Big Laughs and Bigger Stories
4 out of 5 stars
As a stand-up comedy junkie and longtime Nate Bargatze fan, I was all in for this one, and it totally delivered. Big Dumb Eyes is a heartfelt, laugh-out-loud collection of stories that feel like a natural extension of his stand-up sets, but with even more room to stretch out and be delightfully weird.
From his obsession with Vandy football to the mysteries of sushi, every chapter had me smiling or shaking my head in that familiar Nate way—where you’re not quite sure how you got there, but you’re glad you did. The audiobook makes the whole thing even better. Nate reads it himself and throws in some off-script tangents that make it feel like you’re sitting front row at a private show.
Sure, there are a few moments where he touches more on his faith than he typically does in his sets, but it never feels preachy, just personal. If you’re into Nate’s style of low-key, observational comedy with a lovable twist of self-deprecation, you’ll have a great time.
I flew through this one, laughed plenty, and kind of wish it was twice as long.
Book Description:
From one of the hottest stand-up comedians, Nate Bargatze brings his everyman comedy to book form in this hilarious collection of personal stories, opinions, and confessions.
Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he slipped, fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and “my skull got, like, dented or something.” Before this accident, he dreamed of being “an electric engineer, or a doctor that does brain stuff, or a math teacher who teaches the hardest math on earth.” Afterwards, all he could do was stand-up comedy.* But the “brain stuff” industry’s loss is everyone else’s gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s top-grossing comedians, breaking both attendance and streaming records.
In his highly anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball stick shift) and his travels as a Southerner (Northerners like to ask if he believes in dinosaurs), to tales of his first apartment where he was almost devoured by rats and his many debates with his wife over his chores, his diet, and even his definition of “shopping.” He also reflects on such heady topics as his irrational passion for Vandy football and the mysterious origins of sushi (how can a California roll come from old-time Japan?).
BIG DUMB EYES is full of heart. It will make listeners laugh out loud and nod in recognition, but it probably won’t make them think too much.
*Nate’s family disputes this entire story.
Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze
Narrator: Nate Bargatze
Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
Published by Grand Central Publishing on May 5th 2025
Genres: Comedy, Memoir
- Fix Audible’s Virtual Voice Fast: Add “-virtual” to Your Search (2025/2026 Working) - November 9, 2025
- Ordinary Soil by Alex Woodard (Narrated by Scott Brick, George Newbern) - November 6, 2025
- Learning to Fall by Peach Morris (Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown) - November 3, 2025
