The Way I Heard It

The way I heard it Mike Rowe is a great writer. The way I see it after reading THE WAY I HEARD IT, Mike Rowe is a SPECTACULAR writer! Am I biased? Well, I don’t know him personally, though now that I’ve read his book, listened to his podcast, and having watched him host so many TV shows through the years, it feels like I do. He reminds me of my childhood hero, Paul Harvey—yes, I’m dating myself (again). To me, he feels like a brother. He feels like a friend. He feels like part of the family. No, I don’t know how he feels, just how I feel when I see his smile or hear his voice, live or in print. That’s what a spectacular writer can do—make you feel like he’s sitting there at the table with you, chatting it up, pouring another cup of tea. That’s Mike Rowe, my buddy, my pal whom I’ve yet to meet in person.So, am I biased? I can’t tell.THE WAY I HEARD IT is Mike's memoir, yet it embraces every quality I hunger for in a book. Humor—Mike’s a funny guy. Emotion—what a ride! Intimate sharing—with wit, whimsy, and wisdom. Both history and mystery—his crafty weaving of the often unknown or unfamiliar stories of historical figures and sly entanglement of two or more celebrity possibilities reads like a Who Dunnit, leaving you slapping your knee in a “Yes, I got it!” or your face in a “No way! How did I miss that?!” He’s a mischievous man! There are even stories in there about a couple of important people I didn’t know existed, but now I do—never too old to learn something new, including the various vocabulary words sprinkled surreptitiously throughout the chapters to challenge the reader's intellectual prowess or stimulate one's urgence à rechercher la définition.As in everything Mike does in public view, his writing elevates and strengthens our intimacy with him. His personal stories, as he relates his life experiences to each luminary he elucidates, engage us in the ride of his own lifetime. And what a lifetime he has lived! Not that it’s over by any means, as he’s clearly discovered yet another blazing trail, enlightening readers and writers alike with the glow of his flaming quill.Grampa had a little ol’ radio, maroon in color and no bigger than a loaf of home-baked bread, that sat square in the center of Gramma’s kitchen table, and backed up against the wall. It had two giant knobs—one for volume and one to tune into the station that played Paul Harvey’s "The Rest of the Story." We all sat together, the old and the young, glued to those invisible electromagnetic waves, listening to the familiar voice of our distant “Uncle Paul” brought near to us by the magical box. To this day I can’t read or hear a news broadcast without wondering if I’ll ever know the rest of the story. Harvey is immortalized in our hearts. If you never knew him, you should google him and listen to some of his shows archived on youtube. History remembers him.History will remember Mike Rowe as well, for he, too, is an inspiration to us all. THE WAY I HEARD IT is as much a treasure trove of gold nuggets for writers as for readers—authors, bloggers, and journalists, beginners and adepts. Something new can be done. Something new can be learned. Something brilliant can be created. The proof is in the pages.Go ahead, buy the book and read it . . . I’ll wait.P.S. Don't stay up all night! I tried to read just one chapter each night so I could savor it into the following day. Failing at that, I tried to limit myself to just two chapters each night. I was able to hold strong for a few nights, but then I fell off the wagon. Three chapters, then four chapters, and finally reaching the end of the book far too soon. Now I will have to read the entire book again, and probably a third and fourth time, because it really is that good! Perhaps you think you will be better at moderation than me—best of luck to ya!Straight from my blog at jennifersweete.com © Jennifer Sweete, January 2020Sweete Quote: “A book review is worth a thousand words, or thereabouts."

Informational very enjoyable.

Mike Rowe is witty, funny, and smart. I have enjoyed his shows in the past. I have read his books. They are very entertaining. He used logic and hummer in his writings. Even if you don't like him, I feel you should give this book a chance. You might be surprised.

This book was a joy to read. My only complaint is I wish it were 300 pages longer.Mike Rowe has a gift for writing conversationally. You feel like you're having a conversation with your best friend. I so enjoyed the short anecdotes about famous and historical figures, woven expertly with his own life stories. The book is uplifting, educational (I even had to look up a couple words in the dictionary, which I love), and inspirational.Geared towards all audiences and ages, you can binge it in a day or read a chapter to unwind and relax after a long work day.

I usually read stuff with more “depth”, but despite myself I enjoyed the hell out of this book. I suspect others will, too.

I’ve been a fan of Mike Rowe since I first saw him on an episode of Dirty Jobs decades ago. I have also been an avid listener to Rowe’s podcast, The Way I Heard It, since I discovered it about a year ago. I like what Rowe stands for. I like his honesty, integrity, intelligence, his sense of humor, his willingness to get dirty to get a job done, and his ability to see value in others. I like that Rowe recognizes and acknowledges that all humans are essential and bring something unique to the table. I also like that he seeks out the stories most people tend to ignore or gloss over. On his podcast, Rowe treated his readers to 35 episodes dedicated to his book, The Way I Heard It. The Way I Heard It (the book) is 35 chapters long, with each chapter broken down into two parts. First, a biographical, historically-researched story on some unique famous person — movie stars, writers, sports figures, musicians, etc. After these biographical pieces, Rowe follows with a story from his own life that touches on the theme from the biographical story. Essentially, Rowe demonstrates how all life reflects the broad human condition even through our differences and uniquenesses. Each chapter is quick and to the point, but HIGHLY captivating. I learned so many cool facts about people I thought I knew, but clearly didn’t have the whole story. I love how Rowe tells stories. He hooks the reader or listener from the first sentence and makes you think one way, but then twists everything you thought you knew into a reveal that makes the reader/listener go, “Whoa! That was awesome!” Well, at least that’s how I reacted to the stories in this book.I am not a big re-reader of books, but The Way I Heard It is definitely a book I would come back to for a second and third read. I loved every minute of this book, and highly, highly recommend it. If you are a fan of diverse, unique stories told in an intriguing and captivating manner then this is definitely a book you will want to check out. Personally, I recommend listening to Mike Rowe read his book on his podcast because after he reads each chapter he then treats his listeners to a fantastic discussion about that chapter with an excellent guest or two. In all honesty, The Way I Heard It is the most fun book I’ve ever listened to.I listened to a copy of this book via Mike Rowe’s podcast, The Way I Heard It, in order to review. I also purchased an eBook copy of this book from Amazon.com on March 1, 2024, so I could re-read it whenever I want. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book is indeed, hard to put down. Broken in to short stories you can start and stop easily, or start at any point in the book.In honor of DIRTY JOBS, it is a perfect read for #2 time. 😎

I bought one for my husband a few years ago (took it from him and read it) and this year bought one for my father-in-law. Very good read!!

Mike Rowe, witzig und lustig wie immer. Jedes Buch ist einfach super, genauso wie die podcasts

I am a pit musician for a musical theater company and, in a recent production of The Sound of Music, instead of counting a seemingly endless amount of rests, I read this book and finished it in the space of a weekend. So many enticing stories that make it hard to put down. Buy this book!!!

Great book

Great stories, well told, and Mike's life story tucked away at the end of the chapters, so that's a bonus. A thoroughly good read that will capture you interest from beginning to end.

Even if Mike Rowe hadn't gone the TV route, he would've had an excellent career with the written word. He's got an excellent ear for language and dialogue, is funny as hell, and clearly just loves words.Some folks may not see eye to eye with his politics, but you should listen anyway. He explains his point of view logically, respectfully, and clearly. You might just learn something! He's a master storyteller, so sit back and enjoy!