The Dangerous Animals Club

By: Stephen Tobolowsky

Narrated by: Stephen Tobolowsky

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

If you ran into Stephen Tobolowsky on the street, you would not be mistaken: Yes, you’ve seen him before. A childhood dentist? A former geometry teacher? Your local florist? Tobolowsky is a character actor, one of the most prolific screen and stage presences of our time, having appeared in productions that range from Deadwood to Glee, from Mississippi Burning to Groundhog Day.

But Stephen Tobolowsky, it turns out, is not just an actor; he is also a dazzlingly talented storyteller and writer. He has earned a devoted base of fans for his original stories, told in front of live audiences as well as in a popular podcast. Now, for the first time, he has assembled those stories here. The result is creative mitzvah, a work of art, and a narrative feat that combines biography and essay, ranging in tone from the hilarious to the introspective.

To read these pages is to enter an astonishing world that, like all art, is universal yet individual, familiar yet disquieting. A dangerous world, indeed.

©2012 Stephen Tobolowsky (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Stephen Tobolowsky has found his true calling as a storyteller. He is candid, insightful, often profound, and very, very funny, especially when he recounts his adventures in show business. By blending sharp memories of his childhood with astute, adult observations of the world around him, he weaves a spell not unlike Jean Shepherd or Garrison Keillor… but he has a voice all his own, and I love it." (Leonard Maltin, film critic and author)

"I LOVE THIS!" (Sarah Silverman)

"Great storytelling, beautiful stuff." (Rian Johnson, director of The Brothers Bloom and Brick)

great book of short stories

I love listening to this book, really puts me in a better place. Stephen Tobolowski has had an interesting life and has astonishing recollection, and to top it off his voice is so soothing. This is the only audiobook I've listened to multiple times. There are great nuggets and life lessons to be gleaned from this.

A great storyteller with humor and meaning!

We needed a break from the murder mysteries so my wife and I listened on our drive to and from Yosemite. It was a great trip b

Didn't Want the Book to End

I can't imagine this book as anything other than an audio book read by the author-- not surprising considering it was based on Tobo's podcasts "The Tobolowsky Files." The stories sound like they're being told casually by a friend, although they are clearly extremely well-crafted. Funny, touching, and more-often-than-not quite poignant. I can't decide if Tobo has led a captivatingly amazing life-- or if he's just a captivatingly amazing storyteller. Most likely a little of both. There's a "This American Life" feel to it— where both the strange and the mundane can lead to something bigger or deeper. If you like that show, you'll like this book. And if you don't like that show, then you're too cynical and/or hip for this book. And I feel sorry for you.

Such a fun and enjoyable experience!

If you could sum up The Dangerous Animals Club in three words, what would they be?

Real; Life; Funny

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dangerous Animals Club?

Flea apartment at SMU.

What about Stephen Tobolowsky’s performance did you like?

Tobo's performane was clear, softly spoken and very humorous.

Any additional comments?

Tobo is a wonderful storyteller. I have listened to all of his pod casts, from one of which this book was written. Tobo is "every man" in the land of Hollywood, movie making, and stars, yet is a wonderfully accomplished actor in his own right. We grew up in the same neighborhood of Oak Cliff in southwest Dallas, so I recognized many of the same places, and remember some of the same great, innocent times.

Vignettes of Every Kind!

What did you love best about The Dangerous Animals Club?

Its variety! Each story was truly something unique and different; there was certainly no predicting what would come next.

What did you like best about this story?

Mr. Tobolowsky's honesty, candor, and humor.

Which scene was your favorite?

To choose a single "favorite" would be impossible because the book was highly entertaining.

The stories that stand out the most in my mind having now finished the book are the scene from the grocery store and the scene involving the stray dog. The aforementioned for hitting me with something I definitely did not see coming, and the latter for absolutely tearing at my heartstrings and making me cry in car.

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

Had that been a remote possibility, I wouldn't have ruled it out. Given that the book is almost 12 hours, that was not really going to happen.

Any additional comments?

A great listen.

Wonderfully surprising book

Thought-provoking, touching, funny…brilliant book wonderfully read by the author. Stephen Tobolowsky's stories are relevant even to those of us infamous people.

Insights and Laughter

This book is far more entertaining and meaningful than most books on tape. Tobolowsky is not only an intelligent and perceptive observer of the human condition, but is consistently funny as he relates stories about his childhood, romantic relationships, family, and movie and television career. As a comic, Tobolowsky reminds me of the Canadian comic, Stuart MacLean (of "Dave Cooks the Turkey" fame). Great stuff!

Tobolowsky is even funnier here than on TV

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I was curious to hear Stephen Tobolowsky's essays after enjoying his characters on the Goldberg's (principal) and Silicon Valley (Jack Barker) and was delighted to find he's one of the best writers/storytellers I've ever encountered. Not hyperbole. Am seeking out every one of his podcasts now!

Storytelling at its finest

I'm not exactly sure what I could say to add to the reviews that have already been written. I should start out by saying that this is not usually the type of book I would buy, but did so on a recommendation of a friend (usually disastrous). Since listening to this book, I have listened to every podcast of "The Tobolowsky Files" and can say that this man has found his true calling as a storyteller, teacher, and entertainer. I am familiar with his work as an actor, as most people are even if they don't know it (one of the recurring themes of the stories). I am a fan from "Californication" which, to me, is some of his funniest, finest work. His ability to open up his life to the reader/listener, both the painful and the triumphant, is astounding. I also highly recommend the movie form of his storytelling "Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party." You get a strange sense that he has lived this life, and been put through these experiences by some higher order for the sole purpose of telling his story and entertaining the world.

These stories are at times hilarious and, at other times, heartbreaking. There are instances where these aren't so easily separated and I found myself laughing through tears. He tells stories of himself as a boy, a boyfriend, an actor, a student, a teacher, an amateur exterminator, a husband, a friend, a drug user, a dog owner, a musician, and a hostage...sometimes all at once. These stories are always fascinating and have a unique sensibility. Even when about something mundane, they are never boring. I'm not sure that I would be willing to open myself up to the world and tell stories which seem so personal and, often times, embarrassing. I am glad the author was willing to do so. Never has encephalitis been so funny.

The book is not a linear autobiography. Instead, it is a collection of stories that often jump in time period, but are ultimately linked. Usually, each story has a theme or lesson he has learned or is retelling through life experience. If this is your first listen to Mr. Tobolowsky, then go one step further and check out the podcast. The stories in this book make up about the first 25 or so podcasts, but the podcasts often include slightly more information, as well as host/author banter. The book, in other words, is a more cleanly edited version of the podcasts with more fluid transitions between stories to try to make them more logically ordered for the reader.

This book could only succeed with the author as a narrator. This narration is more polished then the podcast delivery, which often includes Mr. Tobolowsky laughing out loud or choking up. I appreciate and enjoy the emotion in the podcasts, and, while not completely absent in the book narration, is slightly more controlled. That may or may not be a good thing to some, especially those familiar with the podcast. His voice is full of expression, and you can often tell when he is smiling, frowning, or on the verge of tears, which gives the feeling that he is actually retelling the story and not reading the story.

All in all, a beautiful, rare, and extremely special book that has me reflecting on my family, friends, and life like no other book has. I am stunned by how good this book is and how well it is read. I could not recommend it more.

Stephen Tobolowsky is a phenomenal storyteller.

I discovered Stephen Tobolowsky's writing and storytelling through his podcast. I'd recognized him as one of my favorite character actors, but never would have guessed him to be such a wellspring of touching, funny, intelligent, and profoundly moving stories.

Tobolowsky occasionally veers into the realm of the corny, but this doesn't happen often, and I'll gladly pay that toll to hear his genuinely upbeat philosophy about life.

Listening to him talk about his life and carrier is like sitting down and talking with a good friend. I strongly recommend this book, and Tobolowsky's storytelling in general.