Just a Guy

Notes from a Blue Collar Life

By: Bill Engvall, Alan Eisenstock

Narrated by: Bill Engvall

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Blue Collar Comedy star Bill Engvall is just a guy. He's been one his whole life. He can't help it; he was born that way. And that makes him an expert on the subject. For the record, here's the official definition of a guy: a person who doesn't think before he speaks. He can't. He's not that deep. Because a guy has only three basic needs: eating, sleeping, and sex. That's it. Just a Guy chronicles a lifetime in pursuit of those needs.

In this memoir, Bill Engvall takes you on the rollicking ride of his life, including his childhood in Texas and adolescence in Arizona (where he became a fixture in local emergency rooms, the result of massive amounts of non-thinking behavior while trying to impress girls or torture his sisters); following his dream as a stand-up comic and, gulp, singer; and his brief stint in children's theater while sharing the stage and the back of a van with the director's dog. You'll also hear about his bumbling and riotous courtship of, and then marriage to, Gail, the love of his life. And finally, Bill talks about fatherhood and remaining, to this day, a well-meaning but flawed parent.

Through it all, Bill gamely stumbles along, struggling to maintain a facade of confidence and control. Far from a superhero, Bill Engvall is an everyday Everyman, the poster boy for normal. The result is disarming, perceptive, wildly funny, and unexpectedly moving. Just a Guy will make you laugh out loud and tug at your heart.

©2007 Bill Engvall (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Just what it says notes from a blue collar life.

What does Bill Engvall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I would probably not have finished this book just reading it but, listening to Bill tell it gives it some life interest.

Great insights of a Southern Man's thinking.

I was sad it ended. Loved that Bill can make you understand a man's way of thinking.

Exactly what I expected

I’ve enjoyed his comedy for a good long time. His way of telling a story is just what I was hoping to hear.

If you like him on stage you will enjoy this book. Pure and simple.

Great 'Read'

Bill talks stories. and he's great at it. This book was funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking and funny.

Just a Guy is just a guy

What did you love best about Just a Guy?

Bill Engvall gives a humorous and lighthearted insight on his life, but also exposes his real self - admitting in parts how much of a guy, or real man, he really is, opening up about his family life, including one of the most scariest times of his life.
I laughed, I related, and I even found myself shedding a tear or two with this Guy.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when he offered a doctor & staff some tickets.
... you'll have to hear the story to get the rest.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Engvall already says it - "Just a Guy"

Any additional comments?

Engvall's audiobook has plenty of breaks. Where many go on and on, he reads it in a simple way, with some "quick shots". This is a great listen for the long hauls or the "piece together for some short trips"

Who'd a thunk it!

It is a breath of fresh air to read a biography that is not filled with scandal, crime, drugs, or violence. Thank you for such an entertaining work. I enjoyed it very much.

best book ever. loved the story

very well performed. I laughed and I cried. He is a great performer. best book ever.

Great story

Listened on the road and loved this story. Laughed a lot and a few tears were shed as well. Thanks for a great listen.

Regular story

Would you consider the audio edition of Just a Guy to be better than the print version?

Didnt read the regular book.

What did you like best about this story?

Easy to relate to Bill and his upbringing. Fun stuff that we all remember.

What does Bill Engvall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Love his inflections and the way he relates his own experiences.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Pretty much.

Any additional comments?

Wish he could deliver more like his stand up performances, but understand the need to slow down the pace.

It runs the emotional spectrum

Engvall had me laughing and crying. At his core nothing is as important as his family.