The Dangerous Animals Club

By: Stephen Tobolowsky

Narrated by: Stephen Tobolowsky

From legendary character actor Stephen Tobolowsky, comes a collection of memoiristic pieces about life, love, acting, and adventure, told with a beguiling voice and an uncommon talent for storytelling.

The Dangerous Animals Club by Stephen Tobolowsky is a series of stories that form a non-linear autobiography. Each story stands on its own, and yet there are larger interconnecting narratives that weave together from the book's beginning to end. The stories have heroics and embarrassments, riotous humor and pathos, characters that range from Bubbles the Pigmy Hippo to Stephen's unforgettable mother, and scenes that include coke-fueled parties, Hollywood sets, French trains, and hospital rooms.

Told in a vivid, honest, and wondrous voice, Tobolowsky manages to render the majestic out of the seemingly mundane, profundity from the patently absurd, and grace from tragedy. This book marks the debut of a massively talented storyteller.

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

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.

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.