Nice Try
“A collection of funny and sweet personal essays…Gondelman’s chops as a comedy writer are on full display throughout, and his observations are hilariously spot-on…Gondelman’s fun, witty book is a marvel of emotional depth and cutting one-liners.”
Publishers Weekly
Emmy-Award winning writer and comedian Josh Gondelman's collection of personal stories of best intentions and mixed results.
Josh Gondelman knows a thing or two about trying-and failing. The Emmy Award-winning stand-up comic-dubbed a "pathological sweetheart" by the New York Observer-is known throughout the industry as one of comedy's true "nice guys." Not surprisingly, he's endured his share of last-place finishes. But he keeps on bouncing back.
In this collection of hilarious and poignant essays (including his acclaimed New York Times piece "What if I Bombed at My Own Wedding?"), Josh celebrates a life of good intentions-and mixed results. His true tales of romantic calamities, professional misfortunes, and eventual triumphs reinforce the notion: we get out of the world what we put into it. Whether he's adopting a dog from a suspicious stranger, mitigating a disastrous road trip, or trying MDMA for the first (and only) time, Josh only wants the best for everyone-even as his attempts to do the right thing occasionally implode.
Full of the warm and relatable humor that's made him a favorite on the comedy club circuit, Nice Try solidifies Josh Gondelman's reputation as not just a good guy, but a skilled observer of the human condition.
Praise