Comedy Sex God

By: Pete Holmes

Narrated by: Pete Holmes

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Part autobiography, part philosophical inquiry, part sacred quest - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck for the spiritual seeker - a hilarious, profound, and enlightening romp around the fertile mind of standout stand-up comedian, host of the hugely successful podcast You Made It Weird, and star of HBO’s Crashing Pete Holmes.

Growing up as evangelical Christian outside Boston, Pete Holmes was taught that drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex were serious transgressions. Faithful to the tenets of his faith, Pete did not swear, did not drink, did not smoke, and did not fornicate. He did devote himself to one woman, married her, and moved to the country to start a simple life and build a family. Then the wife he pledged himself to cheated on him very publicly. Thanks for nothing, God.

When his attempt at a picture-perfect life failed, Pete was forced to reexamine his beliefs. But neither atheism, Christianity, nor copious bottles of Yellow Tail led to enlightenment. Longing for a model of faith that served him and his newfound uncertainties about the universe - you know, the little things - the scorned believer embarked on a soul-seeking journey that has become the foundation of his work today. Comedy Sex God is his funny, thoughtful, straight-from-the-heart mediation on life, creativity, love, God, and the things that matter to him - and to us all.

Pete ponders the most valuable spiritual truths he’s picked up in his post-religion life and shares a few personal stories - of professional success, failure, and the pain in his balls. Comedy Sex God is celebration of losing something to find something else - a void that became a door to spiritual exploration - a glorious journey into the mind-blowing unknown that never would have begun if your wife hadn’t cheated with a guy named Rocco.

©2019 Pete Holmes (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

SO GOOD!

You’ll laugh out loud, pause and rewind to contemplate what you just heard, and fall madly in love with Pete Holmes. Excellent listen.

Just finished and I want to listen to it again!

I absolutely LOVED this book. I'm a big Pete Holmes fan, so I was going into it expecting to like it, but it was way more than I thought it could be.

I've heard books self-narrated by other comedians that have been pretty flat, but Pete's performance was energetic and entertaining.

I identify so much with his background that this really struck a chord with me. I would recommend this to anyone who:
- Grew up in the christian faith and left it
- Has spent any of their lives searching for spiritual meaning
- Thinks mindfulness is important
- Enjoys stories of the human experience

If you like his podcast

You’ll enjoy this. I was worried he’d just repeat himself a lot, but there were stories I’d never heard before and it was interesting to hear his spiritual journey.

Funny and enLIGHTening

Have been going deep into my connection with the spirit for more than 20 years. I loved listening to this journey of wanting God to then be atheist to finding God in all things and a deep honest faith in life. I laughed out loud, nodded confirmingly and felt the love. Funny and endearing read for seekers.

Yes, thank you!

All I can say is thank you, Pete. Thank you for pouring out your heart into print and guiding the way for people like myself to find our true faith. Thank you.

Beautiful book

I don’t know Pete’s stand up that well, but have been listening to his podcast for a few years now, and loving it. This book gave me so much more of a full sense of the person I listen to every week, and what has brought him to where he is. It’s entertaining, engaging, and enlightening. If you’re a fan of the podcast, this book will be what you’re hoping for and maybe even expecting. Heart, substance, quality. Thanks Pete.

Surprise Gem

Every once and a while I am deeply impressed by an autobiographical. Pete Holmes indeed meets that criteria in his book.. in particular his departure from a sort of Christian fundamentalism was enough to sustain my interest as he indeed found real living and joy outside those old parameters of certainty. If you are familiar with the works of Frank Schaeffer author of “Mom,Sex and God”, you will find a similar story of the dangers of a religion that guarantees everything but delivers nothing.

A slice of my life

Thank you for writing this book. This is a very close snap shot of my life. It has been a trip going through your story. It has helped me and my current wife a lot with sharing my past in a way that was better articulated than I could have done. This is a book every person who grew up in the church and didn't know what to do when figuring out your life.

Fulfilling for my comedy loving, skeptical, mystical soul

Excellent listen, I highly recommend. I’ve always liked Pete Holmes and his podcast. I put off the book thinking his podcast was enough. I bought it on sale and I’m so glad I did. I loved hearing his story. I was surprised at how much I related and the feelings I love had a hard time putting words for now have some expression. Sexual guilt growing up in religion was a big one for me. I went from being LDS to a small meditation group that turned out to be culty, so I took a break from spirituality. I’ve found my way back on my own terms, but I love Pete and Duncan’s love for spiritual texts without the bs. I’m gl going to revisit Joey Cams work now.

So relatable, funny, and enlightening

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Lots of funny moments and I inspiration sprinkled through this book. Thanks, Pete!