Note from the publisher: Rob Sedgwick's memoir Bob Goes to Jail is one degree from Kevin Bacon.

Honestly, the fact that Kevin Bacon is Rob Sedgwick’s brother-in-law should be irrelevant, but the author went way out of his way to keep reminding me of it. This story, though entertaining and humorous in many ways just didn’t deliver. I found the telling to be a disorganized mind salad, the telling jumping all over the place between the past and the present. I had a difficult time finding the author relatable or empathetic. He comes across as a typical spoiled rich kid whose life is filled with the glitz and glamor most of us can only dream about. Instead of applying himself to be a productive member of society, he decides to allow his grandparent’s luxury apartment to be used as the main front of his drug operation. Getting busted and facing serious prison time was the best thing that could have happened to him.

I also didn’t like that he so glibly talks about strong arming his girlfriend to get an abortion and when she refuses, he takes off, virtually abandoning her or how many bedrooms his stepfather’s townhouse has. It began to sound like he was boasting and gloating, which was a real turn-off for me.

A major saving grace that kept me going with this story was the brilliant audio narration by Roger Wayne. His performance made Rob Sedgwick a bit more likable. I will happily listen to other audiobooks he narrates.

My Final Verdict: On the bright side, the author has turned his life around, gotten sober and is working on being a productive member of society, but the journey getting there isn’t something to be celebrated. Readers who enjoy memoirs and biographies may find this entertaining, but I don’t recommend it. I give the author points for the love he has for his dog.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Bob Goes to Jail from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rob Sedgwick was born into a wealthy, talented family. They lived in houses with sixteen bedrooms in New York City, houses with art from names such as Jackson Pollock on the walls. Rob had two siblings, Kyra Sedgwick, the actress and Nicco, who is an artist. Rob was an actor with roles in movies and on soap operas. But apparently that wasn't enough. From an early age, Rob and his friends experimented with drugs and soon were heavy users. In his twenties, Rob agreed with a friend to let his grandparent's house, where he was staying while they toured Europe, serve as a safe house for a large marijuana operation. Rob was thrilled with the money he got and the swagger he acquired as a drug dealer. He dated a stripper and delighted in taking his friends to watch her perform. His fantasy world crashed when the DEA showed up at the door and arrested him and the rest of the crew.
Rob was facing jail, perhaps five years or more. But his family jumped to his defense. Rob immediately started cooperating with the DEA, naming his accomplices and detailing the operation. His family obtained an expensive lawyer who gave Rob a checklist of activities to perform before the trial. Eventually he had his day in court, where he got a four year sentence which was suspended.

Many readers will find this memoir a fun read. I was less entranced. The story of rich kids doing whatever they wanted, running wild in New York City and various vacation homes was not appealing. The contempt he had towards women, ditching his long time girlfriend when she got pregnant and going to prostitutes left a bad taste for me. While the book was paced in an entertaining fashion and has gotten good reviews from many readers, others will find themselves more appalled than entertained. This book is recommended for those interested in the New York rich and famous.

I guess this book is supposed to be a memoire. The first thing I hate of the bat is all the name dropping. You can’t look up anything about this book without seeing a list of his famous family. At the same time, the author uses that to point out just how much of a black sheep he is. Josh and I listened to this in the car, and when I got out I was done. Bob just does stupid thing after stupid things. It’s like watching Super Troopers from the criminal’s side. I didn’t care and DNFed the title. Josh however, wither the humor of the correctional officer that he is, was rolling in the isle. He could not stop laughing. So while this book was not for me, It was for someone.

Didn't even finish this one. Not a great story teller. Did not keep my interest. I will not be suggesting this to my library, or anyone else.

I'm not sure what exactly it was about this book that kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but something definitely made it a little off-putting. There was definitely a sense of elitism that permeated the book. Of course, it's not the author's fault that he was born into a very famous family. But maybe it could have been a little less 'in your face'.

I enjoyed this book. The author is Rob Sedgwick, who is the Bob of the title. He talks about his life, his mistakes (including going to jail) and his feelings about everything in his life. He admits he is not perfect, but who is? OK, maybe his brother-in-law, but I digress! I found it was written well and easy to read. I had to laugh in some places because of how he described his circumstances and the way things went. But all-in-all, a good book to read. In fact, I would probably read it again. I really hope he continues to do well now in life.