Thanks for Nothing

By: Jack Dee

Narrated by: Jack Dee

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

For the first time, comedian Jack Dee reveals the highs and lows of his early life and disastrous day jobs.

You don't just wake up jaundiced and bitter; it's taken Jack years of dedication and commitment to brew his unique cocktail of disillusionment and bile. What turned this once optimistic young man into a grumpy middle-aged git? Was it working in an artificial-leg factory? Or delivering incontinence pads for the NHS? Or was it the time when he was shunned by his peers for daring to thrash a one-armed man at tennis?

In this hilariously frank account of his life, Jack finally answers the question, 'So how did you get started in comedy then?' Along the way, he shares his blatantly unreasonable views on everything from personal trainers to boutique hotels, from the overrated moon landing to 'people who hold their cutlery the wrong way'.

Once you've listened to this book, you'll never think of Jack Dee as a smiling, happy-go-lucky, friendly face again.

©2009 Jack Dee (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Another comic with a darker edge is Jack Dee. Thanks for Nothing is the only celebrity autobiography currently worth listening to, streets ahead of the rest.

He is the perfect reader of his own self-deprecating, deadpan style but his story, of hard work and soul-searching, is gentler and less cynical than you might guess: you end up seriously liking the man."

( Independent on Sunday)

Great!

Intelligent and Funny. Jack Dee is one of the funniest comedians around today. Although the book has a few slow parts, it is more than made up for by the rest.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Dee the grumps at his best

This has to be my favorite book at the moment. Jack has a knack of delivering his frustrations in dead pan funny way while telling his struggles.
Highly recommend.

great read

Any fan of Jack Dee will like this and even if you don't like him it's a good yarn.

Excellent reading..by the man himself

Any additional comments?

Very, very well read, interesting and funny.
I have listened to other interesting autobiographies where the reading was simply off-putting and disappointing.
Re-listend twice as I enjoyed this one so much.

Thanks For Everything Jack

As a visuallly impaired persoon audio books are my preferred format and really helps one get into a good book.I really enjoyed this Jack Dee title and found it a most interesting listen, and which kept with a sense of humour, that we know Jack Dee has acclaimed to.It delivers his often straight but dry-cut awareness to the realities faced in his early life.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Different, but well worth it

This is one of those autobiographies that you have to persevere with, but it's all the more worthwhile for doing so. It doesn't follow any of the patterns you might expect and begins very much as a set of even drier and harder comments on life than you'd expect from his standup, but read in the same deadpan style. For the first few hours, there is precious little in the way of his life story. It's a much harder listen than say Frank Skinner or Chris Evans. But, little by little the picture emerges, snippets here and there and gradually, all the strands come together. Well worth it.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Nice one Jack!

really enjoyed this autobiography. I think the fact that Jack is a big fan of audio books himself made listening to it very entertaining.

As for the content, I was surprised how tough he'd at it until he made the big time. It was also refreshing to hear how much a celebrity is devoted to his wife who went through a lot for him.

Recommended to all fans of comedy.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Slow start perhaps but storming finish

I've listened to a few life stories from comedians and often felt that they have shipped them out in a lunchtime knowing they will sell based only on their reputation.
I will agree that this one was slow to get going with not many "laughs" to start but I enjoyed the latter half immensely. I was left feeling that a lot of the ground work was needed to make the end come to life as it did.
Jack Dee clearly has put effort into this book, ok you won't be rolling about throughout but its a great story. For me the memory about the Brighton B&B was worth the cost alone. But hey I don't blow dry my hair or use a man bag so perhaps I am just in the niche of Jack's target audience?

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great deadpan narration by the man himself

This is a very enjoyable story of Jack's life before he became well known in comedy. Dee fans will love it.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Brilliant

One of the best I have read, I would re-read this without question. . . . . .

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

an excellent listen

Whilst not a big fan of Jack Dee I laughed out loud at this well written and very dry humour delivered by the man himself. It tells us about his early years through to his ascent into fame. I think this is better 'heard' rather than read due to his unique delivery. There is a bit of bad language but not enough to stop you laughing. I loved this audio book and made the miles of dreary driving pass very quickly - I couldn't wait to get back in the car just to listen to it.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Thanks indeed

Once you realise that the (many) chapters are sometimes cross-referencing each other or the recollection has noting to do with it, you will enjoy this open and honest autobiography, from his school days onto the first jobs Jack had right up to how he got into comedy and became the brilliant performer he is today. You may even get close to shedding a tear (of joy and pain) in the final few chapters. It's not all a laugh, but don't let thet put you off.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Surprising.

There really is more to the miserable man. He's not so miserable after all. Avoid listening on the tube though unless you like to look like a total loon.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

kept me amused

kept me amused, much better than I was expecting having bored my self to sleep trying to listen to Stephen frys latest self indulgent offering.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful