Offerman's collection of Americans who personify "gumption" is kind of fun. Some of his subjects are obvious, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, and some are more personal choices, Carol Burnett, Jeff Tweedy, Conan O'Brien. We get it that these essays will be unrelentingly positive about the subjects and that these people have made a mark on Offerman's life. But at times, there is a turn of a phrase or a way of looking at something that is just perfect. For example when writing about James Madison and his participation in the Constitutional Convention, Offerman writes "Even Thomas Jefferson knew which tiny horse to bet on." I admit, that line just slayed me. But I have to agree with Kara who also reviewed this book, Offerman bloviates like few others. It is good in short spurts but can get tedious. The author reads the audio version and that is worth while, I think, because the emphasis is in all the right places.
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