Paddle Your Own Canoe

August 1, 2013
An actor's comedic memoir and how-to guide for enjoyable living in the modern era. In his debut book, actor Offerman--best known for his role as the carnivorous, hypermasculine Ron Swanson on NBC's Parks and Recreation--summons his inner Swanson when writing of his principles for "Delicious Living." For the author, living deliciously means dedicating more than a few pages to the wonder of meat ("If there is a God, no part of the Bible or Christian doctrine will convince me of his existence half as much as the flavor of a barbecued pork rib"), though he tackles more serious subject as well: religion, love, friendship and the value of hard work. In a particularly prickly chapter entitled "Assholes" (in which he tackles everything from slavery to lobbyists), Offerman becomes acutely aware of his balancing act between comic and curmudgeon. "But wait, I thought this book was a lighthearted look at living one's life deliciously?" he writes. "That's all well and good, fat boy, but you cannot just blithely drift through life in your canoe whilst turning a blind eye to the bullshit going on around you." Though he deems himself the "average meat, potatoes, and corn-fed human male," his Go-West-young-man story is anything but average. From his humble roots as a pig poop-shoveling youth to his rise as a beloved actor, Offerman's story embodies the tenets of the American dream, complete with a few more moustache jokes. Wavering between finger-shaking admonishments toward society's ills and songs of praise for self-reliance, Offerman offers plenty of laughs, though a few head scratches as well. Fans of Parks and Recreation and Offerman's brand of deadpan humor are sure to gorge themselves on the healthy portion he provides.

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October 1, 2013
Ron Swanson is a mustachioed, breakfast-food-loving, woodworking red-meat connoisseur. Nick Offerman is a mustachioed, breakfast-food-loving, woodworking red-meat connoisseur but, more important, also a real persona grateful, gracious, bemused actor in love with his wife, Megan Mullaly (best known as Karen in Will & Grace), and the earnest simplicity of his not-so-Hollywood Hollywood existence. From his humble beginnings in Minooka, Illinois, to his meteoric rise portraying Ron Swanson on the much-loved TV show, Parks and Recreation, Offerman has lived a lot of life. He looks back as fondly on his upbringing in a small farming community with his hardworking parents and three siblings as on the time he spent at the University of Illinois and, later, in Chicago, where he received theater training. Not only does he recall his life, but he also offers chuckle-worthy anecdotes, diagrams, even a haiku (aboutwhat else?bratwurst) to help his readers find their own ways toward delicious living. Ron Swanson would be proud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

August 12, 2013
In his first book, Offerman—best known for his popular character Ron Swanson on NBC’s Parks and Recreation—opens up about his life and the values that he says have brought him prosperity and success. Each chapter of the memoir is accompanied with an essay outlining a relevant principle Offerman claims may lead the reader to a better life. The veracity of some of his statements may be called into question—vegans will bristle at his position on meat (“eating red meat gives one character”) and Millennials will not appreciate his dismissive attitude towards GPS devices and smartphones—but Offerman openly admits on the first page that what works for him may not be everyone’s glass of scotch. Whether or not the reader considers his advice worth following, it is thought-provoking, profane, and frequently hilarious, although the book sometimes detours into recommendations of well-known movies and plays; Parks and Rec fans may be disappointed at the small amount of material about the show, but getting to know Offerman through his stumbling courtship with Megan Mullally and Kabuki theater training is well worth the price of admission.