This was an interesting mix of history and memoir. I liked how he tied in each story to an anecdote from his life. Best read in short bites.

Sometimes you just want to read a really fun, feel good book. Mike Rowe's The Way I Heard It is just that kind of book. Rowe presents us with a series of essays in the spirit of the late, great radio host Paul Harvey. Each chapter starts out with a real life tale told pretty much in the way that Paul Harvey would have told the same story. The book is divided by chapters that contain two parts. He starts with the Harveyesque tale and then presents us with a second portion of Rowe relating that story with a memoir from his personal life.

The Harvey inspired tales are chock full of good old intimate stories relating how an individual stuck to a goal or lived their life with awe inspiring determination, sometimes with great sacrifice and persistence. Each tale is told with the talent of a great story teller. He hooks you in and fascinates you with each and every one of these tales and has you feeling like you were just given a special little view of that person's life as it was happening. The man certainly knows how to spin a good tale.

Then Rowe turns the tables and shares with us a piece of his life, often full of humorous twists and turns. With each chapter, there is a progression as Rowe evolves, and sometimes fumbles, along the path of his career and other life involvements. I couldn't tell you how many good laughs I had while reading this book. We even get to meet several family members as well as learn about Rowe's upbringing. Who would have ever imagined how shy he was as a young boy?

On a personal note, I've been a fan of Mike Rowe going way back to when he use to do a local Real Estate TV show on Sundays way back several decades ago. He's always had a certain sparkle and likability. Couldn't be happier for him as his career blossomed and went national. What really surprised me was finding out that we use to be fairly close neighbors, though, to my knowledge, we've never met.

The Way I Heard It is just one of those books that you can't put down. It's full of good stories, lots of humor, and plenty of inspiration. A great book for all generations and types of people. At least, that's they way I read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the eBook for a fair and honest review.

Ahhh funny, engaging, entertaining. Everything Mike Rowe always is and more. These short stories combined with Mike Rowe's wit and charm and perfect little interludes to the day. I read them at different times when I needed a break or a smile.

I was given a free copy of this book from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review. No one can tell a story like Mike Rowe. His story telling draws you in so you feel like you have experienced it yourself. This story collection doesn't disappoint. Highly recommend! #TheWayIHeardIt

The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe is a collection of stories from his podcast. It is a mix of history and personal stories from his life. Readers will be reminded of Paul Harvey. This is easily my favorite book of the year thus far. I was constantly stopping to to say to my husband, "Hey, listen to this." I especially loved the stories about Deadliest Catch star Phil Harris. The stories are short and easy to read, but I found myself wanting to read just one more time and again. I was truly sad to reach the end of the book and will be looking into the podcast series.

The Way I Heard It is everything I expected from a book written by Mike Rowe. I enjoyed every word. It was great! Five stars.

Interesting book full of short "The Way I Heard It.." stories. I'm a fan of Mike Rowe. I might even share a few of these stories... a few of them would make nice ice breakers!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Mike Rowe knows how to tell a story, and as I read this book, I could almost hear him reading each chapter. This book definitely holds your interest, as you never really know if the next chapter is going to be about a hero, a villain, or just a entertaining tale. I’m hoping there will be a follow up book to this one.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! Always been a fan of Mike Rowe but it was cool to read about his parents and how they are. The stories are great, there needs to be more Mike Rowes in the world.

He did a really nice job with this. Having heard most/all of the podcasts, and heard him tell - on his podcast and others - many of the personal stories that wrapped around the radio tales, I feared that I wouldn't get that much out of reading it. Happy to say that I was wrong. This was a fun read, very well-done on his part, just like his terrific podcasts.

This is a great collection of short stories that range from A to Z. I enjoy Mike Rowe's TV series and this is a continuation of those, People who do good. He writes with humor and insight into human nature. He's not afraid to make fun of himself and point out misconceptions by the public. If you've every read his Mother's book (Peggy Rowe, About my Mother) you would see where he gets his style.
Each chapter is stand alone and is the perfect book for a busy season. Great for teens to older readers the subjects are widely varied. I would recommend for someone looking for a gift and then a copy for the buyer as well. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fans of Mike Rowe's television series will truly enjoy these stories, written in his warm and familiar voice and narrative style in this collection of stories from the podcast of the same name. Entertaining, full of wisdom and humor, this is a fun, quick read from a wonderful storyteller.

Awesome book! I had to take my time on this one, read a chapter or two, and come back for more a few days later. I always love Mike Rowe's stories. Excellent book, I'll be giving this book for birthday gifts next year.

You may know Mike Rowe from any number of things. From his role as narrator of the Deadliest Catch or from his own show, Dirty Jobs. I really got to "know" him when I saw one of his no-nonsense posts on Facebook went viral. I just entered the podcast realm last year, and I downloaded The Way I Heard It for a road trip with my husband. 142 of his ten-minute mysteries entertained us for thousands of miles on the highway. When given the opportunity to read his book by the same name, I quickly agreed.

The Way I Heard It is a podcast for those with short attention spans. Mike Rowe will start telling you a story, often from history, and your job is to see if you can figure it out before the end. His book is a compilation of some of his favorite podcast episodes mixed in with stories about his life. From growing up in Maryland to being in an opera to his time on QVC, you get to learn a bit more about Mike Rowe the person. You can see the roots of his career take shape when he speaks of his grandfather building a family room for his mother. He talks about getting inspiration for his podcast from the great Paul Harvey and his friendship with Captain Phil Harris from the Deadliest Catch. You can "hear" his trademark deep baritone voice with every story told. Moreso, if you have listened to the podcast and revisit some episodes in the book. He mentions the very first episode that I listened to in the book. Speaking about a young pop-star with an overbearing father. You may think you know exactly who he is referring to, but the more you listen, the more it is clear that there are parallels between two different pop-stars. When he revealed the twist at the end of the ten-minute podcast, I was hooked. And you will be, too.

Bottom Line - Mike Rowe is easily one of my favorite celebrities. Not just because of his podcast, although it is pretty awesome. But because of his sensible outlook on life mirrors mine and his self-deprecating humor endlessly amuses me. I look forward to more episodes of The Way I Heard It with the same eagerness that I look forward to books by my favorite authors. What better praise could there be?

Details:

The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe
On Facebook
Pages: 272
Publisher: Gallery
Publication Date: 10.15.19
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free book in exchange for an honest review.

There are still some of us who remember hearing the esteemed Paul Harvey's "The Rest of the Story," on the AM radio, often after Larry King's talk show. Harvey would take a famous person or event and offer a background story, only telling the audience who the subject of the story was at the end. Mike Rowe, the former QVC salesman and host of the hit show "Dirty Jobs," continues Harvey's work, acknowledging the debt owed to Harvey at the beginning and the end. These stories, all about celebrities and historical figures you are familiar with are just like the stories Harvey would tell and each one is fascinating and often, but not always, keeps you guessing till you hear the whole story. The writing is crisp. It is a fun, enjoyable read, endlessly fascinating, and I think many people will enjoy this book, marveling at all the things they didn't know about people they always thought they knew all about.

Mike Rowe is entertaining, engaging, humble and hysterical. Most importantly he's a fantastic story teller. The format was well thought out as well. It's part history lesson, part autobiography, in short story form. Brilliant idea. Brilliant author. Brilliant book.

As a fan of Mike Rowe I was thrilled to get a copy of this book and it did not disappoint. Mike is a wonderful storyteller and captivates the audience with stories of ordinary people who do great things. Extremely entertaining fast paced set of stories that you cannot put down. Highly recommend to everyone!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

I loved hearing Mike's words in his signature voice and style. It was like a long conversation with the man himself. The stories were interesting and thought provoking, and overall the book was simply a joy.

I love Mike Rowe! I love the way he presents things and even in reading his words, I can hear his voice reading it to me. Great narrative voice! I enjoyed reading his book. I learned a few things that I hadn't ever thought of or heard before and I enjoyed that about his book. It made me think and ponder every word. This is an easy book to read. The stories within the pages or chapters are real and really came to life for me as I read. I hated to put the book down. But in the real world I had too and it was easy to pick right back up where I had left off. Love the Way I Heard It! It made me feel like I was just visiting with someone and made me think of my deceased father. My Father was a big guy and loved John Wayne and those kind of things and owned a coffee shop for all the locals in our little community. This book reminded me of the many times sitting at the counter and listening to the guys.
Thank you Mike! Great book!

Podcaster, actor and now author, Mike Rowe, takes the stories from his podcast into a book. The book is a collection of thirty-five of some of his best podcast stories told in the style of Paul Harvey. Many of these stories profiles a famous person or event you would be familiar with, and others are new and interesting. Each podcast tale ends with his reactions and sometimes tales from his own story. Each is fascinating and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I've been a fan of Mike Rowe for some time. From Dirty Jobs, to Shark Week, to his insightful Facebook posts, Mike has an interesting story to share. Always the entertainer, he chooses his material well and keeps you guessing until the end. He also shares stories of his own life from starting out at QVC, meeting Joan Crawford, and skills that led to his success. He also adds touching stories of growing up, including stories of his parents John and Peggy--my favorite may have been the creativity they showed when pitying other families who "had to order pizza" because their mom must not have been able to cook (they had many mouths to feed). It was clear to see where Mike learned to face the world with hard work, humility, and a bit of humor. That's the way I heard it.... And why you should read it.