Failure Is an Option

An Attempted Memoir

Preview

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to Cart failed.

Please try again later

Add to Wish List failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wish list failed.

Please try again later

Follow podcast failed

Unfollow podcast failed

Audible Standard 1-month free trial

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo + applicable tax after 30-day trial. Cancel Anytime

Try for $0.00

More purchase options

Failure Is an Option

Written by: H. Jon Benjamin

Narrated by: H. Jon Benjamin

Try for $0.00

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $19.11

Summary

“Writing this funny requires immense talent.”
—AV Club

H. Jon Benjamin—the lead voice behind Archer and Bob's Burgers—helps us all feel a little better about our own failures by sharing his own in a hilarious memoir-ish chronicle of failure.

Most people would consider H. Jon Benjamin a comedy show business success. But he'd like to remind everyone that as great as success can be, failure is also an option. And maybe the best option. In this book, he tells stories from his own life, from his early days ("wherein I'm unable to deliver a sizzling fajita") to his romantic life ("how I failed to quantify a threesome") to family ("wherein a trip to P.F. Chang's fractures a family") to career ("how I failed at launching a kid's show").

As Jon himself says, breaking down one's natural ability to succeed is not an easy task, but also not an insurmountable one. Society as we know it is, sadly, failure averse. But more acceptance of failure, as Jon sees it, will go a long way to making this world a different place . . . a kinder, gentler place, where gardens are overgrown and most people stay home with their pets. A vision of failure, but also a vision of freedom.

With stories, examples of artistic and literary failure, and a powerful can't-do attitude, Failure Is an Option is the book the world doesn't need right now but will get regardless.

H. Jon BenjaminH. Jon BenjaminPenguin Audio

Entertainment & Celebrities

Performing Arts

Celebrity

Comedy

Memoir

Funny

Witty

Feel-Good

Success

Biography

Entertainment & Celebrities Performing Arts Celebrity Comedy Memoir Funny Witty Feel-Good Success Biography

What the critics say

“His craft, and what makes him such an inspired and singular voice, is to make it look easy… That it’s decidedly not that easy is part of the gag; writing this funny requires immense talent.”
—AV Club

“It’s that voice … Had me laughing out loud.”
—The New York Times

“Benjamin’s stories run the gamut from personal to professional and will leave you laughing out loud and embracing your own failures.”
—HelloGiggles

“Benjamin’s unique take on the classic ‘fail until you succeed’ self-help industry looks to be as self-deprecating and absurd as his best work.”
—Brightest Young Things

“Irreverent, edgy and hilarious…recommend to all who need a respite from stress and a good laugh.”
—Booklist

“Benjamin is up-front and funny as he recounts his unsuccessful launch of a kids’ late-night TV talk show (tentative title: 'Midnight Pajama Jam') and documents his parental shortcomings (bad idea: babysitting an infant in a video arcade). Yet failure 'doesn’t mean the end of something,' Benjamin writes. 'Often, it’s a springboard toward something better.' He delivers these and other words to live by with concision, wit and a stand-up’s sense of timing.”
—Book Page

"Thank you for sending me a copy of the book."
—Amy Poehler

"Will try and get a quote back to you soon."
—David Cross

Automatic reply: Anderson is out of his office from December 21-22. For urgent requests, please email [redacted].
—Anderson Cooper

"Dream big and tomorrow will be brighter."
—Quotes.com

"Believe in yourself and others will follow."
—Inspirationalquotes.com

Most Relevant

Excellent reason by H. Jon Benjamin. Starts off, very... Meh. But, once he gets going it is incredibly funny. For reals. I laughed out loud (LOL'd, if you will) so many times, that j can only recommend this book for people who enjoy laughing and listening to someone who can and will make you laugh.

My only complaint is that the book itself isn't longer and that H. Jon doesn't get more into detail on numerous aspects of his life. I know that it's supposed to be about failure, but why not go into more detail about how you succeeded at life? It's almost as though he failed to create the perfect book.

Wait a minute...