We don’t agree about olives and coffee, but we usually agree on books.
Lisa and I both just read an excellent book: Me, Myself and Bob by Phil Vischer, the creator of VeggieTales (and voice of Bob the tomato). This book is his autobiographical look at the rise and fall of Big Idea Productions, the media company he founded.
Here’s why I loved this book:
It is really well written, very funny at times and movingly sad at others. The book is a great read and took me just a couple of days to finish it.
Phil Vischer is only a few years older than me so I resonated with his experiences of television, technology and Christianity. In addition, I heard about VeggieTales as it was a growing phenomenon. I remember going to a 3-2-1 Penguins release party; I remember hearing that the Jonah movie overwhelmed the company (it was much more than that); and I remember when VeggieTales started focusing more on morals and less on the Bible (now I know why). The behind-the-scenes look was fascinating.
If you like books on business, the chapter on the lessons he learned from leading this business is better than most business books I have read.
Most importantly, Phil Vischer is brutally honest about his own failings and the book is a testimony to the glory of God. By the end of the book, not only was I entertained, I felt like I had just read a deeply spiritual book that helped me see God in new and fresh ways. The painful question he asks at the end – “Why didn’t God come and rescue me and the company” – and his answer are worth their weight in gold. It also doesn’t hurt that he started out thinking God was uninterested in guiding his life and ended up at a place expecting guidance from God.
I would strongly encourage you to read this book! Once we return our copy, it will be available from the church library.
Blessings,
Jim