Well, Me, Myself & Bob has been out for a few weeks now, and some reviews are popping up across the internet. Check out three by following these links…
Review #1
Review #2 (Be sure to read the interesting comments posted after this one.)
Review #3 (Scan down the page to find this one.)
Drop me a note if you find more!
Hey Phil,
if you click on the date, or time posted on a blog post it will give you what is called the “permalink” – which is a direct web page for the review of your book. The permalink for your review on ‘the redhedrev’ is:
http://redhedrev.blogspot.com/2007/01/book-review-me-myself-bob_01.html
Hope that helps!
Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy, doesnt come out in UK until Feb, which is almost here, kind of.
So what is a cessasionist/continuast? (If I have the terms right from the second review.)
Just when I think I have things figured out, someone throws a new term at me. π
BTW, I’ve got Me, Myself and Bob on order at the library. I’m 14th in line.
Review #2….What was the middle part again?
Where can i get the book. In canada please. God bless.
My husband and I read the book together (in a very short time) and LOVED it. Like the first review, my husband, who is always reading something, said it’s probably the best book he’s ever read. We’ve recomended it to several people.
who knew vegetables could inspire such deep theological disscusions!
All right, I looked up cessationist and continuationasist in Wikipedia, and it sounds like cessationists believe that the flasher spiritual gifts stopped in the first century (I’d always heard that as dispensationalism), while continuatonalists believe they continue to this day.
Thank you, Jasini! I read all of the comments on Review #2, and was thoroughly confused… I thought, “What does all this have to do with Mr. Vischer?”
Dear Phil, I’m Gabrielle, and am going to order your new book, but I just read your account of the Rise and Fall of Big Idea. I just want you to know that Bob & Larry came into our lives only 4 1/2 short years ago when we had our daughter and I was already 40 years old. Our daugther’s first VeggieTales experience was Jonah, when she was just a couple of months old…in the movie theatre. We now own almost every VeggieTales video/DVD, and we LOVE you, Bob & Larry, and all of your team members throughout the years. My heart aches for all that you and your company went through…I can’t imagine how painful it was for all of you, and still is at times, I’m sure. The good news is that God is A God of Second Chances, and that He loves each of us, no matter what. God is also the God of Dreams and Ideas, and I know He has good plans for you and your family and professional life going forward. Jer 29:11. May the Lord bless you, comfort you, and lead you to His loving arms always. We love you – The Rogers Family, Canyon Country, CA.
just finished your book–found it many things–an interesting bio, a recounting of a painful & costly fall– on just so many levels–and ultimately– a testimony to the amazing love of god–who loves us so much he disciplines us. found tears on my face several times–it really hurt to read about this company that we loved (unprecedented) and were so familar w/ all of it’s products(unprecedented)–that’s right, we owned all the stuff–(veggietales, larryboy 2d, 321 penguins, books, toys, etc) don’t think we’ve ever actually been involved w/ a company on such a level–product and spiritually speaking. and yet, while i found the struggle & then end of company hard to get through w/o tears, i found the afternmath–the ending chapters–impossibly more moving than the prior–the restoration–the tender hand of god showing you what is so deep & personal & motivating that we don’t really even know ourselves until he peels it back & shows us. people are very adept at hiding maybe not from god–but ourselves. so glad you reconsidered the book idea–(and they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony..) just thought i might tell you that we knew nothing of this situation –or your book –till yesterday after a friend told me that the original barney voice was no longer– b/c he came in one day drunk, swearing, etc @ the kids–said he was then fired & replaced w/ current voice guy–i wasn’t sure if i believed that entirely & so searched it out on line–well, your name came up in conjuntion w/ barney–and i thought, phil vischer, i like him, let’s see what he has to say–lo and behold, i begin to find out what i knew nothing about–read all 11 pgs–forgot all about my original inquiry re: barney–and went out to 3 different bookstores to find a copy of book (sold out @ barnes & nobel, then borders, so drove further to little christian bkstore– and bought 2)–started reading last night & finished this afternoon. felt the lord wanted the 2nd copy to go to my husband– who has a small business spun off of book he was asked to write–who has been named many times as a “visionary”, etc. to me, it seems as if the lord caused me to stumble onto your website to discover this dramatic information for a purpose– maybe a reminder?–the lord has revealed these same truths to me as you related in your concluding chapters — far different circumstances– but same truth. i find you really have to stay in tune, though, the longer time passes from the original revelation–b/c as human nature is, we tend to think too quickly that we have learned so completely that we can, w/o really making a conscious decision to do so, slip a little. we are, after all, in a spiritual battle daily– whether we feel it or not. also thought i’d tell you about the fact that “a snoodles tale “is one of my favorites, and that when i’m reading it to my kids, it’s hard to get through w/ completely dry eyes. while reading the end of your book “me, myself & bob”, i must relay that “a snoodles tale” popped into my head. specificly, the part about the snoodle saying in response to god’s TRUE picture of him “but sir, said the snoodle, how can i fly? this picture’s so big, i won’t get very high! but this picture’s special–it’s bigger, it’s brighter. carry it close, and i think you’ll feel lighter. as soon as he heard it, the snoodle looked down, and noticed his feet were an inch off the ground! he laughed and he leaped and he ran from the cave, feeling now older and stronger and brave. he flew through the clouds, and he flew w/ the finches. he soared up & down “round the peak of mt. ginchez. he flew over far- lilly bushes in yellow, and thimbuttle plants squirting snooberry
jell-o. he flew over biggle-bag trees and their fruits, in big lazy loops o’er the land of galoots. then hurried back home to the center of town, where the snoodles all stood w/ their wings on the ground. and starting precisely at quarter past two, he told them the story that i just told you.”
far different circumstances–same truth. thanks for sharing your story from the center of town…
Dear Phil, I just finished reading your book this morning and it is great. I laughed out loud a lot and teared up at the end when you talked about what God had shown you. I will highly recommend it to all my friends. I have watched Veggies with my kids for a long time and my son started watching them when he was about 15 months old and wouldn’t watch anything else. I tried to show him another Christian cartoon once and he just hung his head and shook it like he was saying “What are you trying to do to me? Just give me my Veggies, please!!!” I look forward to seeing all the wonderful things God is going to do through you in the future. God bless you.
God never changes. He has always been and always will be the same, so why do people continue to clutter everything up by trying to fit Him and everyone else into little boxes? Go, Phil! Follow wherever He leads.
I just ordered your book with a gift certificate for my birthday, and can’t wait to read it and share it with others.
Here’s another review for you, Phil. I look forward to reading your book.
http://shellysjournal.wordpress.com/2007/01/27/book-review-me-myself-and-bob/
Thank you and GOD bless you and your family Phil. I am not an avid reader, however I do read some. This is the first book in many years that I started reading and couldn’t put down until it was finished. Veggie Tales has been a part of my life since the beginning with my oldest grandchild , who is now 14, starting us out. My youngest, who is 2 months, will be brought up with them also. I learned along with them. I pray for your continued well being and success in all your future endeavours. I just wish I could convey to you how much you have impacted my family already and will continue to do in the future. By the way, I am very familiar with Muscatine. I spent much time there in my youth, odors and all. Again, thank you, from a 60 year old grandfather in Arkansas.
Phil – Great book. I put up a brief review here – http://shellysjournal.wordpress.com/2007/01/27/book-review-me-myself-and-bob/
Blessings,
thecreativecompany.comHi Phil! This book is filled to the brim with bibilcal lessons and the ending is a great reminder to everyone of what is possible when God is first, last and everything in between!
Every entrepreneur who is honest has had similar struggles in this world- maybe they didn’t grow as big or fall as hard but the story is still the same. There’s nothing new under the sun.
May God bless you as you continue your journey! You are an encouragement to me. I did suggest to everyone on our company’s newsletter list that they buy the book so if you see a surge in orders this week, just know that God’s watching out for you in Wisconsin too!
Laura Geisking
President
The Creative Company, Inc.
http://www.thecreativecompany.com
Accidently found your book at the library. I almost put it back because I had so many books already. I’m glad I got it. It was the best book I’ve read in a while. I read parts of it to my husband he enjoyed it also. Our kids have watched VeggieTales for years and love them.
I just finished your book and enjoyed it very much but on one of the end pages it directs me to your webiste to leran more about you and Jellyfish. Then I’m instructed to type in the code PHILBOOK to read more of your story in an additional unpublished chapter of your book.
I can’t find anywhere to enter this code. Help me please, I want to read more.
Thank you.
Phil ( I hope I can address you in such a familiar way!)
I just finished reading your book. A friend listened to my story and said “you have got to read this book.” Indeed, you spoke to so much of what I have just gone through. No, I haven’t lost a major company, but the lessons God has shown you is exactly where God has me right now. Wow. No accidents.
I laughed and cried through the book. There are so many good lessons in there. Every business person should be required to read Me, Myself and Bob.
I can’t wait for someone to ask me where I want to be in five years, to which I will respond, “in God’s will!” Oh, that is exactly where I long to be.
God bless you, Phil. I have and will continue to promote your book.
Robin Gifford
Lincoln, NE
Dear Phil
I loved your book, I read it in less than a week and re-reading it again. This book will be the perfect gift for my mom who has a Christian School in Ecuador and lately has felt that her ministry is becoming more a burden than a blessing.
Question…In the book’s last page there is a special code that one can use to get to an “unpublished last chapter” of the book, but when I put the code on the search field and click “go”, it says that can not find it… What should I do?…Thanks again to the Lord because He allowed all those things (the good and the no-so-good) to happen to you so we could be blessed today. May His Name be blessed for ever.
Great book, Mr V.
Wonderful lessons. Should be required reading for every Christian Creative…
Thanks much!
– AZ
Well my book has arrived at my local Christian bookstore, however im ill and can’t walk into town to pick it up π and no one would go and get it for me π hopefully tomorrow someone will or I will be well enough. Cant wait to read it now.
Phil, great book. I read it in 2 days and I’m not much of a reader. Found in very interesting and inspiring. I was driving out in the middle of nowhere in Montana and heard you talking about your book, and it sounded like an interesting read, and it sure was. Enjoyed your insights on alot of things in it. After reading some things on your blog, I was saddened again to see other Christians attacking what you said in your book and trying to prove you wrong to make them look right. Sounds alot like the Pharisees to me. Wanted you to know, I donated your book to the local library, so others could enjoy it too.
woo yeh, I managed to get it today and I finished it today, what a great book, really gets one thinking and praying
Phil, my wife and I loved your book. As an artist and animator I really want to use my talents for God’s kingdom (I’ve already illustrated a cartoon gospel tract at livingwaters.com that has sold over a million copies in four languages). Your story is fascinating, your honesty and humor are refreshing, and I’m grateful for your warning to not letting our passions and ministry goals blind us to our utter dependance on God. Thank you so much!
If you are interested, I’ve posted a review of your book on my art blog: http://cedricstudio.blogspot.com/2007/02/book-review-me-myself-bob.html
Phil,
I have read most of your book and found it a wonderful testimony. My heart flew with you when you were up and my heart was sick and ached with you on your lows.
Despite the narrow minded, “I’m in my little bubble” review (the 2nd one) I found the reviews wonderful and right on.
Henry Blackaby and Henri Nouwen have made a tremendous impact on my life and I have found their writings a wonderful refeshing fountain in the far too often dry, analytical, pragmatic and academic landscape of Christianity. (being a current Seminary student) I was delighted that you found them such a source of refreshment and God used them to transform you just as they did me.
I think your assessment as to where you need to be (in the center of God’s will) is a challenging and exciting journey and to be content with that whether is 5 days, 5 weeks or 5 years from now is lesson we all could learn and do a little better.
God is not done with you yet.
My family (wife and 5 yr old son) and I are avid veggie fans and love your and Mike Nawrocki’s work and will continue to support you however possible (DVD sales, prayer, etc)
May the Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Andy
What a wonderful read. I enjoyed it from cover to cover. I couldn’t put it down. “I laughed, I cried,” to quote my favorite cucumber, “it moved me” Phil!
I think Me, Myself, & Bob will be required reading in our company! Thanks for writing the best business book I’ve read.
My only disappointment was rushing on line to type in the code and see the “lost chapter”. All I found was an almost direct quote of the beginning of chapter 8. What a let down, but I’m getting over it.
To end on an encouraging note, my son struggles with autism but it would bring you tears to hear him sing Madam Blueberry’s “Thankful Heart”.
Blessings and thank you for your transparency.
Arlyn
aop.comPhil, I finished your book a few days ago. It is now in the hands of my 16yo son because I’ve decided that it is required reading to graduate from our homeschool!
Bob & Larry entered our lives when my husband’s bible-school-student-nephew brought over some of his movies one year for a New Year’s Eve movie-thon. I have Lord of the Beans wallpaper on my computer, and my cell phone will soon have “I Can Be Your Friend” for a ringtone (when my husband gets a chance to set it up for me).
I’ve been telling everyone about your book, including other homeschool families. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Not a review per se Phil, but you were the subject of my weekly “Monday Morning Inspiration” in my blog and I included a plug for the book. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
P.S. – you need a “Contact Me” form or something like that on this site!
What can I say Phil. My wife got the book from the library and finished it saying, “You’ve got to read this!” I just finished it and like her I loved it. We both recognized with familiarity the way God worked in your life as the way He has worked in ours- though obviously much less publically and dramatically. Like you, we have learned painfully to let go of our idols and learn that God alone is enough, more than enough!
From the business perspective (I’m a scientist at a major pharmaceutical company), you hit the nail on the head in more than one instance- particularly as regards the need for a committed relationship between a Roy and a Walt in making a company successful.
From the Christian perspective, the lesson you share is one that every true believer must learn at some point in their walk with Christ. We all must as Michael Card put it so elegantly stumble over Christ and the fact that He calls us to die that we might truly live.
Well done Phil. Very, very well done.
Phil
Great stuff. Thanks for the honesty and the humor in your book. I’m so glad that the Lord has blessed you and led you to a place of being completely satisfied with and in Him.
Phil,
I’m one of those “college” kids (now 32 with 2 kiddos of my own) who fell in LOVE with VT. My wife (a middle school teacher) had VT product all over her classroom from 1997-2001 (before our son came) and my college buds and I actually looked forward to the new videos that came out.
Man, this is going to sound so cliche and cheesy, but…your book moved me and touched me. I feel like Bill Gaither right now ;o)…but seriously, as someone who has been using thier Management & Communication degree while involved in Christian retail for over five years (Corp. offices now; btw–we’re owned by the same “billionaire” who got “cold” feet at the top of page 105…man do I wish he wouldn’t have, maybe I’d be working for Big Idea right now! Woo-Hoo!!!) I was impressed on how you were able to take me with you on the journey. By the time I was at the part of the “holy of holies” @ Disneyland I was actually getting emotional (don’t tell!).
Thank you, thank you, thank you–I now hold my dreams in a much more “loose” fashion…to God be the glory!
Like many others, I couldn’t put your book down. I loved your your candidness about what went right and what went wrong, especially in neither blaming others nor identifying yourself as a victim.
I especially liked your last chapters on what you learned and the place God has taken you to. I had given my 16-year old daughter much of the same advice of being able to hold a dream loosely so God could take it away if He so desired. It’s Him being more concerned with our holiness and our Christ-likeness than our happiness.
Thank you for sharing your story. It was a great blessing and I am recommending it highly to others.
PS-It was also refreshing to read that your family is still intact. I know tremendous business stresses like the ones you endured can take a fatal toll on marriages. May God continue to strengthen your marriage and your family.
Hi Phil.
My wife and daughter bought me your book as a ‘fun’ read, you know… nothing serious and knowing how much I’ve enjoyed Veggie Tales over the years.
My wife and I were one of those unexpected fans you mentioned in your book… long before we had our daughter we were hooked as young newly weds teaching Sunday school and occasionally popping in a Veggie Tales episode to go along with our lesson. One year at VBS I even wore my green Larry shirt (original one with the HUGE eyes) while playing congas in the orchestra… and for just a few moments Larry actually DID have hands!
I LOVED your book and I’m so glad the Lord led you to write it
It started off all fun and then you started slipping in those spiritual nuggets (how dare you!). LOL!
It reminded me of the tag line from a video short from the 80’s, ‘Hardware Wars’ “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss five bucks good-bye!”.
Seriously, I would laugh out loud so much my wife started moving to the next room when she noticed me pick it up to start reading. It was like an emotional roller coaster. The way you wrote the book it made me feel like I was there going through it with you. It was very moving. The references to TRON, Star Wars, etc really connected with me. TRON and trash-80’s got me in to computers and the computer field.
I too worked the late shift at a TV station about the same time frame making ‘bump’ VHS tapes with all the commercials on them for the next day’s broadcast. We had an Amiga and I would do computer graphics on there for commercials and ads. So all the technical stuff in the book was great and brought back memories. We didn’t have access to any high-end Unix workstations but the Video Toaster and Lightwave 3D were very nice.
Your ‘Yoda Blackaby’ reference had be in tears I was laughing so hard. And the final chapter of totally surrendering and just ‘walking with God’ and waiting on the Lord’ really hit home. Thanks!
Me and my family anxiously await all that God has in store for your next great adventure. May God bless you and your family… and anyone who had anything to do with Big Idea.
Be sure and keep a journal of your Jellyfish startup… might be yet another book coming out of that. The Chronicals of Phil (I hope so)
π
Yours in Christ,
J.J.
Atlanta, GA
challies.comThe second link for Tim Challies’ post no longer goes where it’s supposed to. You get there by going here.
Phil,
My wife gave me your book (Me, Myself, & Bob) for Valentines Day. I just finished reading it today. I wanted to thank you for sharing your successes and failures with us. I have always been a great big fan of Veggie Tales since around 1997. I love Veggie Tales as much or more than my son Micah (age 8) and our daughter Caraline (age 4). I am a bean counter as you said in your book, but I recently took a Christian value based personality test and found out that my strongest part is my Dreamer area. I have always been creative with poetry and other writing. I have recently changed careers from being an accountant to being a business analyst for a software development company in Montgomery, Alabama. During the last few years I have moved from one company to the next trying to find my place in life. Or should I say, God actually moved me from one company to another, since I was downsized from a couple of the positions.
I found out by reading your book that we have several things in common. June 16 is a special day for both of us. I was born on June 16, 1972. Also during most of my life I have been shy and afraid to get involved with other people at a very deep level. I came from a Christian home, where we went to church and I attended and graduated from a Christian private school. But during my early twenties my parents divorced after twenty something years of marriage. This really affected me deeper than I thought at the time.
I wanted to thank you for the end of the book. I have gotten my focus off of God and more on things the last few years. I have recently started to attend a menβs group on Friday morning before work, with a friend of mine. He is the same friend who called me and offered me the job opportunity as a business analyst. I will pray that God continues to help you focus on Him. Please pray for me that I would be able to focus on God and find the place where he wants me to be. Also pray that God will give me someone to be a mentor in my life.
Maybe one day God will give me a chance to meet you and talk more about our lives and focusing on God.
Sincerely,
Matthew K. Olson
Phil, I finished Me, Myself & Bob last night, with tears streaming down my face, and now that I’ve read the comments above, they’re flowing again. Thank you so much for writing the Big Idea story – I was enthralled with the characters and the drama of the company’s rise and fall. And while I’m not an entrepreneur or a horribly creative type, I appreciated the chapter on the business lessons that came out of the experience.
But as much as I enjoyed the rest of the book, I must thank you most of all for “Dreams – Part 2.” What a message of hope and a stirring call to simple faith! What a painful expose’ of my driven, love-poor heart! What a sweet reminder that my life needs to be about just God! What… prophecy.
The unnamed Blackaby book was, I believe, Chosen to be God’s Prophet. Blackaby might have been writing about Samuel, but I felt God speaking to me as I read your book, Phil. Thank you for answering his call to write something for us grown-ups.
God bless you, Phil, and your family and your ministry.
Charley
Seattle
As others (including Larry) have said: “I laughed, I cried– it moved me, Bob!” Can’t think of a better way to say it. Your book was anointed, deeply personal, and therefore truly touching.
thechartonline.comPhil,
I just wrote this review of your book for my university paper. Enclosed is the URL. Hope you enjoy it.
http://media.www.thechartonline.com/media/storage/paper630/news/2007/02/23/Diversions/Me.Myself.Bob.Brings.Delight.To.Audiences-2738023.shtml
Did I miss something? Where can I type in the code to get the extra chapter? I want to read more more more. Loved the book.
Dear Phil,
I received your book as a birthday gift from my mother. My daughter Rachel (7), is a huge fan of the Veggies (she could sing the theme song, in tune, at 18 mos.). My son Daniel (2), is close behind. As one fascinated with things “Chicago” (birth town Cicero, childhood in Brookfield) and most importantly Christian based entertainment for our family, we fell in love with the series. We even hoped one day to take the kids by the studios one day even just to show them where Bob & Larry “worked.” I sadly must confess, that while my wife Susan and I tried to buy the videos and take in the “Live” show, We had no idea of what had happened until I read your book. As I progressed thruogh the book, I was shocked, felt sympathy for you, your family, and staff, and then as I reached the end of the book, I was amazed as to how God is using those circumstances to bring you into His will for your life. I like your “jellyfish” analogy about life. I am a former airline aircraft mechanic whose “dream” was cut short by the events of 9/11/01. Angry and sometiimes very bitter about the way my life/career had turned out, after reading Me, Myself, & Bob, God has pointed out that what he chooses to do with my life is His business, and I need to be OK with that. Thanks for writing it. I’m sure Jesus is not finished with you yet, and you have our prayers and support as you continue in His work.
Yours in Jesus Christ,
Scott
I’m not the only one who got your book for V-day it seems. But I just finished it tonight. And right now I don’t really know what to say.
Well, I will say, I wasn’t prepared for the chapter Dreams pt 2. I finished the chapter before that on the train on the way home from school. And, I was at that point, I have to find out what happens next. I had to keep going. And Dreams pt. 2 hit me like a brick between the eyes. Much like a character in one of my school assignments.
When I got to the point about a friend praying telling you this was about God and Phil. That struck a chord. I thought I have to finish this book tonight. And I just did. And God spoke. God showed me that I was headed down a very similar path. Because of being at AAU and having this (que holy choir) Pixar class, I had been centering my identity on how good of an animator I was. I haven’t gotten in the Pixar class yet. And the two times I’ve tried out, and got that “sorry your not accepted” email has not been fun. But my thoughts have been with the grandiose as well. I want to do a film about a story I was thinking up. A story with Lord of the Rings proportions. And God used you, knock that out of me, or least start the process of knocking that out of me.
But when I got to the point about you focusing on God’s truth, just sitting there and then the story of Sidney and Norman popping into your head. I broke down. The tears just flooded. And it came at the point when you said your wife cried. I just blew. I don’t know exactly where it came from but it hit the mark. As did the picture of you on Jesus’ shoulders at Disneyland. It hit a mark. And I thank God, for putting you in that situation. Because something I’ve learned recently, (due to some family situations), that no man is an island. And you, Phil are not an island either. And I realized that not just our families our involved, but people we don’t even know posting messages on boards like these are affected by those ripples. God used you Phil, to reach me tonight. And I thank God for that, and I thank you for being open to His Word.
God gave me this vers tonight .. Jeremiah 1:9 … Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
I don’t know what God has in store for me now. But I’m more at peace, knowing He is in control. And it’s in Him that I rest. I was getting way too busy worrying about what great animation “I” could come up with to wow poptential employees, and that was too much strain. I feel a lot better now.
I thought I would pass that along to you. God has blessed you. And God has blessed me through you. Thanks again.
Brett Davis.
I could not put the book down and finished it in a weekend. I know you must have struggled with the loss of control of the beloved Bob and Larry (not to mention, Junior and Jimmy and Jerry). Veggie Tales were a great success to help teach valuable lessons to young (and old). No one can take that away.
I am sure your new challenge will be just as successful.
If you are every in Jacksonville, Florida, please look me up. I would love to have you share your story of faith with our church.
Greetings All,
I found a few blog entries referring to Phil’s book. Check them out at your leisure:
Charlie Dean’s Blog
Camillofan’s Blog
Nathan Horton’s Blog
I just finished reading your book and I was very moved. I have 4 kids and we have been big fans of veggietales since it all started. My two year old is the most obsessed of everyone. Not a day goes by where he doesn’t watch almost the entire library we have. And if you saw how many times we have had to tape together the veggietale books, you would laugh. I just want you to know that you have touched our family in a such a meaningful way. Thank you for being so funny and creative. Thank you for bringing Bob and Larry into our lives. May God continue to use your talents to bless many more families like mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Laura Kelsey
Got it. Loved it!!! It was great to me personally in SO many ways. Thank you SO very much for sharing.
Required reading around here.
I posted my thoughts at my Booples blog.
Dear Phil,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Thank you for the years of Veggie Tales that I enjoyed before I had kids and now enjoy with them. Thank you for writing this book. Thank you for your honesty, your candor and your openess. You’ve made a difference in more lives than you will ever know.
May God Bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.
I just finished the book last night and all I could say is WOW. My wife came home with the book from the library last week. but it was my youngest daughter who found it. My wife was looking for a new book to read and my 8 year old daughter walked over with your book in hand and said we need to check this out daddy, he loves vegie tales. I felt like you took all of us with you on the journey, it was one of the best books I have ever read and should be a requirement for ALL bussiness schools. Thank You
Dear Phil, I read your book over my spring break (I teach school) and couldn’t put it down. My sister, Nancy Anderson, told me that she had recently read it and highly recommended it. So, I bought one on-line immediately. When it arrived on Monday, I was thrilled. What an awesome book! I was so impressed with it that I wrote a short recommendation and posted it on Amazon. Thank you for sharing your journey. I also emailed my son who lives in Wheaton (a Wheaton College alumnus) and asked him to please buy and read the book this week. I bought Nancy’s and Dan’s kids a VeggieTales nativity set for Christmas last year. As Dan helped take the pieces out of the box to put the set together, I overheard him say something like “Phil said he would never make Jesus a vegetable.” Now, I fully understand what he was talking about. I didn’t realize that you were not still a part of Big Ideas. You have a wonderful sense of humor… you remind me a little bit of Dan. May God bless you and your family! Thank you so much for writing!!! Kindest Regards, Faith Kemper
Saw you interviewed on 100 Huntley Street, Toronto ,Canada and decided to order the book immediately.
Just finished reading it…very, very good! Just put it in the mail to my son who lives in Texas, who I’m quite sure will identify with much of what is in this book.
This IS the most impactful book I have ever read and it is becuase I can tell after all the facts were put in, that the Holy Spirit all but spoke the last chapter to me. Thank you for being bold and naked enought to let God use you! I will be recomending it to all of my friends.
Wonderfully inspiring!!! I discovered the book at library on the new arrivals. To be honest I usually put books on hold and then go to library to pick up. I never stay lobger than 2 mins. But something told me to look at this table. Of course I think it was God as I was just telling my husband that I need a gould inspirational book. See we are stuggling and it just seems things are getting worse. I must admit I have been struggling with my faith. The only reason I picked this up is I saw Bob on the cover. Being a big Veggies fan I wondered what it was about. Now it usually takes me a couple weeks to read a book of this size but man I could not put the thing down. I read it in a day. My husband came in laughing at me many times as he had never really seen me so engrossed with a book. I laughed and cried. Thank God for putting that little voice in my head…”go look at the new arrivals…you might find what you are looking for.” Seriously that is what was going on in my head.
You and Mike Nawrocki ought to be congratulated. I am a massive fan of veggietales (Larry seems to shine brightest on the show, but I have a soft spot for Bob) and its many albums have found their way onto my Ipod, and videos and DVDs into my lounge room. For the sake of all veggie lovers out there, please continue to make the movies and music we all love.
I recently watched the Work AS Worship simulcast through Right Now Media and was led to follow up and read your book Me, Myself, and Bob. After reading it, the back of the book refers to putting in a code philbook to read more of your story in an additional unpublished book. I’m sending this book on for my son’s birthday hoping it will be meaningful to him as it was to me as we contemplate dreams in our life and the need to focus on our walk with God. Thanks for your inspiration and being used to deliver a revelation! Is the additional unpublished chapter of your book accessible still?
A couple of weeks ago I found your book in a library. I had just watched an old VeggieTales VHS tape the day prior for nostalgic reasons. While walking between the library shelves, I was thinking wouldn’t it be cool if I found a book about computer graphics history or even Phil Vischer himself. When I found your book I was extremely elated. It was literally on the edge of a top shelf sticking out surrounded by coffee table books that had nothing to do with computers. Anyways a couple of days ago I finally started to read Me, Myself, and Bob and I was hooked, but didn’t read much of it. Then yesterday I finished the book. Yes, I read about 80% of the book in one day over the course of 10 hours.
Enough with the background story, now its time to talk about my thoughts. I really enjoyed the book. I got to see a side of Big Idea and you that I never knew about as a kid watching audio commentaries on the DVDs. My favorite parts were when you were talking about MTV, the different 3D workstations you had, 3D software used, and lattice deformation. I found those parts interesting because I have a strange fascination with watching old music videos, computer videos, and strangest of all 70s and 80s post production demo reels.
The rest of the book was very interesting too, about how you built Big Idea, how it collapsed, the details of the Lyric lawsuit, and how you spiritually recovered. What shocked me the most was how much strain the production of Jonah put on the company. Jonah was on of my favorite movies as a kid. It was also the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater. I also remember my 5 year old self thinking that the 2-disc Jonah DVDs was one of the coolest things ever. Something odd I realised while reading is that with in a few days that Big Idea would be 25 years old (not including the GRAFx Studios years).
However, I got to the end a realized that there was a “Lost Chapter.” The book said to come to your website and I did. I typed the code into the search bar and this 11 year old page about reviews of the book was the only thing that showed up. I assume that it is because of the comment that came before mine. So, I searched the website, the internet, and even web archives to no avail. It appears that the “Lost Chapter” now lives up to its name. All of the links that I could find on your website to the “Lost Chapter” only lead to 404 Errors.
none of those links are valid anymore. man does the internet change fast. π
i just read your book over the weekend. π <3
love love love it! π its helpful that after listening to all your podcasts over the past couple years, i can hear you reading it too (who needs audible!)
i found it really interesting the part about college kids finding the show first. because although i had heard of veggietales before that (just a tiny bit) i had kinda blown it off until i was in college and a couple of girls there made me watch one …. and i swear when i watched the dance of the cucumber i about peed my pants!! i laughed for HOURS and rewatched it…
seriously. we have every veggie movie (up until the new ones) and they are all just so clever! it makes me laugh sometimes thinking how God must have known when we named something ______, it would end up working so perfectly into a veggie thing someday in the most hilarious way…. again, just so clever!
π love most of course all that you learned, and how you spend several chapters sharing what you learned. that was really the heart of the book were those last few chapters. it was so cool to learn all the details too, but obviously "and so what we have learned…" is the most important part. God used you exactly as He needed to to create something that means so much to all of us, and when He knew you were done, and in order to preserve it, He passed it on. its just amazing how perfectly HE works, even when it breaks our hearts a little – or a lot!
love you brother! π i know you dont know a thing about me, but its been so cool "getting to know you" through your book and podcasts. GOD BLESS!!
Phil, Just finished your book. It resonates with me on many levels. For one, I too worked in video production for 20+ years. More importantly, chapter 21 is exactly the wisdom from God I have been asking for. I needed this message!
Thanks for making yourself vulnerable!
Scott
Where do I go on your site to read the additional chapter?
Hi Ed, sadly the chapter is no longer available
Is there a reason it’s no longer available?
I loved the book, it’s even brought me closer to God, realizing that our dream isn’t what God wants, he just wants us.