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    Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid
    Unavailable
    Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid
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    Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid
    Audiobook (abridged)4 hours

    Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid

    Written by Simon Pegg

    Narrated by Simon Pegg

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Abridged, 5 hours

    Read by the author

    The unique life story of one of the most talented and inventive comedians, the star of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Star Trek the movie.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJun 9, 2011
    ISBN9781101523520
    Unavailable
    Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid

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    Reviews for Nerd Do Well

    3.5/5

    199 ratings23 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Enjoyed it. Love SP, so not surprised that there was a graphic, self-indulgent, 007/MI worship thread running through the auto-bio.... just odd.
      I'm crazy slow reading bios, but did like learning more about my favorite limey actor. I've seen so much of his work, but now have discovered what I've missed! Don't know if it's available this side of the pond - just add to my UK bucket list.
      Would ~love~ to hear the audio (read by Pegg) and have my feelers out for it.
    • 2/5
      Spent to much time on his childhood for my taste, I would have preferred more about his professional career especially with his long time partners Wright and Frost.
    • 4/5
      Well written and engaging. Any Pegg fan and fellow nerd will love his insights on the Star Wars universe and the circularity of Pegg's existence.
    • 2/5
      I love Simon Pegg and his films, which is perhaps why I found this autobiography somewhat disappointing. I applaud Pegg for opening up about his personal life and telling stories about his childhood -- as he says in the book, that's a hard thing to do. However, it's a bit weird he spends so little time talking about the works that made him famous -- Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

      We learn how he met Nick Frost and Edgar Wright, but get little sense of their working relationship or any of the process that went into developing those films. In fact, Hot Fuzz is barely discussed at all.

      A fictional story about Pegg's adventure with a robot interspersed throughout the book has some funny moments, but ultimately feels like filler. I would have rather Pegg used the space to talk about his writing process for his films.

      Unless Simon Pegg is your obsession, I'd give this a miss.
    • 4/5
      We cannot choose our family but we can choose our friends, and we do, sometimes before we have even met them.Simon Pegg's autobiography was equal parts funny and moving. Obviously I expected the humor but it was the really personal, tear-jerking moments I didn't expect. My only complaint, if I was forced at blaster rifle point by Boba Fett to complain about something, is I would have liked more stories and anecdotes from his late twenties and on. Pegg shared quite a bit about his childhood and from whence his career inspirations and motivations came. I just wanted more about his career and friendships after Shaun of the Dead.My biggest takeaway was how far a person's passion (no matter how nerdy it may be) really can take them if they remain faithful and open to what they truly want in life.4 stars
    • 3/5
      Simon Pegg is one of my all-time favourite comedy actors (and writers) after watching Shaun of the Dead a few years ago and marvelling at him starring in Rik Mayall's and Ade Edmondson's Guest House Paradiso. Now, I'm not a big autobiography fan. If it was written by a comedien or someone comic (with the exception of my alarming obsession for anything Cricket related) then there's every chance that it's going to be funny, and that is what the main point should be.

      I'm not a nerd or a geek or a dweeb or whatever term they may use to collectively refer to themselves, although I have my moments, and though this book was full of unending references to things of a Star nature amongst other things, this meant that the book was no less enjoyable. In fact, this only heightened my enjoyment of the book since I can hardly tolerate to learn about the life of someone I've never met. Again, making it funny and turning it into a story that is purposefully funny makes them tolerable. Also having a lack of ego and a great sense of taking-the-piss out of oneself is the best way forward.
    • 5/5
      fxufxjg
    • 3/5
      The parts worries just speaking and telling a story great insightful fun. The story is not so fun it's annoying that you keep switching back-and-forth between them. At one point I started skipping the story just continuing with the biography portion which made it move better at that point and it was a lot more fun
    • 4/5
      Strange and brilliant! The narrative jumps, but its voice is strong. Great for introspective older teens and adults, alike.
    • 3/5
      Simon Pegg writes just as I expected him to and reading this books is almost like sitting down and listening to an interview with him. It's funny, has a conversational tone, and a random hard-boiled sci-fi thing thrown in just for kicks. That said, I didn't finish it. I don't know if I'm really just not in the mood for a memoir or if the manic, skipping around simply didn't appeal to me. I read the first 100 pages or so and kind of flipped through the rest. It kind of seems like this conversation might have happened:

      Somebody: Simon Pegg, you should write a memoir
      Simon: Uhmmm... ok.
      Somebody: Great!
      Simon: I don't really know what to write about.
      Somebody: Well, just write whatever pops into your head. Make sure it's about you and your life, and we'll publish it.
      Simon: OK.

      In fact, I think he admits several times in the book that he doesn't really know what he's meant to be writing about.

      It's worth picking up, I think it's also probably worth putting down again.
    • 5/5
      One of the best autobiographies I've read. Simon Pegg is a funny, intelligent nerd and his combination of self-mocking fiction with the story of his life is a winning mixture. I would have liked to have read more about his movie career but I believe he is working on a second volume which may cover it. A well-written, interesting book I recommend it to all nerds.
    • 4/5
      A large bit is about his (normal) childhood and school life, so I ask, is this a nerd's bio or not? Then comes his nerdgasm/treatise on Star Wars, which is such an educational read. But I admit that the parts I enjoyed best was the (disappointingly) smaller bit (Edgar Wright/Spaced/Shaun/Hot Fuzz/etc) chapters.

      One can only wonder at what his agent (Ben from Century) thinks about the fiction part.

      Downside is: there is little about him and Nick Frost (for which he could pen in a sequel). The events aren't narrated chronologically, so it gets confusing.
    • 4/5
      I found this autobiography a fascinating read, full of humor and personality. Some of the "fiction" chapters could be perhaps leaning toward the area of silliness, but they were obviously fun to write and therefore I found them fun to read. This book made me see Simon Pegg as a very real person.
    • 4/5
      This is certainly one of the most cleverly written autobiographies I've ever read. Actually, I listened to the audiobook, which was read by Pegg. As a geek of similar age, I certainly related to much of Pegg's childhood. What's most interesting to me though, is the fact that it's almost as though he revealed more of himself through the "B" storyline which featured Pegg in a very Bruce Wayne-esque lifestyle, which every nerd and geek has envisioned themselves in at one time or another. Hopping back and forth between his real life and this grandiose vision of a "dream life" is what makes this book so interesting and so much fun. The only risk in this approach is that his real life might seem dull in comparison.
    • 4/5
      This book was a lot of fun. I love the stories of Pegg's nerdy childhood. Of course, my own was fairly nerdy too, as is my adulthood, which is why I dig Pegg and his work so much. It speaks to me and all others nerds in a way that is not pandering, but rather, communicating with like minds. As Pegg himself notes, he had it fairly easy. His career benefited greatly from good luck and I can only wish I had similar good luck in my career. However, the lack of immense struggle does not cheapen the story told in Nerd Do Well, for it's still full of life and dreams and wonder. Bonus: there's a fictional story woven throughout in which Pegg, the international hero and raconteur, has a memoir to write but finds himself enmeshed in a Bond-like search for a stolen artifact. The robot butler Canterbury is perhaps the best character here. If you dig Simon Pegg's work, you'll like this book. If you like nerdy things, you'll like this book (and Pegg's work in general, so look it up).
    • 4/5
      Simon Pegg, British comedian, TV and movie star, recounts his life and the events that ultimately led-up to the nerdy works he is known for - Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Star Trek. Rather than talk excessively about his life now - the one most of us are mostly familiar with - Pegg instead goes through his life as a child and how "[he] is a product of the experiences he has and the decisions he made as [a child]". The idea of "dishing" about other celebrities is something he chooses to avoid, which brings a sigh of relief as many of those "dishing" stories are "had to be there" stories, which leave most people resentful for even having to hear about them.This personality trait that Pegg identifies with - that celebrities are nothing special - is a culmination of his life experiences as an actor. From the get-go he states that it is unfair that actors are pigeon-holed into being actors for fame and glory. There seems to be a resounding unanimity that attention and money are an actor's real goal in life. Pegg, however, chooses to forgo the so-called "fame tax" and instead has chosen to act for the joy of acting. Pegg shares an anecdote of an actor infuriated by the prospect of signing an autograph in a parking lot. Pegg goes on to say that he does not "understand how any artist can reject positive feedback as if it is an annoyance or, worse, a burden." As an actor who frequently attends conventions, he has never been one to shy away from his fans. This seemingly minor reason alone is one of the reasons Pegg has become such an important figure for the nerdy - rather than focus on the money or the fame, Pegg embraces his nerdiness to create and play roles for fun, respect (to fans and creative entities), or homage to those influential to him as a child (eg Shaun of the Dead paying homage to George Romero and his Dead series).While he is a respectful, popular actor now, his book focuses on his experiences growing up and, interestingly, is intertwined with a science-fiction story about Simon Pegg, a Bond-esque hero with a robot sidekick and an attractive French female love interest. Murielle, the love interest, plays an important part in the science-fiction story, but is also someone with whom Pegg grew close to, fell in love with, pined over, and lost all feelings for in the matter of a summer. Thus is the emotional tale of Pegg growing up - he frequently fell in love, and he always seemed to play the role of funny young "pet" to groups of older people. These two coalesced, hilariously, into a situation into "a group of confident, outgoing women, who...were about to take delivery of a goofy fourteen-year-old boy with a tendency to fall in love and a sense of moral confusion with regard to his carnal desires." These are many of the stories that made up his childhood full of awkwardness, emotions, and the decisions that eventually led him to becoming interested in 'the stage'.Part of being drawn to the stage meant taking classes while in college. One of those classes led to Pegg analyzing film, which also fills the pages of his book. He frequently discusses many of his favorite films and the impact each one had on his life and why they impacted him so. But not only that, he analyzes why the films were so important to mainstream media, what made them successful (or not), and how they have altered cinema to this day. Interestingly, many of the TV shows or movies that changed his life and made him become an actor are ones he later ended up working with. For example, the interior of one of his schools was used in the Harry Potter series; he was a rabid Star Trek fan and eventually played a large role in the newest movie; or meeting and working with George Romero. It is these experiences as a child - that we are all familiar with - that has shaped him, combined with his love for film and the fortuitous meetings with influential people in his life that has made Pegg as successful as he is today. This book is a charming, humorous take on his life and, in many ways, the lives of countless nerds all over the world. For added comfort (and in Pegg fashion), he "secretly...ignored his editor's suggestion and wrote about the superhero anyway" by "humoring him with the biographical stuff and sneaking the real book in between the cracks." What you'll get from this book is an entertaining look at a nerd who has come full circle from being influenced to becoming influential.
    • 3/5
      Pegg's autobiography is another celebrity biography (an unusual genre for me although I read two in the same month) that thankfully transcends the genre. Pegg is witty and humorous as a reflects on his life but also offers good insight on his life and its impact on his comedy work. At times he also takes the educated approach to evaluating some of his beloved pop culture such as Star Wars. He does lose some nerd cred though when he admits to being a life guard and other non-nerdly exploits of his youth. Pegg also appears to be content with his life and grateful for the many opportunities he's been given. If you like Simon Pegg and his work you'll enjoy this book. The only downside is some inter-filed chapters which are written in a manner that can only be described as a 12-year-old Pegg writing a fan fiction about his future life. These chapters may be easily skipped.
    • 4/5
      Simon Pegg, star of such nerdy classics as Shaun of the Dead and Spaced, gives us a rambling memoir full of youthful anecdotes (an astonishing number of which seem to feature girls he had crushes on), thoughtful digressions about the craft of comedy and the current state of pop culture, deeply silly humor, and a constant sense of gleeful, fanboyish amazement at how many childhood heroes he's been able to meet and work with in the course of his career. Also lots of talk about Star Wars. It all feels a little self-conscious, perhaps, but there's a certain kind of charm in that, and on the whole I found it very entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Well written and engaging. Any Pegg fan and fellow nerd will love his insights on the Star Wars universe and the circularity of Pegg's existence.
    • 2/5
      I like Simon Pegg. He's got nerd cred and has continued to gain and enhance his geek cred. Geeks love Shaun of the Dead because we all know the zombie apocalypse will be here any day now. All this was solidified when he played the young Scotty from the Engineering deck on Star Trek. Scotty is geeky in the best possible ways with his engineering know-how, risk-taking, and awesome accent.For me, Nerd Do Well was just okay. The science fiction novel Mr. Pegg weaves throughout the memoir is actually embarrassingly earnest and out of place. I skipped through most of it to read the actual biographical bits and pieces and those were better. Pegg tells stories well and is great at riffing on pop culture, but it's also obvious that he's very private and this makes everything feel a bit distant. I like to get to know someone in a memoir. After reading Nerd Do Well I don't really know anything different about Mr. Pegg than I did when I read it. I'm all for privacy, but not sure it makes sense in the context of a memoir.
    • 4/5
      When Simon Pegg was offered the opportunity to write his first book, he really hoped to write fiction about a suave, handsome superhero (named “Simon Pegg”) and his robotic butler/sidekick, and was disappointed that his publisher wanted something more real and personal. But he managed to get what he wanted too. The opening lines of this book are from the first installment of “Simon Pegg’s” adventures, and that story continues at intervals throughout Simon Pegg’s memoir. It’s a fun device that showcases the work Pegg is best known for.I’ve enjoyed Simon Pegg’s performances in movies like Hot Fuzz, Paul, and Star Trek, and I knew he’d been involved in creating and writing a lot of the work he’s done. I also knew, largely via his Twitter feed (my husband’s a huge fan), that he was One Of Us - a proud card-carrying nerd. Other than that, I didn’t know much about him before I read this. The nonfiction portions of Pegg’s book are more traditional autobiography than what we recognize as “memoir” these days, although they’re not presented in a strictly linear chronology and they’re mixed with observations and critiques of nerd-culture touchstones, most notably the Star Wars movies. As a graduate of drama school and a university theatre program, Pegg’s reflections on the production aspects of popular entertainment are well-thought-out and informed; I got the impression he’d shared long, intricate discussions with like-minded friends on some of the topics he analyzes here, as nerds tend to do. Pegg clearly enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce about his early life and formative experiences; his affection for those who shaped his path - and those who continue to influence it - comes across. He's less chatty and more " just the facts" when it comes to the more recent stages of his career, and seems to know that when his stories begin to verge on name-dropping, it's time to wrap it up (although he does seem to retain genuine wonder at some of the names his own success has afforded him the opportunity to drop).I call celebrity memoir my “guilty-pleasure genre,” but it’s much more pleasure and much less guilt when one of the things the celebrity in question is known for is writing (hey, scripts are writing too). Nerd Do Well is humorous and engaging throughout, occasionally poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny in spots; as nerds go, Simon Pegg has done well indeed. And I hope he’ll get the chance to continue writing the adventures of “Simon Pegg” and Canterbury the robotic butler; I’d definitely see that movie.
    • 2/5
      Simon Pegg is an actor, comedian and director. You might of seen him in Sean of Dead, Hot Fuzz or the latest Star Trek.When an author spends the 1st part of an autobiography explaining that he doesn't want to write an autobiography this should either start alarm bells ringing or, as in my case, increase expectations that the talented Mr Pegg will do something different from the usual.Sadly for me it should just of been alarm bells, this book seems aimed at someone other than me. Someone who loves long discussions on Stars Wars and is interested in film criticism, someone who just wants to know about Pegg's childhood but nothing about his TV/Film career and lastly someone who finds the fictional story of Pegg's superhero alter ego and his robot butler battling evil, funny. Sadly that person is not me.Ok there are some wonderful anecdotal gems but not enough to keep me entertained. It's an odd type of book and I don't think it works. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
    • 4/5
      Mini Book Review: A delightfully touching, real and nerdy memoir from one of my favorite British actor/writers. You can really tell while reading it that he doesn't quite understand why anyone would be interested in reading about him, but was convinced to write a memoir in spite of this. His self deprecating humour makes reading it worthwhile and at times I felt a connection with him based on our similar nerdy ways. I got a kick out of him talking about listening to the Noah skit by Bill Cosby over and over, when I also did the very same thing. Basically he just comes across as a very nice nerdy guy who has talent and got lucky to work at doing what he loves. He mentions all of the other people that made his success happen and it is very obvious that he is thankful for them. He does a marvelous job at telling the stories about when he met his hero's like George A. Romero and Leonard Nimoy, which makes you feel like he is one of you. I am totally jealous that he got to work with Spock, I mean Leonard Nimoy (what can I say I'm a nerd). He doesn't slag anybody and he doesn't over share about his personal life which is extremely classy. Also, in a decidedly unusual way for a memoir there is a hilarious adventure story interspersed within that will make you laugh. My only problems with the book are that is jumps around a lot and you are sort of thinking WTF, and certain parts are a little dry. I think my favorite part of the whole book is the Appendix -- trust me if you are a Star Wars nerd you will enjoy it! A must have book for nerds like me. I think tonight will be a night for a viewing of Shaun of the Dead.I don't usually do quotes but this one made me laugh"Also, Pegg had spray-painted a pair of tits on Canterbury's breastplate after he got drunk on sherry at a Soup Dragons concert in 1991 and couldn't get it off. He regretted the act enormously and had thought many times about spraying over the lewd graffiti but had refrained from doing so in case it invalidated his warranty. It was the same reason Pegg had refrained from removing Canterbuy's flashing earring, resulting in the asexual android being called "gaybot" by some of the other automatons at the 1998 science expo at Earls Court."4 Dewey's I bought this for my Kobo and didn't HAVE to review it, just wanted to bring it to your attention - Live Long and Prosper