Accidental Playboy

Caught in the Ultimate Male Fantasy

By: Leif Ueland

Narrated by: Leif Ueland

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Accidental Playboy is the hilarious, erotic, and provocative memoir of a sensitive post-modern man who stumbles into the dream job of a lifetime. When Playboy magazine tapped Leif Ueland to report on its nationwide search for the Playmate of the Millennium, he was the ultimate confused American male. A self-professed nice guy, raised in a family with strong feminist traditions, Ueland had retreated from even the idea of dating, opting instead to wrestle with his stalled first novel. In short, he thought himself the last man to be on Playboy's roving audition bus, never mind its official reporter. And yet, something deep within his psyche leapt at the opportunity.

In this Hunter Thompsonesque chronicle, Ueland describes his six months in a high-tech mobile photo studio - an upside-down world where women can't wait to disrobe and get into the pages of Playboy. He tells of the seen-it-all photographers, the jaded female PR rep, and of course, the Playmate hopefuls themselves, a parade of young women looking for a better life - and simultaneously more and less innocent than we expect. Wading deeper and deeper into a sea of beauty, nudity, sex, and ambition, Ueland undergoes an intriguing transformation that discloses important truths about men and women and the gravitational forces that bind them.

An extraordinary work of reportage and a powerful look at American sexual mores, Accidental Playboy is also hilarious, showing what happens when a "shy guy" breaks out of his shell, and the whole world starts spinning his way.

Accidental Playboy is also available in print from Warner Books.

©2002 by Leif Ueland
(P)2002 Random House Inc.

Fascination and aggravation.

The author accurately describes himself as a neurotic wannabe novelist, and the listener is forced to endure his company in order to satisfy her curiosity about the Playmate search. There is a touch of maturation by the end of the tale, but by then, having spent so many hours enduring this young man's kvetching, it's a bit too late. Interspersed between his insipid personal problems are a few interesting glimpses into what runs the Playboy machine. Still, the audiobook kept me awake on a long drive as I alternated between fascination and aggravation.

Good one

Really enjoyed this one. I'm getting married and leaving all this behind. But it was fun to think about what you would have done if your were him for the trip.

A funny story, that was fun to listen to

This has to be every young mans fantasy, to be on the Playboy model search tour. The story is well told and really shows what life on the road with Playboy turns out to be. Like most fantasies, the real adventure turns out to be a different experience.

This is not my favorite book by any means, but if you need to find a book to listen to that will keep your interest for a long time, then you could do a lot worse than this.

Very Entertaining

If you like esquire, Maxim, Stuff etc then this is for you. An awsome book and a good read. the author is both entertaining and sarcastic at the same time as well as self effacing. Great topic and both interesting and somewhat tittilating. The last section is the best as the tour winds down and his love life winds up...... for all those guys who look at Playboy you will now have a different opinion!! a great listen!!

Decent book

When I DL'd the audiobook I wasn't sure what to expect. Ironically I didn't associate the "playboy" in the title with "Playboy" the Men's magazine. I must be an airhead.
Anyhow the book was surprisingly good. Not cheesy at all. It was interesting to hear the transformation of the Author/Narrator with all the experiences he had on the bus trip. I could personally identify and empathise with (aside from the parties with "Hef" at the mansion) in just being a man.
Overall a decent book--worth the DL. Definitely a "slice of life" book.

Author complains throughout the book

I got 3/4 the way through and couldn't finish it. The author spends most of his time complaining to the reader and his therapist (and anyone who will listen) about how difficult it was for him to be on the bus. You are on a Playboy bus, get over yourself! It's really kind of pathetic and thoroughly boring. Save your book credit for something better.

Yuk! Reduntant and Boring

One of the worst books I've downloaded. I didn't even finish listening. It's boring, boring, boring. After Chapter 3 each scene is merely a repeat of the one before. I didn't find it humorous, I found it repeative. I recommend you pass. There is far too many GOOD books like "All He Ever Wanted" and "The Fountainhead"/