Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind

Written by Nate Bargatze

Narrated by Nate Bargatze

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
AN INSTANT USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER 

From one of the hottest stand-up comedians, Nate Bargatze brings his everyman comedy to the page 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 readers laugh out loud and nod in recognition, but it probably won’t make them think too much.

*Nate’s family disputes this entire story. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: May 6, 2025
• ISBN: 9781668648421

Reviews for Big Dumb Eyes

[Julie Hamm OBrien · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I laughed out loud several times while enjoying this book. I’ve seen Nate live and on TV, but hearing him narrate his own book felt like hanging out with a good friend. I loved it and will be recommending it to others.

[Emily Lassiter Branch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm a huge fan of Nate Bargatze's comedy, his stories are so relatable and his delivery is very much in my comedy lane (if there is such a thing). So I was happy to see that he had a book coming out - and that he would be narrating it. I found the stories that illustrate the trajectory of his life up to now as entertaining as his comedy shows. It felt like a conversation, versus a "let me sit down and write a book about my life up to now", and I really enjoyed that approach. It was illuminating and entertaining, and while if I'd read it with my eyes I would've heard his voice in my head, I was very glad that I listened to the audiobook and actually heard the stories in his actual voice.

[Lydia Dunn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nate never seems to disappoint me!!! I have listened to every clip that I can find. And keep looking for more… this book is exactly what Nate says it is at the beginning of it. Although the PDFs were not available to me I still am going to give it a 5 star bc I can’t give it a “19” ?

[Jackee Hamp · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book contained several authentic laugh out loud moments for me. And those moments I think back on it still catches my giggle box. Although some of the stories were familiar from the Nateland podcast, interviews he has done and his standup, each telling is completely fresh and does not seem redundant (If Nate reads this review, he may need a dictionary for that word. It means said over and over again. And for those of you who haven’t listened to the audiobook it will make sense when you listen to it but it’s in no way a spoiler.) in his telling of it. This would be a great audiobook for car rides and summer travel. Or anytime travel, actually. Probably not going to be as engaging to the under 12 crowd, but you and your driving partner could listen as they do something else in the back and you wouldn’t be worried about what they heard- well there’s one tractor towards the very very end where the elf on the shelf magic is uncovered. Sadly, the PDF that he refers to often with the pictures is not accessible in this download. Maybe you have to purchase the whole book to have those. So that might be one disadvantage.

[Steve James · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I enjoy his humor a lot, I just didn't find the book that interesting. I don't quite know why. Maybe because there was no other laughter to encourage me. But after a while I just bored of it. I had a similar experience with a live performance I went to. If you like his material, you'll probably like the book. I simply didn't and I don't know why.

[Laura Pearce · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best comedian ever. So grateful for his clean humor. Love not feeling slimed.

[Lori · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Comedy genius. You'll have to pull over, if driving. Laughing tears! Nate's doing it, and doesn't need to be gross or inappropriate to "kick it"!!! Love when a genuine CHRISTIAN does good!!!

[villemezbrown · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Nate Bargatze's stand-up specials.

This isn't as sharp as those, though it sometimes overlaps, but it is a fun time with a very funny man.


Side note: I turned this into an immersive reading experience, trailing along in the book as I listened to the audiobook. I don't usually do that, but I realized early on that Nate's narration on the audiobook tended to drift away from the book's text. A lot of it is just changing a few words in a few sentences every page -- extemporaneous narrative choices, I imagine, made because they felt good in the moment or just to keep the flow going instead of stopping and having to re-record. Sometimes though he'll drop a sentence or two from the book's text entirely or insert several sentences or even a paragraph of ad lib material into the audiobook. All these changes add up over the course of the book, maybe creating up to a five or ten percent deviation over the course of the whole thing. So if you want the complete experience, you need to read them both individually or do the immersive experience and try to keep up with the dissonance.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Introduction. The Most Words -- The Biggest Little Speed Trap in Tennessee -- I Was Almost a Genius -- Random Food Thing 1: I Guess Sushi Is Old -- My Sister the Alien -- The Ballad of Old Blue -- The Perfect Sock -- The Time I Made the NBA -- I'm in Your Head -- Bowling 101 -- Random Food Thing 2: I Hate Onions -- Kiss the Girl -- Get Your Head Above Water -- Help Wanted: Must Love Snacks -- I Would Leave a Note -- No More Guilt-Tipping -- Random Food Thing 3: You Changed, McDonald's. You Changed. -- The Dog Chapter -- No Running in the Madhouse -- The Bet -- Random Food Thing 4: My Parents Waited in Line Three Hours for Whataburger -- I Am Definitely Not Shopping Right Now -- This Is Totally Our Year -- Take Another Breath. You're Welcome. -- I Believe in Elves -- My Barber Makes Me Work Out -- Random Food Thing 5: I Better Talk This Over with My Wife -- The Bargatze Way -- Conclusion: Congrats -- Acknowledgments -- Outro Credits [Audiobook only]

[jacsun · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A comedian is supposed to be funny. That’s why I bought the book. I heard Nate Bargatze on a talk show recently and laughed at a few things he said. On a whim, I bought the book. It’s good to have some humor close by.

Each chapter picks up a piece of his life and while somewhat interesting, it wasn’t very funny. I don’t think I laughed once. Yet, I made it through to the last page which says something. He seems like a nice guy with a good happy life with his wife, daughter, family and friends in Tennessee.

2.5 stars

[boundtogetherforgood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Nate's humor. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as his standup, but it was still good.

[citizenjoyce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Nate Bargatze's stand-up comedy, so I thought I'd love this book, but I don't like comedic books. Even though Bargatze reads it, I have to put it with other comedic books that don't work for me. Comedy is all about timing. Bargatze wrote these funny stories, and he reads them, but he doesn't perform them. The timing is wrong, so the humor doesn't hit the way it should.