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  • The Bassoon King

  • My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy
  • By: Rainn Wilson
  • Narrated by: Rainn Wilson
  • Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (254 ratings)
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The Bassoon King cover art

The Bassoon King

By: Rainn Wilson
Narrated by: Rainn Wilson
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Summary

Rainn Wilson's memoir about growing up geeky and finally finding his place in comedy, faith, and life.

For nine seasons Rainn Wilson played Dwight Schrute, everyone's favorite work nemesis and beet farmer. Viewers of The Office fell in love with the character and grew to love the actor who played him even more. Rainn founded a website and media company, SoulPancake, that eventually became a bestselling book of the same name. He also started a hilarious Twitter feed (sample tweet: "I'm not on Facebook" is the new "I don't even own a TV") that now has more than four million followers.

Now, he's ready to tell his own story and explain how he came up with his incredibly unique sense of humor and perspective on life. He explains how he grew up "bone-numbingly nerdy before there was even a modicum of cool attached to the word." The Bassoon King chronicles his journey from nerd to drama geek ("the highest rung on the vast, pimply ladder of high school losers"), his years of mild debauchery and struggles as a young actor in New York, his many adventures and insights about The Office, and finally, Wilson's achievement of success and satisfaction, both in his career and spiritually, reconnecting with the artistic and creative values of the Bahá'í faith he grew up in.

©2015 Rainn Wilson (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Rainn Wilson narrates his own story with such perfection that the only disappointment is the fact that it ends. The memoir is smart, inspirational, and funny, so the addition of Wilson's performance adds delectable icing to a tasty cake." (AudioFile)

"Quirky, witty, literate." (Washington Post)

"Rainn Wilson's memoir captures essence of his offbeat humor." (Chicago Sun-Times)

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What listeners say about The Bassoon King

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Funny, ear opening and an honest take on life

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The story takes you through many wonderful places. Thanks, Rainn!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful

So lovely to “get to know” Rainn Wilson as a person - and what an absolutely lovely person he is too.

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Absolutely beautiful

Rainn Wilson is an extraordinary human being and his heart-wrenchingly honest memoir is as moving, thought-provoking, empathetic and challenging as it is hilarious, absurd and ridiculous. Thank you for the wonderful experience, Rainn.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Honest, funny and thought provoking

Absolutely loved this book. I bought it just because I'm a huge fan of the office and since this finished filming I've been having withdrawal. But got so much more than I'd bargained for. With tales of a very colourful childhood, Rainn had me captivated and learning about his Baha'i faith and work promoting everyone's right to an education has made me see him in a whole new light. I cried through the story of the birth of his son, such a moving tale. This story is a real gem.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful!

I wish it lasted forever. I felt the struggle and joy of being Rain Wilson. Fantastic.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Reframing spirituality stereotypes

Wilson reframes and challenges the tripe and mis-interpretations perpetuated about spirituality in today’s western culture. His pure honesty about his own short comings (along with overcoming them) provides a refreshing take on what it means to be human- a good human. 10/10 absolutely loved!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fave

I love him so much he’s the best. It’s also a very good audiobook ngl.

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Unexpected At Points But Enjoyable

This was a great book and generally very compelling, covering many topics — some of which surprising. I didn’t for example expect Rainn to delve into religion at all, but nonetheless it is very interesting and enjoyable.

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a must read!

I am a bigger fan now than I was before listening - and that's saying something!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Nice guy but a bit pretentious

I really wanted to like this as I have enjoyed Rainns work in several films and tv shows, but honestly I found the book a bit boring.

Maybe it’s just an actor thing, but I found him quite pretentious a lot of the time, maybe he’s right and it’s what makes a good actor but to me it came off as pretentious and a bit too ‘I’m an ARTIST who is CREATIVE don’t you know...’.

I also thought it got a bit too bogged down in spirituality, it’s obviously something that’s very important to him but started to get a bit preachy in places. You know those deep conversations you had with friends as a teenager when you were both drunk? And how in the sober light of day you think oh god what a load of b*llocks I was talking last night? He comes across as never having that realisation.

Overall disappointed because I do enjoy his work and he seems like a really nice guy, I just wouldn’t want to be stuck in a conversation with him.

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