Presto!: How I Made over 100 Pounds Disappear and Other Magical Tales by Penn Jillette
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Summary
An unconventional weight loss tale from an unconventional personality-Penn Jillette tells how he lost 100 pounds with his trademark outrageous sense of humor and biting social commentary that makes this success story anything but ordinary.
Presto! is a solid book in the beginning. My husband and I listened to it during a road trip and were captivated by Penn Jillette's weight loss journey, particularly the health benefits. We frequently found ourselves saying, "Everyone needs to hear this." The only caveat is that you have to be okay with the F-word, as it's used excessively in almost every sentence. However, the first half of the book is truly inspiring. It's more than just following a plant-based diet (not vegan). The concept of humans needing cold and darkness for our overall well-being makes a primal kind of sense. We were so engrossed in Jillette's storytelling skills that the six-hour drive flew by effortlessly.
The problem arises when the book continues on and on, especially in the second half, where it tends to become more tangential. Jillette delves into politics (he's a Libertarian who dislikes both Trump and Hillary), sexual freedom (whatever floats your boat), his disbelief in God (a devout atheist), and shares stories that are far less interesting than the first half of the book. Some portions, like discussing consuming sexual bodily fluids, become downright repulsive. It's one thing to make a quick shocking comment, but another to constantly revisit it. This definitely isn't a book to listen to with children, your mother-in-law, or anyone who is easily offended. Honestly, I would have preferred if Jillette had focused solely on the diet aspect in the first half. If he had done that, it would have easily earned a five-star review.
In this book, there seems to be an excessive use of profanity, particularly the F word. It's clear that Penn has a penchant for swearing, but personally, I found it to be a bit excessive. It detracted from the overall message and purpose of the book. I managed to get through about half of it before I decided to exchange it with the service. Unfortunately, I didn't find much enjoyment in reading this book.
This audiobook is a fun and enjoyable listen. However, if you're looking for detailed information about the author's weight loss journey and the specific plan he followed, you won't find it here. Instead, there's a lot of content that doesn't directly relate to health or weight loss. The author shares a significant amount about his two-week potato-only diet, along with his personal thoughts and feelings about health and weight loss during that time. If you're seeking a step-by-step guide on how the author achieved his results, you'd be better off doing a quick internet search using the keywords "Penn Jillette weight loss plan." However, if you're interested in reading about the author's motivations for losing weight, his journey from the start of his diet, and some intriguing yet elusive hints about what came after two weeks of potato consumption, along with entertaining stories and dialogue that contains a fair amount of explicit language, then you might find this book enjoyable. It's worth noting that the author does an excellent job narrating the book, and his writing is both intelligent and entertaining.
In "Presto!: How I Made over 100 Pounds Disappear and Other Magical Tales," Penn proves himself to be a captivating storyteller. However, it's important to note that this book leans more towards being an autobiography rather than a traditional diet guide. Penn explicitly emphasizes that he doesn't provide any health or diet advice throughout the book.
This audiobook takes a fascinating approach to shedding pounds. It delves into the concept of a "potato famine" and explores the importance of maintaining a healthy diet after initial weight loss. It advocates for avoiding dairy, sugar, fat, and most types of meat.
I really appreciate the concept of the book. I found some of the author's tangents to be entertaining, although not to the extent that he seemed to. It would have been preferable to have more insight into his diet rather than the excessive name-dropping and use of profanity. Penn, we understand that you have connections to numerous celebrities! It would be great if you could add more substance to your books. As I progressed through this book, it started to feel like a chore to finish. However, I must acknowledge that it did give me a starting point to regain my motivation and I am successfully losing weight. So, for that, I would like to express my gratitude.
Penn has a multitude of intriguing concepts and offers some truly unique perspectives on dieting and life experiences in general, which he generously shares in this book. As a narrator, he is quite likable and manages to keep the listener thoroughly entertained for the most part. He is undeniably an intriguing character, possessing numerous virtues, but also a few vices.
However, despite these positive aspects, I have awarded this book with 3 stars. The primary reason for this is Penn's frequent use of profanity. It seems as though he employs the F word multiple times per page, which in my opinion is excessive. I personally believe that profanity should be used sparingly, as its overuse can be likened to the incessant use of phrases like "ya know" or "whatever, like" in every sentence. Additionally, I feel hesitant to recommend this book to some of my friends who may not appreciate such heavy usage of profanity. Furthermore, Penn seems to seize every available opportunity to belittle Christians, leaving believers feeling somewhat attacked. It can be disheartening to purchase a book only to find oneself criticized for their religious beliefs.
Nevertheless, despite these perceived faults, the overall entertainment value of the book remains intact. If you are able to overlook the aforementioned issues, I would still recommend giving it a read!
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