A Paper Orchestra

By: Michael Jamin

Narrated by: Michael Jamin

In his debut collection of personal essays, Emmy-nominated screenwriter Michael Jamin (King of the Hill, Just Shoot Me, Beavis and Butt-Head, Wilfred, Maron, Rules of Engagement, Tacoma FD) recounts the true stories of a sensitive, anxious man searching for the things that are most important: identity, love, forgiveness, and redemption.

A cross between David Sedaris and Neil Simon, Michael discovers his unlikeliest moments of growth: he fakes his way onto a college-football team to experience a moment of grace; gets caught lying during a Hollywood power meeting; takes advantage of the pandemic lockdown to repair his relationship with his daughters, breaks up with a woman because she can’t stop saying “just kidding.”

Audaciously funny yet achingly poignant, A Paper Orchestra will have you rethinking the smallest, almost forgotten moments of your life.

©2024 Michael Jamin (P)2024 Michael Jamin

Critic reviews

“Fantastic… It’s multi-timbral. It runs all levels of the pyramid at the same time. His knockout punches are stinging sincerity.”—John Mayer

"Those who appreciate the power of simple stories to tell us about human nature… or who are bewitched by a storyteller who has mastered his craft, will find a delightful collection of vignettes.… A lovely anthology that strikes a perfect balance between humor and poignancy.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Keen, hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking insights from an astute and twisted observer of everyday life.”—Steven Levitan, co-creator, Modern Family; creator, Just Shoot Me

Honest and SO funny!

I loved every story! I loved that Michael was so honest and his humor was self deprecating. I listened to it often in my car. People driving by me must have thought I was crazy because I frequently was laughing out loud! I highly recommend this touching, funny book.

An Exceptional Audiobook

I usually enjoy books more than audiobooks, but A Paper Orchestra is the exception. I read the book first & loved it, but then I listened to it, I discovered new layers to the stories. The authenticity will surprise you & move you. It’s not an author just reading & it’s more than a beautiful performance, It’s what honesty sounds like. Give it a listen.

Unexpected and Fun

A Paper Orchestra serves up an enjoyable performance, as read by author Michael Jamin. His experience as a TV sitcom writer comes through in the form of mad storytelling skills. It's as effortless as if Michael and the listener are chilling over lunch or swapping tales at a cocktail party. After watching him on social media for a while, I expected it to be light and fun--and for the most part, it is. What surprised me was the frequent use of literatary devices and the creative figurative language confirming that Michael is not limited to writing dialogue for Beavis and Butt-Head punctuated with nose picking. Yup. Michael can definitely write with style. And he knows when to show empathy. When to make fun of himself and when to be vulnerable. His vocal performance was also on point. Great job, Cynthia. You directed him well.

So Powerful!

Every story is impactful. Michael performs his essays with raw emotion. I laughed and cried, and felt so many emotions in between. I recommend this audiobook to everyone.

I laughed, I cried, I might even have snorted!

I ordered the book, but I couldn't wait for it to get here, so I've been listening to the audio book.

Guys, you have to get the audio book!

These stories are incredible on their own, but hearing Michael tell them is a whole new experience. The humor, the sarcasm, the pain and heartbreak are so potent that I found myself on an emotional roller-coaster snickering, scoffing, crying, and laughing out loud again before the tears could dry. It's so well-written. It reminds me of everything I love about the craft of telling a great story and how powerful they can be when we have the courage to share them with others.

I found Michael's Facebook page after looking at a few writing webinars. I hate my soul-sucking desk job, and I've been trying to revive the creative passion that I had before life was just a cycle of working and changing diapers. I've watched nearly a dozen "professionals" promise to give life-changing instruction just to waste an hour sitting through an infomercial for an overpriced online course. Michael uses his years of real experience as a professional writer to guide with brilliant and often blunt advice. He provides a generous amount of free content, and after watching a few of his webinars and experiencing the quality material he shares in 45 minutes, I have no doubt his paid course is more than worth it.

But more than the advice and the much needed laugh (and cry), I'm so thankful for how Michael has inspired me to embrace my creativity, dig deep to find the stories that only I can tell, and be brave enough to share them with the world.

Geez, this was long! We'll call it the first of many books to come.

Thank you, Michael!

Fun, entertaining, enthralling call it what you will.

What a great fun book and awesome listen. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to another book and thought “aw it’s over.” It truly left me wanting more. Even the “behind the scenes” end on this audio book was entertaining. I hope he included an audio cd with the behind the scenes commentary in the paper book. It was that good. Listening to his approach to writing this book brought it all together wonderfully.

Beautiful, funny and relatable.

I have recommended this book to all of my friends. Well packaged book of essays about life. Witty, sarcastic, sad, hilarious… The stories in this book are so relatable. I truly enjoyed it, and I absolutely recommend it. I am actually going to go see Michael perform his show live because this book was so dang good! looking forward to more essays and more books from this great writer.

Humor and Emotion

What a great ride. I thought the humor was great, it was easy to listen to and emotional.

A Gem of a Book

Listening to Miachael Jamin's audio book "A Paper Orchestra" I am absolutely enamored of his personal stories. They had me completely captivated. His storytelling ability is truly remarkable, as he effortlessly weaves together moments of personal and candid experiences, woven with humor, that had me both laughing out loud and reflecting on my own life.

What truly sets this audio book apart is Jamin's narration. The fact that he is the author and the one bringing his stories to life adds an incredible level of authenticity and emotion. His naration draws you in and makes you feel like you are sitting right there with him, experiencing every moment firsthand.

"A Paper Orchestra" is a true gem that I am grateful to have discovered, along with the author himself, whom I also enjoy watching his regular posts on social media. It is a collection of personal stories that will stay with me long after I've finished listening. If you are looking for a heartfelt and entertaining audio book, look no further than this masterpiece by Miachael Jamin. I promise you won't be disappointed.

A Most Enjoyable Book

You will laugh and cry. I was sad when this book ended. Highly recommend! Thanks Michael