the lessons anyway. Thanks to Smart Pop Books, BenBella Books, Inc.
I enjoyed this one.
I enjoyed this one.
November 17, 2024
Want a quick take on philosophy using pop culture references (mainly tv shows and movies) this is it. Insightful, thought provoking, and amusing. Even if you’re not familiar with many of the shows/movies, the connections made in relation to each other and or life in general is easy to follow. Recommend for a quick read.
October 12, 2021
If concern about quicksand has played a bigger part in your life than perhaps is warranted, this is a must read. This is a fun, sweet observational piece which will make sense to more people than will want to admit it.
February 22, 2025
Robb Pearlman's book was funny and full of pop cultural references and the lessons we take away from our favorite stories. This book was philosophical and thoughtful, written in the format of a conversation between cos-players at a convention.
October 29, 2021
This book made me literally laugh out loud. In public. It was great!
December 1, 2021
A funny humor book featuring first perspective short stories that are easy to blast through in your downtime.
January 24, 2022
not really my thing. I need to reread. If I change my mind, I will adjust my rating. I am not a fan of these types of characters so I don't understand most of the references.
January 28, 2022
I’m so glad I randomly saw this and picked it up based solely on the title! Every nerdy reference made me feel happy and the life lessons hit home more than I ever expected.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews