Full disclosure up front: I love Tom Segura and know enough of his stuff that I read it in his voice and cadence. As with any comedian who writes something, I suggest listening to their comedy first and see if it's for you.

If you don't like Segura's comedy then this book will not change your mind. Admittedly, Segura makes it pretty clear he has no intention to. This is a collection of random essays which are mostly hilarious and sometimes heartfelt. A few are stories you have heard in any one of his specials. I loved it and will probably now rewatch a special or two.

(I was provided this book as an advance copy by Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing. The full review will be posted to HistoryNerdsUnited.com on 6/16/2022.)

As a disclaimer, I am not familiar with Tom Segura's comedy, having never seen him perform. I read I'd Like to Play Alone, Please based on recommendations from other reviewers that the book was hilarious. Unfortunately, I guess Mr. Segura's brand of comedy is not a fit for me, as I really did not find the essays to be more than slightly humorous.

What I did enjoy were the stories he tells about the life of a comedian on the road. It was interesting to learn about the stresses, living conditions, and pay structure that stand-up comedians exist within. The author's stories about his conversations with celebrities on flights were fun to read and he also tells a few tales about his young children that struck a chord with me as a parent. I especially liked the chapter talking about Mike Tyson, who sounds like a fairly decent guy to hang out with.

I really struggled with one chapter in which he defends his use of a word that I find offensive. I guess I fall into the category of people that are in his opinion "the worst".

Thank you to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own

This collection of stories highlight some of the more ridiculous situations stand-up comedian Tom Segura has found himself in over the years. The stories span decades and touch on all different levels of his career. There's a mix of celebrity encounters, days of youth, his life on the road, and a lot of points in between - all told in Segura's signature grumpy delivery.

I overall really enjoyed my time reading this and I was glad that it was written so clearly in Segura's voice. I've been a fan of his for a few years and regularly watch his content. I'm familiar enough with his speaking pattern that I could really hear his voice in my head while i was reading. I've seen that he is reading the audiobook and while I haven't heard that, I would expect him reading these stories would be the best way to consume this content. There were a few stories that I've heard him tell before on various podcast episodes, but the majority of the content was new to me. Segura is an excellent storyteller and I think his timing of where and when to add in the little details vs a punchline are spot on. He's one of those comedians where I like re-watching his specials/podcast episodes because going back and seeing the set up is almost better the second time around. Humor is so subjective but I find his style of stand-up and writing to be pretty widely liked as he doesn't have a very outlandish style or gimmick (in my opinion, at least).

I think the description of this being a "collection of stories" rather than essays or an autobiography was really spot on. There are some stories that have a bit of a lesson in them or are particularly poignant but there are just as many that seem to be added in just for the laughs - which is what I was expecting from a comedian. I enjoyed how the stories spanned Segura's life and his career path instead of just focusing on when he became successful. While we do get some chapters with Segura and his parents or his children, most of the stories are not family-specific. Which, again, makes sense considering he tours often for his career and is thus away from home for a good portion of time. Despite there not really being any hard though-line or message in this collection, I think Segura does succeed at humanizing his on-stage persona. Even with the stories I've heard before, he adds in a little extra insight which helps elevate those stories to the next level.

As a note, Segura is not a 'clean' comic and so he does use strong language at times. He's had his share of controversies in the past in regards to the language he uses - specifically his use of 'retarded' in one of his stand-up specials. There is a whole chapter in this dedicated to this word (he calls it his favorite word) so I wanted to point it out in case any readers would want to steer clear of that chapter.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and it was exactly what I was hoping it would be - a bunch of stories from a guy who is really good at telling stories. I think this would be even better listening to the audiobook to hear Segura tell them himself.

Thanks NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC

Expected publication date is June 14, 2022

Comedian Tom Segura delivers a truly funny set of essays that tell a bit about his life and history with comedy in I'd Like to Play Alone, Please. While I am not familiar with Segura, I did enjoy and actually laugh out loud at some of the stories that he told. I will probably look him up on Netflix now, when previously I didn't have any knowledge of him. I do enjoy reading "memoir-type" books, and hearing about all the people that he has sat next too in flights was probably the most entertaining. Loved the Mike Tyson story! All in all, Segura seems like a down to Earth guy that just enjoys making people laugh. Was a nice easy afternoon read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Without question the funniest book I've read in a long time, and, quite possibly, ever.

Segura's ruminations about assorted events and people in his life easily manage to be hilarious, insightful, interesting conversation pieces and, at a certain point or two, melancholy.

What's more is that the comedian's unique style/voice is apparent in his prose, which accentuates the jokes to a masterful degree.

Whether it's an essay about family, celebrities, or an outrageous encounter, Segura's giving proof that he's now conquered books, too.

It wouldn't surprise me to see this on all of the big end-of-year lists in the "humor" category. Get excited--this one is more than worthwhile.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance read.

I have watched all of Segura's comedy specials on Netflix and found them all funny. This book would only really be for the diehard fan. It's solid but I wouldn't have bought it.

Tom Segura’s I’d Like to Play Alone, Please was an excellent read. If your a fan of Tom Segura or just comedy in general this is a book you will enjoy.

If you are familiar with Tom Segura then I have a challenge for you. Try to read this book without reading it in his voice, it’s just not possible. Every word I read was read with Tom’s delivery (to the best of my ability) making me laugh the entire way through. He really found a way to capture his stage presence in written words.

Some of the stories will be familiar but with some added context to the story you already know. For me it made me appreciate the original jokes even more. Then of course there are new stories that you will hear for the first time. If you ask me what was my favorite story is, I really can’t tell you. Every part was packed with laughs. I have read a few books like this and this is by far the best one I have read.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I first heard/watched Tom Segura’s comedy in 2016 when my husband turned on one of his Netflix specials with the intent of “having something dumb to watch” so I could read a book in peace, rather than watch something I wanted. What he forgot is that we share the same sense of humor, and 10 minutes in, my book laid next to me forgotten while I laughed my ass off.

By the time I saw the ARC of “I’d Like to Play Alone, Please” on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. As expected, I laughed throughout reading this book. I also, unexpectedly, cried like a baby at the end of one of the first essays (I won’t say which because spoilers are rude).

When reading anecdotes of Tom’s early life, there were views into what molded him into the man/comedian that he is today. I absolutely was not expecting to read about moments he felt shame and pain, but those stories made the rest of the book have more depth.

I feel the need to explain why I didn’t rate this with five stars. There were moments/words in the book that didn’t sit well with me. Chalk it up to a difference in opinion about words that should be phased out. You do you. Overall, I loved reading this book, so four stars with the note that some elements took away from the overall experience is my honest opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I needed the laugh.

I was enjoying this book well enough, 3 star territory but engaged enough, then it lost me at the end with the defense of using the R word. Nah. Not funny or cool or edgy, just lazy and gross.

I have been a fan of Tom Segura for years, so I was excited for a change to read this book!

For anyone that loves his comedy, you will love this book. I could picture him telling all of the stories and felt like I was front row at one of his shows. I laughed through the entire book and it's a perfect book to escape to when you need a bit of a lighter read.

If you're not a Tom Segura fan or haven't seen any of his comedy before, you will still enjoy this book

Tom Segura has such a distinct and funny voice. His book of essays I’d Like to Play Alone, Please is sharp and sarcastic and honest. It was a mix of celebrity encounters he’s had and his own journey as a comic and I loved every minute. It felt fresh and insightful while keeping the humorous energy throughout. It’s genuine and enjoyable and very bingeable. Just a fun read overall with some honesty lessons to take along the way as well.

Tom Segura is a gem of a comedian and when I saw this book, I just knew I would enjoy it. I was right. I really liked the unique stories and face to face meetings with celebrities. The pictures toward the end were really quite funny and I hope his family and friends have a good sense of humor. I like that he is down to earth and just genuinely funny and good for quite a few laughs. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Fans of Tom Segura's stand up will enjoy this book of essays. If you aren't familiar with his style, it might be a bit much.

With a warm and endearing writing style, this book is perfect for anyone who likes his stand-up comedy.

Tommy Buns does not disappoint! This book was hilarious to read and i kept getting stares from my wife as we drank our morning coffee in bed. For those familiar with Mr. Seguras comedy style this book will be a delight. For those unfamiliar with Tom, his podcast, or lack a sense of humor, i wouldn’t recommend this book. This was a great read that took me just a few mornings to read through.

I really loved the comedian's book of essays, as they depict his childhood, his fatherhood, etc. I loved each story and how funny but also touching they could be at times, like when he discusses his father. A must-read for any comedy fan!

Tom Segura offers up the stuff of life in these essays. A wonderful example of humor, exploration of self, and a mentor text for writers who want to reflect on lived experiences.

I think this is a great book for Tom Segura and it was like reading mini comedy shows because each story brought that Tom Segura we love watching, his joy in meeting celebs, his funny childhood stories, the lovely stories about his father (may he rest in peace) and just the shenanigan's he finds himself in.

As a a big fan of Tom Segura's stand up this was a fun book.

Any fan of Tom's will enjoy these essays. They are told in a slightly different way than his stand up jokes. It was fun to learn new and different stories about him and his family and friends.

Will definetly bring about laughs for the reader.

Tom Segura is one of my favorite comedians and when I saw I'd Like to Play Alone, Please on NetGalley, I jumped on the chance to read it. For anyone that loves his comedy, you will love this book. I could picture him tellings all of the stories and felt like I was front row at one of his shows. I laughed through the entire book and it's a perfect book to escape to when you need a bit lighter read.

If you're not a Tom Segura fan or haven't seen any of his comedy before, you will still enjoy this. It might even convince you to watch one of his Netflix specials.

I did like that he went a bit more into his background and how he got into comedy, and also had some great stories about his kids. And of course, his friendship with Bert Kreischer.

A really great read.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you Grand Central Publishiing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.