The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History book cover

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History

Hardcover – October 2, 2018

Price
$17.02
Format
Hardcover
Pages
288
Publisher
Dutton
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1101986677
Dimensions
6.34 x 0.9 x 9.26 inches
Weight
1.68 pounds

Description

“[M]akes you feel privy to a world that’s uniquely theirs, as though you’re sitting beside them at the kitchen table while they solve their beloved jigsaw puzzles.” —The Washington Post “Both partners come across as likable, grounded, unpretentious, and flawed enough to be believable...Those hoping that Hollywood couples are just like the rest of us, only maybe a little bit nicer and richer, should be pleased.”— Booklist "Readers are likely to enjoy the authors' company almost as much as they seem to enjoy each other's.”— Kirkus Reviews Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are actors, performers, and comedians. Together, they have appeared in the television shows Will & Grace , Parks & Recreation , and Children's Hospital , the movies Somebody Up There Likes Me , Kings of Summer , Infinity Baby , and Smashed , and the comedy tour Summer of 69: No Apostrophe . They live in Los Angeles, California, with their pups. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION Blastoff! Megan: All right! Bum‑ba‑da‑dum! Blastoff! (Laughs) This is the introduction to our book. Carefully and meticulously handcrafted, word by word. Nick: Start your engines. M: This book consists of our time‑tested insights into a number of topics, mostly in the areas of math and science. N: It’s riddled with sordid details. M: Sordid math details? N: That’s right. M: Like pi . . . N: There are specific algorithms we created concerning the relationship between a woman and a man . . . M: The birds and the bees. N: The body produces its own lubrication in many instances . . . M: Oh, wait a minute. This is the intro! Dude! N: That’s physics! M: No, no. Too soon! We do get into lubricants of various kinds. But not until later on in the book. Let’s not open with that. So, Nick, how would you describe this kick‑ass sheaf? N: To my way of thinking, it’s an illustration of a relationship that the reader might find surprisingly normal. When all you have by which to judge a relationship are some grippingly cute Instagram videos, it might not occur to one that there’s a lot of banal real life. M: So this book is all the boring stuff? (Laughs) N: Yeah. M: Great! It’s going to sell like hotcakes. N: It’s worse than just cuteness and puzzles with us. There is also a great deal of tedium. M: We wanted to make sure we got that down on paper. N: Yes. We intend to elaborate for your reading pleasure. M: Who would you say is the ideal audience for this book? N: Altar boys? M: (Laughs) This is a multigenerational, multigenderational, postmodernist deconstruction of the greatest love story ever told. Meaning, our relationship. N: It’s for readers young and old, male and female, as well as LGBTQ . . . M: . . . AI. N: AI. And also every race, religion, every creed, every political leaning will find something to learn about the body’s ability to lubricate itself. M: No! Well, all right . . . I have to concede, that is what the book is about. N: When you think about it, what we all have in common is a sort of assemblage of meat that has interesting nooks and crannies. M: Well, yeah, but then you have to find another meat assemblage with its own nooks and crannies, and then you have to start making the love. N: You’ve hooked me. If I were reading this introduction, I would now plunge ahead to chapter one. M: That’s the hook of the book. Meatloaf. N: Meatloaf . . . with gravy. M: Oh god. (Laughs) You’ve circled back around. So, yes, it is in fact a book about the love affair—the nonplatonic relationship—between Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, married couple and holders of social media accounts. That’s probably our biggest claim to fame, right? N: Yes, that’s our thing. M: My whole thing is really just my Twitter. N: Two people who have thrilled millions upon social media. And also done some other things. M: And two people who are extremely devoted to athletics. Sports! Sports of all kinds. N: If you love sports . . . M: You’re going to fucking shit over this book. N: You’re going to blow a load. M: He’s back to the lubricants here. N: That just proves my point. M: We have groundbreakingly divided this searing examination of a relationship between two human beings into chapters with different subject matters and headings. It’s an oral history presented to you in an organized yet playful fashion, dotted here and there with photography and cute drawings. N: Before you dive in, make sure you’ve had a good meal. You’ll want to make sure you’re hydrated. And if you’re of age, a little bit of intoxication would not hurt the consumption of this tome. And then you may want to buckle up. Actually strap into a seat, because otherwise you might end up on the floor. If you’re wearing a hat, go ahead and remove it, because it’s guaranteed to fly off by the end of chapter three. M: All right . . . I don’t think we’ve oversold it. N: No, I don’t think that, of the many dangers facing us . . . M: I think we’ve exercised a good deal of restraint in our praise of our own book about ourselves. N: Antony and Cleopatra . . . M: Fuck off. N: Samson and Delilah . . . M: Get lost. N: Bogart and Bacall . . . M: Never had a chance. N: Suck it. M: All right! See you guys in the book! N: See you there! Read more

Features & Highlights

  • *A
  • New York Times
  • Bestseller*Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman reveal the full story behind their epic romance—presented in a series of intimate conversations between the couple, including photos, anecdotes, and the occasional puzzle.
  • The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal she surveyed her fellow cast members, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning the thought struck her: no dice. Moving on.Yet, unbeknownst to our protagonists, Cupid had merely set down his bow and picked up a rocket launcher...that fired a love rocket (not a euphemism). The players were Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, and the resulting romance, once ignited, was...epic. Beyond epic. It resulted in a coupling that has endured to this day; a sizzling, perpetual tryst that has captivated the world with its kindness, athleticism, astonishingly low-brow humor, and true (fire emoji) passion.How did they do it? They came from completely different families, ignored a significant age difference, and were separated by the gulf of several social strata. Megan loved books and art history; Nick loved hammers. But much more than these seemingly unsurpassable obstacles were the values they held in common: respect, decency, the ability to mention genitalia in almost any context, and an abiding obsession with the songs of Tom Waits.Eighteen years later, they're still very much in love and have finally decided to reveal the philosophical mountains they have conquered, the lessons they've learned, and the myriad jigsaw puzzles they've completed. Presented as an oral history in a series of conversations between the couple, the book features anecdotes, hijinks, photos, and a veritable grab bag of tomfoolery. This is not only the intoxicating book that Mullally's and Offerman's fans have been waiting for, it might just hold the solution to the greatest threat facing our modern world: the single life.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(294)
★★★★
25%
(245)
★★★
15%
(147)
★★
7%
(69)
23%
(226)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Just so entertaining!

this had to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year so it really did have a lot to live up to! But live up to it it did. As soon as I downloaded this audiobook I started listening straight away and would find excuses to be in the car or have my headphones on so I could Keep on listening, it was just so entertaining and so engaging!

This book doesn't necessarily follow a usually 'memoir' format but then it isn't really a traditional memoir so that's to be expected. Each chapter is broken down by subject rather than have the book in chronological order. There is a certain amount of 'the happened first and then that happened' but it really is just the two authors in conversation a bit like their stage show!

The topics covered are of course both entertaining and fascinating. They range from past relationships, careers, sex and religion. It was really interesting hearing the different level of detail the two authors not only recall but are willing to share.

Since I did the audio I missed out on pictures but they are described in great deal by two talented actors so that doesn't really matter (although I am probably going to get a physical copy of the book so I can see them for myself!) Where listeners miss out on pictures, you do get some songs performed for you so really you're not missing out on anything!

I finished this one and immediately wanted to listen again from the start, I think I will definitely share this one with friends, especially those who are fans of these two actors. I don't really think you have to be Uber fans of the two authors to find this either interesting or entertaining. I think you will be entertained either way. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading out to buy a hard copy of the book and then start reading it all over again!
7 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

looooove it

just started reading. LOVE everything about them!
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Amazing read... Basically marriage counseling.

Great read.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Fun read!

Fun read!
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Very good

I really enjoyed reading this! I unexpectedly enjoyed the conversational style of the chapters, as I feel like I got a true sense of the authors as a couple. It was a sweet, funny, quick read that was very enjoyable!
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

What’s so funny?

Got this on audible, it’s a big drool to be honest, not hilarious not funny just a long ass kiss from him to her, interview style
Glad it was free ,I love meghan mulally,but glad I dident pay for it.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Love

Amazing book! Love Megan and Nick!
✓ Verified Purchase

The book was in very good condition.

The book is great, funny.
✓ Verified Purchase

Epic - but would you expect anyting less?

I had heard that the audiobook version of this one was amazing, so I decided to give it a whirl, and it DID NOT disappoint! This really is no surprise because listening to Megan and Nick tell their own story in their own hilarious, sarcastic, off the cuff way was so much fun.

I honestly love both of them as actors in their own right (and I love Megan's band) so I wasn't wildly surprised that I loved listening to this book. It is like having a beer with a good friend and hearing stories of their lives. It's a blast. It lets you fall a little more in love with them. It 100% demonstrates how crazy they are about one another. And it confirms just now normal the two of them really are, despite Hollywood.

There isn't much more to say for this one, other than, grab a copy of this and get ready to super enjoy a book. And I'll pass along the advice given to me - this one on audio is EPIC.
✓ Verified Purchase

Like read subtitles to a daytime talk show

I actually couldn’t finish this book. It was funny and cute but hard to follow. It’s written as if an interview or conversation between the 2 of them, almost a script and it is just really hard to read. It was like read subtitles of a daytime talk show