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  • Paddle Your Own Canoe

  • One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living
  • Written by: Nick Offerman
  • Narrated by: Nick Offerman
  • Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (226 ratings)

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Paddle Your Own Canoe

Written by: Nick Offerman
Narrated by: Nick Offerman
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Publisher's Summary

Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman shares his humorous fulminations on life, manliness, meat, and much more in his first book.

Growing a perfect moustache, grilling red meat, wooing a woman - who better to deliver this tutelage than the always charming, always manly Nick Offerman, best known as Parks and Recreation's Ron Swanson? Combining his trademark comic voice and very real expertise in woodworking - he runs his own woodshop - Paddle Your Own Canoe features tales from Offerman's childhood in small-town Minooka, Illinois - "I grew up literally in the middle of a cornfield" - to his theater days in Chicago, beginnings as a carpenter/actor and the hilarious and magnificent seduction of his now-wife Megan Mullally. It also offers hard-bitten battle strategies in the arenas of manliness, love, style, religion, woodworking, and outdoor recreation, among many other savory entrees.

A mix of amusing anecdotes, opinionated lessons and rants, sprinkled with offbeat gaiety, Paddle Your Own Canoe will not only tickle readers pink but may also rouse them to put down their smart phones, study a few sycamore leaves, and maybe even handcraft (and paddle) their own canoes.

©2013 Nick Offerman (P)2013 Penguin

What the critics say

“[Offerman] not only explores his Paul Bunyan-like image with tongue-in-cheek lessons on manliness, complete with illustrations and advice, but also offers poignant memories of his childhood growing up in Illinois and hilarious anecdotes from his career.” (Entertainment Weekly)

“Offerman touches on everything from his days as a break-dancing, football-playing farm boy in Minooka (about 50 miles southwest of the Loop) to his freewheeling, hedonistic 20s in Chicago to the inevitable Hollywood struggles that followed. But he doesn’t gloss over embarrassing moments, including his two trips to jail during college at the University of Illinois - one for shoplifting Ronnie Milsap cassettes from Kmart as a joke; the other, he says, a convoluted case of mistaken identity. Between anecdotes, he delivers impassioned pleas and rants…” (Chicago magazine)

“Thought-provoking, profane, and frequently hilarious…getting to know Offerman through his stumbling courtship with Megan Mullally and Kabuki theater training is well worth the price of admission.” (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Paddle Your Own Canoe

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BUY THIS BOOK

Rarely do I write reviews on books, however, this one is a must listen!! Nick offermans views on life, love and a clear unabashed view on how to achieve a sense of self worth are something everyone should listen to ( basically, don’t be an asshole) While offering up hilarious personal experiences, Nick dives deep into examining several of modern societies issues. His delivery through it all is something that needs to be experienced. Personally, this book has changed my life for the better, and I can only hope that it will enrich yours as well.

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Top Notch Listening

Brilliantly narrated by the great Nick Offerman. Insight, humour and humility best served with a cold pint.

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Beyond funny!!!

Omg I loved this audio book so much Nick Offerman is adorable and having him narrate his book is the best way to hear this story. This book was my walking buddy and so many times I laughed out loud which probably looked odd as I was with my dog! I absolutely recommend this book and really I loved hearing Ron Swanson my favorite character in this as well!

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Easily Perfect. Truly Delicious Living.

This was such an easy review to write.

This is a well told story from start to finish, and yes I am referring to it as a story. It was such an enjoyable listen that at times is almost felt surreal, like listening to a parent tell you a story.

I would reccomend this listen to anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone, who enjoys enjoyable stories read by the man who knows them most.

Please, do yourself a personal favor, buy this book. Do it, please.

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Inspiring, touching and hilarious read

Nick Offerman offers touching and inspiring accounts of his personal and professional development in his own hilarious way. Enjoyed the book quite very much and will be listening to other books by the same author. If you want to learn what the secret of life is, or which type of facial hair is acceptable, this book is for you.

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amazingly hilarious and entertaining

This is the only way to experience this title in my honest opinion. Nick Offerman makes me laugh and at points I had to pull off the road to finish laughing while listening.

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Hilarious!

Better than expected! This book was surprisingly even more funny than I anticipated and it even had me a bit weepy at times. An intriguing look into the character you love, while revealing so much about the actor you probably don’t know. #Audible1

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Nick is sick

Couldn't get enough if the authors witt and honestly. I can't help but imagine he would be proud of my writings and make him chuckle.

I love this man!

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Fantastic fulfilling read!

words to live by to be a man and live life to the fullest

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Fun book, good humour, a lot of his life's work

I enjoyed this book. A bit too much about plays and auditions he's done, it drags a bit here and there, but worth listening to the end.

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