The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe

Originally posted in April 15, 2020

This book review is long overdue. I purchased a signed copy at an author event way back in October 2019, and I finally just finished reading it.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not because the book was tedious or boring. No, not at all. But because of the way the book is written, each chapter is dedicated to a famous (or non-famous) person in history, each chapter stands alone so when I am in between projects, I sneak in one chapter here and there. It’s a great distraction from otherwise mundane everyday tasks or a welcome break when I need to do something different.

The format presents anecdotes on some ambiguously-named person, and through the clever use of puns, double entendres, and multiple-meaning words, steers the reader towards a certain direction only for the reader to find out that they may have been way off-mark on their perceived “mystery person” or they are just honestly stumped as to who Mike Rowe could be talking about.

The book uses material from his podcast of the same name. Being more of a visual person, I appreciated the book version more since my mind tended to wander off as I focused more on the timbre of his voice rather than on his utterances.

But one thing remarkably different about the book from the podcast is that he makes some kind of personal connection to the person he features giving readers an insight into his otherwise really private life. Suddenly, we have a name for that special someone he has been living with for many years, and we have more insights into his childhood; we also get a behind-the-scenes look into the shows that made him famous–Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, his stint at QVC… Anecdotes and facts presented in the same podcast format–snippets that cater to those “with a short attention span”…

Though each story is short in length, it was long on facts and entertainment value. If you want to read about a real-life John and Peggy who are not his just-as-real parents, John and Peggy Rowe, then be ready for the twist that may “blow” your mind away. Or you can read about a real-deal homemaker, Julia, though not of Julia Child fame.

No matter what chapter you start in, you will get a brand new story and a brand new perspective. At least, a perspective based on the way Mike Rowe heard it.

Taken in October 2019 during a book event in Baltimore for Mike Rowe’s book “The Way I Heard It”, proud Mom Peggy Rowe gave the introductory remarks

P.S. His mother, Peggy Rowe, also has two books to her name. In her first book, “About My Mother”, it follows the same format of short chapters and hilarious anecdotes of her mother–Mike’s grandmother–which makes for light reading and a very nice distraction from the often dark events in the news.