This was an enjoyable, behind the scenes read, of Parks and Rec. Goes into some tangents regarding O'Heir's personal life, reading a bit more like a memoir of his experiences rather than as Parks centered as I thought it would be. Overall, I found the book enjoyable.

I love books like this. Reading the background stories and anecdotes about my favorite shows is a fave read and this was a great one. Love these peaks into how shows were made and how the cast was together.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

As a longtime fans of Parks, and the more recent Parks and Recollection podcast, I was excited to read this book. Podcast host Jim O'Heir had been referring to this book for awhile now. While I enjoyed it, I did find that this often veered quickly between Parks memories and other stories in his life. Those other stories didn't always feel relevant. The language was sometimes crass and could have used a bit more editing. The e-book file was very difficult to follow. Probably 95% of the photos are missing, the empty frames sit in weird places, and the captions would be in the middle of other sentences. It was also hard to tell when a quote from a third party would end and Jim's narration would begin. These issues were very distracting to the reading of the book.

Nostalgia is big money in entertainment.

There are a few new stories on the big screen and in print. But most content these days is derived from something that came before. Spinoffs. Reruns. Revivals. Sequels. Rewatch podcasts. We’ve found endless ways to live in the past with our favorite movies, books, and television shows.

Welcome to Pawnee by Jim O’Heir lives in that world of nostalgia. Written by the actor who played background character turned side character Jerry/Garry/Larry/Barry Gurgich on the hit sit-com Parks and Recreation.

For the record, I love Parks and Rec. It’s among my favorite feel-good comedy shows of all time. My wife and I have watched and re-watched the show approximately five times. I’m not immune to the nostalgia monster either. That’s why I was willing to pick up a comp of this new book (which I was given for free in exchange for this review).

I’ve read similar recap books of shows like The Office, Seinfeld, and The Daily Show — some of the other all-time comedies that have graced the small screen in my lifetime.

Welcome to Pawnee is like those books, but different. It’s part oral history of the show, and part pseudo-memoir of Jim O’Heir, who’s enjoyed a semi-successful career in Hollywood, highlighted by the titular show. There was plenty to like in this book for raving fans of the show — who, let’s be honest, is the vast majority of people interested in this title.

There are plenty of pull quotes from well-known actors and creators, including Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Greg Daniels, and Mike Schur. There are insights of what went on behind the scenes and factoids about the life of the cast.

Obviously, this is all told from the perspective of O’Heir, who started on the sidelines and gradually moved towards the center spotlight as his character became more developed and deeper. Unfortunately, O’Heir’s narrative voice is too similar to his character's.

He’s kind and humble, almost to a fault. He hems and haws over details. He stresses and frets about his place in the show. He rambles on, interlacing his distant past with the show’s more recent past. Some passages are interesting and humanizing. Others feel abrupt and out of place.

It’s a little too wandering without a clear focus on the message the book is trying to share. This may work perfectly fine for fans looking to wash themselves in a warm bath of nostalgia. But it’s too thin for readers looking for a deeper assessment of what the show means.

O’Heir himself is a primary benefactor of this nostalgia obsession. Besides this book, he’s also the co-host of a Parks and Rec rewatch podcast, cleverly titled Parks and Recollection. However, he doesn’t mention this fact until over halfway through the book. That podcast title alone is worth the mention. It’s also much-needed credibility that he buries until deep into the work, and even then, just barely mentions.

There’s a mix of valuable pieces scattered throughout this book, but they fail to coalesce into anything more meaningful. It can’t quite decide if it’s the memoir of a lucky character actor or the oral history of one of our generation’s best comedies. Either of those would have been great. Mixed together, the result is too watered down.

I really wanted to like Welcome to Pawnee, and I did like parts of it. But overall, the book doesn’t add much to Parks and Rec’s legacy. Instead, it’s just another drop in the massive bucket that is the nostalgia economy.

I love Parks and Rec. I love it so much I have competed in trivia for it. So yes, this is a fun and easy read and good for Jim O'Heir to have a podcast and a book at the same time. The formatting on this e-arc is straight up terrible, to the point where I couldn't tell who was speaking and it threw me off. But once I got past that (as much as I could) I enjoyed hearing the behind the scenes look at one of my all time favorite shows.

Fans of Parks and Rec will enjoy this insightful, comedic, endearing look back on the show. Take a trip down memory lane to Pawnee. Parks and Rec is one of my favorite shows of all time because all of the characters are not only hilarious but so endearing. Parks and Rec is my comfort show. I can put it on anytime I’m feeling down and without hesitation it has succeeded in cheering me up. O’Heir’s writing was so vivid that I was taken back to every scene that the author was reminiscing on even though it’s been a while since I’ve watched the show.

One of my favorite scenes in this book was the make out scene with Aubrey Plaza. April is one of my favorite characters. Of course, I remember when the infamous make out happened so it was cool to read about it in a behind the scenes way. There is so much magic in this book and the show. I will be needing a rewatch of the show now after reading this book.

As a big fan of Parks & Recreation, I was super excited to read Jim O'Heir's stories of his time on the show. I really enjoyed it. I thought the book would exclusively cover the show, but it also delves into other experiences he has had during his career. I loved the cover design, and the photos throughout. Other main stars, as well as people working behind the scenes, gave interesting commentary as well. This would be a great gift for the Parks & Rec fan in your life!

Thank you to Jim O’Heir, William Morrow, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a diehard Parks and Recreation fan, it is my ultimate comfort show and I have watched it countless times, so when I saw Jim O'Heir (Jerry/Larry/Gary) wrote a book on his experiences while he was on the show I jumped at the chance to get to read it. What you get is a lovely memoir both of his career and experiences in general combined with recollections of Parks and Rec itself. Jim is joined in his memoir by familiar faces like Chris Pratt and Retta, along with folks who were more behind the scenes like Mike Schur and Allison Jones.

It was really great to get to know Jim better and this book made me want to give him a big old hug. Some of his experiences surrounding the show with being othered really broke me - particularly being left out of the men of Pawnee shoot. Additionally, the fact that both he and Retta weren't in the main credits until the final season was something I'd never noticed before, but I found ridiculous that they weren't included sooner as they were both such important and excellent characters.

Overall though, you get to learn so much about the family like cast and the ups and downs of being a network show that was constantly on the cusp. Seeing the show come together through Jim's eyes was a unique opportunity and I definitely need to check out his podcast to get even more of his lovely insights.

My only regret is that my eARC did not include all of the wonderful photos that will be included in the final book. If you're a fan of Parks and Rec and specifically want to learn more about the loveable Jim O'Heir I definitely recommend it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy.

It's okay. There's not a lot of drama in this - the cast loves each other, it's a big family, etc etc.

It got a few smiles from me as someone who enjoyed the show, but it also was kind of meh. Not any really funny stories, not a ton about O'Heir's life - just a book that goes hand in hand with the podcast he is doing; revisiting every episode (what franchise isn't doing this these days?).

It was okay.

I am a major Parks and Rec fan, so reading this book was a no-brainer! The cover is awesome, there's little memorable icons throughout the book and I loved the photos. It was so fun to read about some iconic moments and how the show came out about. I do wish that there had been more anecdotes about the shows and it would have been great to get some commentary from the biggest stars of the show. Otherwise, it is a great, quick read for any Parks fans!

This should be an auto-buy for any humor section - Jim O'Heir is a delightful storyteller and his "Jerry/Larry/Garry" side really shines through. Parks and Recreation fans will be thrilled over this treat of a book. It made me wish that the show had never ended.

Parks and Rec fans rejoice!!! The show may be over but "Welcome to Pawnee" has so much fun content it's like a new season just dropped and you have to binge it! Hearing about Jim and his "rise" in Parks and Rec was fun as well as all who signed on and made it such an amazing show. The fun background stories made me laugh out loud and I cannot wait to talk to my friends about this one!

I am a HUGE fan of Parks and Recreation so when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. Jim O'Heir's character on Parks and Rec was one of my favorites because he was just so genuine and even though everyone dogged on him every single day, he took it in stride and was always a positive force. This book is just like him and I think all Parks and Rec fans should read this!

Horribly formatted for kindle. Barely made it 10% through. Impossible to follow based on current format. Pictures and captions intervene in blocks of text and random other people start talking without notice. Book needs work - at least for kindle. That being said, I love the idea of a behind the scene look at one of my favorite shows from one of the main stars. Hope the formatting gets fixed so I can read it one day.

“Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation” is a delightful read for TV show fans. The book captures the spirit of Pawnee with its engaging blend of humor and warmth, much like the series itself. It offers an insider’s look with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and character insights that enrich the viewer’s experience. However, some sections feel repetitive and could have benefited from tighter editing. Nonetheless, this book serves up a satisfying slice of nostalgia and laughs for lovers of Leslie Knope and her lovable band of public servants. A solid four stars for bringing Pawnee to life once again!

Jim O’Heir’s gives us a loving tribute to Parks and Recreation, the show that stole our hearts and made us laugh from 2009-2015. In Welcome to Pawnee, O’Heir shares his journey on and off set allowing us to dive a bit deeper into Parks and Rec and who Jerry really is deep down.

O’Heir tells us the ups and downs of a truly remarkable show through stories of the creation and success of Parks and Recreation. From early days of the show’s development to the rise in popularity to finally a heart felt send off in 2015. O’Heir, who played Jerry/Garry/Terry/Larry, gives us an insider’s perspective on what made the show so special and why it was special to him. Through interviews with fellow cast members Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer), Retta (Donna Meagle), and Rob Lowe (Chris Traeger), as well as showrunners Greg Daniels and Mike Schur, readers gain insight into the camaraderie that fueled the show’s success.

This book could’ve been written by a number of cast members from the show, but it means so much more coming from O’Heir. He shares personal anecdotes about his time on set, plus hilarious behind-the-scenes mishaps to heartwarming moments with his co-stars, O’Heir shares it all with candor and humor. The stories coming from a character that didn’t think he would make it past a few episodes let alone a full season means so much more to me. In the end, O’Heir was along for the whole ride.

In addition to the great glimpse into the world of Parks and Rec, Welcome to Pawnee sheds like of the background of Jim O’Heir. He gives us a background on other shows, movies and experiences he had off the set of Parks and Recreation. I gained a deeper understanding of the man behind Jerry/Garry/Terry/Larry and his passion for the craft and gratitude for being part of such a beloved show. He genuinely loved his character on Parks and Recreation and the entire cast and it shines through on every page. I feel like I got to know O’Heir on a personal level without taking away from the true reason for this book. Welcome to Pawnee serves as a perfect blend of a O’Heir memoir and the series itself.

O’Heir also includes a number of candid photos between him and the rest of the cast members as well as some celebrities he was able to meet along the way. I felt my self reminiscing, and feeling grateful for the joy that Parks and Recreation brought into our lives. This book capture the essence of the show while also allowing me to remember how amazing it was in the first place. O’Heir transported me back to the first time watching Parks and Recreation and gave me yet another reason to flip it back on the television and laugh it up.

Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation is a book filled with heartfelt stories, anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes goofs from one of the shows most genuine actors. Jim O’Heir allows us to join his bank of memories and gives us more insight into Parks and Recreation, allowing us to fall in love with the series all over again. Welcome to Pawnee is a truly outstanding book for any fan of Parks and Recreation, but also made me a fan of Jim O’Heir for life. Thanks for taking us on the journey Jerry…Garry…Terry…Larry!

I was really looking forward to reading this, I am a huge Parks & Rec fan. It was nice to get a behind the scenes look at the show and get to know a bit more about the actors on the show. It was nice to see the actors all seemed to really get along and enjoyed working together. It was a nice look back at a great show.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a delightful read about the behind the scenes of one of my favorite shows, Parks and Rec. Would have liked to see more of the actors participate, but really enjoyed overall.

“Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles and Parks and Recreation” by Jim O’Heir is a must read for any Parks and Recreation fan. I could not put this down and have preordered it for my Parks and Rec friend who got me into the show.

While reading I found myself laughing along remembering episodes and scenes. I loved the insight from cast, writers and producers. I loved that we got Jim O’Heir’s story intertwined. He seems like such a genuinely nice guy who is still in awe of his good fortune of being cast as a beloved character on a popular show. He doesn’t take Park and Rec for granted.

Excuse me while I go binge watch Parks and Rec for the millionth time. Also go buy this book you will not regret it!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC digital copy of in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Parks & Rec, this was a fantastic book! Looking forward to purchasing it for my collection.