You're Not Doing It Right

Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations

By: Michael Ian Black

Narrated by: Michael Ian Black

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

"You’re not doing it right."

Michael Ian Black has been hearing these five words all his life. And now—on the eve of his 40th birthday—he is finally beginning to wonder why. As a husband and father living in the suburbs, Michael asks the question so many of us ask ourselves at one point or another: How did I end up here? (And also: If fat Kevin Federline succumbs to his own wasted potential, what does that mean for the rest of us?)

The answers to these questions, and others that you probably would have never thought to ask, are painstakingly detailed in You’re Not Doing It Right, Michael Ian Black’s debut memoir. Darkly humorous and told with raw honesty, Michael takes on his childhood, his marriage, his children, and his career with unexpected candor and deadpan wit in this funny-because-it's-true essay collection. He shares the neuroses that have plagued him since childhood and how they shaped him into the man he is today. Stories include: How his lesbian feminist mother raised him to be a tough but sensitive New Seventies Man like Alan Alda; how his camp girlfriend dumped him for a guy nicknamed Taco; how he backed into marrying his wife by breaking up with her first; how he is completely undone by hearing a Creed song on the radio on the eve of becoming a father; and how he learned to use Santa Claus as a "bad cop" threat to control his kids year 'round.

From the comedian who brought you Stella and The State, Michael Ian Black says the kinds of things you’re afraid to admit. Here he is: naked, exposed, a little chilly, and understandably shriveled.

©2012 Michael Ian Black (P)2012 Random House, Inc.

very honest

What did you like best about You're Not Doing It Right? What did you like least?

Micheal Ian Black is an enjoyable narrator to listen too. The is very honest about the joys and struggles of marriage and parenting.

Great read, better audiobook

I love this book and love this audio book even more because Michael Ian Black is the narrator.

Not what I expected, but still worth the price

What other book might you compare You're Not Doing It Right to and why?

It reminded me of Tina Fey's Bossy Pants as well as David Cross' I Drink for A Reason, mostly due to the mixture of biography and comedy as well as the intricate detail for certain stories.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed through a great deal of it, and was brought to tears by one particular scene.

Spoiler Alert From a D.I.N.K.

Any additional comments?

Good entertaining book with some stories that we can all relate and laugh to. For those of you without kids it gets pretty heavy on the kid stuff towards the end and almost feels like filler, Amy Poehler's book did the same thing. It kind of threw cold water on the book. But that's my opinion not yours! I don't regret the purchase and it was good entertainment that was worth it.

Loved it.

It's not "haha funny" like MIB's previous work, but I got hooked early on and loved it. He has a wonderful way of telling stories, even the not-so-funny ones.

Hilarious

What made the experience of listening to You're Not Doing It Right the most enjoyable?

Highly enjoyable recounting of some very funny moments and perspectives, with the perfect balance of heart and snark.

Unexpectedly Deep

What did you like best about this story?

I expected the book to be funny and light. It was funny but heavy. Not many authors attempt to explain the meaning of life. Especially without explicitly telling you that's what they're doing.

What about Michael Ian Black’s performance did you like?

Some reviews called him monotone or flat. I strongly disagree. He was paced. He was not monotone at all. He uses four letter words very well both in their placement within the text and as he reads them.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did laugh often. There was a particularly sad moment or two in the book that may bring a tear to some readers' eyes.

Great book.

I’ve never felt more connected with Michael Ian Black. Worth the listen, worth the read.

Relatable in so many ways

What made the experience of listening to You're Not Doing It Right the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the deadpan and sometimes unexpected humor, but also the raw emotion displayed in certain situations was extremely thought provoking. I reflected heavily on my own life and the similarity of the situations faced in the book. I too enjoy finding the humor in things, but also being faced with certain issues I didn't know how to cope with, or at least didn't know how to cope with at the time. This book follows the happiness and hardships of life, and through that I feel everyone can relate.

What did you like best about this story?

I knew the book would be comical considering the author is a comedian, but I was pleasantly surprised with how relatable and thoughtful it all was. I have found myself in the same situations the author has, and I too use humor in everyday life to cope. While the deadpan sense of humor was prevalent throughout, there were many touching and tragic scenes as well which I felt were displayed beautifully. Human emotion and thought processes were shown in unfiltered and honest settings.

What does Michael Ian Black bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I personally believe hearing the author read their own works gives a better insight on their own thoughts and emotions towards the various themes within the book. The way he read the chapters about the tragedies he's faced sounded to me more somber than the chapters about him falling in love and the joys in his life. It's almost as if an old friend is telling you a personal story, versus you reading it in their journal.

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

I listened to a majority of it on a 4 hour bus trip and it held my attention the whole way. Each chapter is unique in experience but thought provoking and relatable in their own way. Part of me wished the bus ride was longer so I could have finished it all in one go.

Funny, then sad... but still funny

Would you listen to You're Not Doing It Right again? Why?

Yes – because M.I.G doesn't have enough standup specials to listen to!

Which character – as performed by Michael Ian Black – was your favorite?

This should be obvious, right?