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Davy Rothbart
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My Heart Is an Idiot: Essays Paperback – September 3, 2013

by Davy Rothbart (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 142 ratings
Editors' pick Best Biographies & Memoirs
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Named a Best Book of the Year by Vanity Fair, Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, and NPR

In My Heart Is an Idiot, Davy Rothbart is looking for love in all the wrong places. Constantly. He falls helplessly in love with pretty much every girl he meets―and rarely is the feeling reciprocated. Time after time, he hops in a car and tears halfway across America with his heart on his sleeve. He's continually coming up with outrageous schemes and adventures, which he always manages to pull off. Well, almost always. But even when things don't work out, Rothbart finds meaning and humor in every moment.

Whether it's confronting a scammer who takes money from aspiring writers, sifting through a murder case that's left a potentially innocent friend in prison, or waking up naked on a park bench in New York City, nothing and no one is off limits. And it's all recounted in Davy's singular, spirited literary voice, "an intriguing hybrid of timeless midwestern warmth and newfangled jive talk," in the words of Sarah Vowell.

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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Picador
  4. Publication date
    September 3, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    5.57 x 0.86 x 8.19 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250037727
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250037725
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“I believe in Davy. He is a force to be reckoned with.” ―Ira Glass

“This book is f--cking great!” ―Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

“Rothbart...is a born raconteur, with a soldier's can-do spirit and a poet's mercurial soul.” ―The New Yorker

“[Rothbart's] irreverent brand of humor translates seamlessly to the page....He has an unforced curiosity and a natural empathy that make him an ideal traveling....Killingly funny.” ―The Washington Post

“Davy Rothbart has the humor and purity of heart you want and need in an observer of contemporary American life.” ―Dave Eggers

“Substitute Dr. Dre for Charlie Parker, and Davy Rothbart's new collection of sixteen essays reads like early Jack Kerouac....A brutally honest, heartfelt, and clever collection.” ―Time Out (New York)

“[Davy's] capacity for serendipity and overshare is infectious.” ―The New York Times

About the Author

Davy Rothbartis a frequent contributor to This American Life and a variety of magazines, the founder of Found Magazine and the editor of its various bestselling anthologies, and the author of The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas. He splits his time between Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Los Angeles, California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 3, 2013
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250037727
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250037725
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.57 x 0.86 x 8.19 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 142 ratings

About the author

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Davy Rothbart

Davy Rothbart

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Davy Rothbart is the author of the national bestseller Found, and creator of the magazine of the same name. A contributor to public radio's This American Life, he is also the author of the story collection The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
142 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written, particularly appreciating the brutal honesty in the author's style. The stories are well-told and heartwarming, with one customer noting how they capture the phases of obsessive love. Customers find the book funny, with one describing it as packing a punch with every sentence.

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ReadabilityWriting styleHumorStory qualityHeartwarming
36 customers mention "Readability"29 positive7 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and enjoyable, with one customer describing it as an awesome collection.

"This book was ok, but didn't hold my interest...." Read more

"...to becoming somewhat obsessed with a grade B movie, Rothbart keeps the reader engaged and ready for his particular brand of deadpan humor and..." Read more

"...has a very engaging writing style and the stories are funny and entertaining...." Read more

"...Oh, and it helps that he is an excellent writer, with evocative descriptions of people and places." Read more

21 customers mention "Writing style"21 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, noting its engaging and brutal honesty, with one customer highlighting how every sentence packs a punch.

"...who are too busy to read something cover to cover but enjoy a well written short story...." Read more

"...I will say the author is pretty honest, almost brutally so, and does admit to some things to which I would never admit, to friends or especially..." Read more

"...Davy's writing is funny, poignant and honest...." Read more

"...Rothbart's heart may be an idiot but, when it comes to writing great essays, his head is right in the game." Read more

14 customers mention "Humor"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, describing it as very funny with amusing stories.

"...Davy's writing is funny, poignant and honest...." Read more

"Rothbart has a very engaging writing style and the stories are funny and entertaining...." Read more

"...Rothbart's life is heartbreaking, humorous, and most of all...real. As a fellow writer, I found his narratives incredibly easy to connect with...." Read more

"This book is absolutely fantastic. It's hilarious, and I was so absorbed in the stories I almost forgot I was READING an actual book ...." Read more

13 customers mention "Story quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the stories in the book, finding them well told and amazing, with one customer particularly appreciating the author's site-specific locales.

"...It's jam-facked full of unbelievable experiences that will leave you laughing" Read more

"...He did not disappoint. These are all true stories about the wide variety of people he opens his heart and mind to as he travels around the country...." Read more

"...motion - but straightforward journeys have a way of turning into epic adventure because Rothbart opens himself up to it all, like a giant satellite..." Read more

"...Rothbart's life is heartbreaking, humorous, and most of all...real. As a fellow writer, I found his narratives incredibly easy to connect with...." Read more

9 customers mention "Heartwarming"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, with one review noting how it captures all phases of obsessive love, while another appreciates its neurotically optimistic take on romance.

"...This book will take you to nostalgic places, reading My Heart is An Idiot is like getting in a Greyhound time machine - you'll travel regionally and..." Read more

"...Davy's writing is funny, poignant and honest...." Read more

"...engaged and ready for his particular brand of deadpan humor and heartfelt surprises...." Read more

"...In addition, I appreciate his curiosity and optimism about life experiences...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • CzechJesus
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great author! Amazing book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    If you haven't experienced the auth or's stories, I highly recommend this book. It's jam-facked full of unbelievable experiences that will leave you laughing
    One person found this helpful
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  • Robert Downs
    4.0 out of 5 stars GPS In Your Hip Pocket
    Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    If you want a handful of life lessons (sixteen in fact) on how to screw up more than a few relationships with a road map and GPS satellite in your hip pocket to comfort you on your dark days, then MY HEART IS AN IDIOT could provide you better comfort than a blanket, a glass of warm milk, and your favorite movie on the tube. Whether you’re a cynic by nature or even if you’re holding out for the storybook fairytale or maybe a hero that goes by another name, you could find yourself mixing equal parts amusement and sadness and then flipping the switch to high. What comes out on the other side could leave you more than a little horrified, like the latest train wreck plastered across the news, but you can also comfort yourself in knowing that you weren’t on this particular train when it exited the station.

    “Bigger and Deafer” – When it comes to making fun of people with disabilities, the appropriate response is no. Always no. But then I like to think I have more than two cents to rub together.

    “Human Snowball” – If you want to read about a bus ride and a botched encounter with Lauren Hill (not the Lauryn Hill), then you’ll probably want to give this story a go. On a side note, Vernon adds a bit of comedic relief.

    “What Are You Wearing?” – If you want a checklist in how not to conduct phone sex, and when to probably pass on picking up the motel phone, you’ll find your answers here. If you’re still confused when you reach the end, you might want to start from the beginning all over again.

    “The 8th of November” – How Jim Thompson, arguably the best Ford mechanic in the Beltway, developed a friendship with the author with the idiot heart.

    “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Pee on the Wall” – Meeting an author can be a pleasurable experience (most of the time) unless you’re Davy Rothbart and you carry around a few bottles of pee in your backpack. Which leads to a whole new set of problems and more than a few therapy sessions.

    “How I Got These Boots” – A pair of boots, the Grand Canyon, and more than a few memories. What more could you ask for?

    “Shade” – Sometimes you need to do a bit of searching to find a shady spot in New Mexico, and the author certainly had more than a bit of trouble with this as well. If it wasn’t for bad luck, a missed opportunity with Maggie, and a fruitless search for the mysterious Shade—the person, not the spot allotted tree cover—this one might have had a positive outcome. Sadly, though, he’s striking out more often than a power hitter with a swing flaw.

    “Nibble, Lick, Suck, and Feast” – If you want to discover a bit of hilarity on an author tour, this story’s for you. If not, then we’ll move right along.

    “Canada or Bust” – Missy, another female name that begins with M, and thus we have yet another missed opportunity in the love quest. If you need to improve the dating pool, there’s always San Francisco.

    “Naked in New York” – How does one end up naked on a park bench? Apparently it’s not all that hard to do, and certainly not in “The Big Apple.” Read this tale for a few pointers.

    “Tarantula” – Don’t have sex anywhere near a tarantula. Even if it’s in a glass cage and it’s far away from the bed. I don’t care how good she looks (the woman, not the tarantula), or whether or not she kidnaps you and tosses you in the back of the trunk, and promises to rock your world for the next sixteen days. Just…don’t. You’ll thank me later.

    “Southwest” – Davy Rothbart may be blessed when it comes to sitting next to beautiful women on airplanes, but he probably needs a bit of help with his delivery and follow through. But that seems to repeat a bit too regularly over the course of these essays.

    “New York, New York” – Maggie Smith knows how to strike a pose; the Twin Towers ended up in a pile of rubble; a few interviews got off to a glitch filled start; the bus ride proved longer than planned; and never say no to a woman named Laquisha.

    “Tessa” – Drexel University and beer pong sound reasonably appealing, until Tessa proves a little free with her favors with another man, and you’re left shedding a few tears in your beer. There’s no crying in baseball, but I guess there is in beer pong.

    “The Strongest Man in the World” – Peter, Byron, Evelyn, and Davy sitting in a tree, recounting a few stories, or maybe it’s three. Tell a few tales, but don’t pass the buck. If you’re not too careful, you might be out of luck.

    “Ain’t That America?” – The moral of this story: You can strike out in love on more than one continent. Just keep that in mind the next time you’re moaning and groaning in your cup of tea.

    So, in summary, there’s much to enjoy here. If you’re the kind of Joe who likes to watch a train derailment or two, or you’re one of those rubberneckers on the interstate trying to see the extent of the damage, you’ve just discovered your new source of enjoyment for the day. Just be thankful it’s not your life, and hope to heck you have a bit more luck in the relationship arena, otherwise you might want a Prozac or a Xanax.

    Robert Downs
    Author of Falling Immortality: Casey Holden, Private Investigator
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Alex Arciniega
    5.0 out of 5 stars My Heart Is a Happy Idiot
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Davy Rothbart's, My Heart Is an Idiot felt like it was written for me and only me. It's not common to find such a deep and meaningful connection with a contemporary fiction book but this book did it for me. The 90's music references took me back to a place where my heart was young, idealistic and my brain was still incapable of making solid decisions that were genuinely good - welcome to 1996

    This book will take you to nostalgic places, reading My Heart is An Idiot is like getting in a Greyhound time machine - you'll travel regionally and back in time.

    I would recommend this book for people who are too busy to read something cover to cover but enjoy a well written short story. He's original, he's a little street but he's a human who wears his heart on his sleeve, even if it's not always the right idea.
    One person found this helpful
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  • ARaisinGrl
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as funny as I was hoping
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book was ok, but didn't hold my interest. While it is well-written, the stories (each chapter is a different story about something that happened to the author) didn't hold my interest. Several times after finishing one, my thought was, "So what?" They didn't cause me to think or emote, or make me more curious about the author/his life. I will say the author is pretty honest, almost brutally so, and does admit to some things to which I would never admit, to friends or especially strangers. Although now that I think about it, maybe it is easier to admit things to strangers and not have to face their judgement or their opinion changing of you. I guess I was expecting humorous stories about relationships gone bad, and this just didn't fit the bill.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Barbara Brodsky
    5.0 out of 5 stars My Heart is an Idiot
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I loved these stories. It's probably not a fair review since I'm in one of them, but the whole book stole my heart. Davy's writing is funny, poignant and honest. It's wonderful to watch him develop as a writer since his earlier book, "Lone Surfer," and see the increasing depth. I especially love his openness to people of all sorts, free of our usual prejudices. He is happy to chat with fellow passengers of all sorts on a bus, or to the person beside him on the street, to climb into cars and welcome passengers into his car, and to see both the beauty and the confusion inside people's hearts without giving judgment. His last story, "Ain't That America" especially reflects this open heart. I look forward to seeing more of his writing. 
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars The View from the Top
    Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    In Davy Rothbart and his very different view of life and love, "over the top" becomes a very good place to be indeed. From dealing with mom to cleaning the pool to becoming somewhat obsessed with a grade B movie, Rothbart keeps the reader engaged and ready for his particular brand of deadpan humor and heartfelt surprises. Along the way, including many of his roadtrips, Rothbart shows the amazing power of the unintended human connection. Rothbart's heart may be an idiot but, when it comes to writing great essays, his head is right in the game.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Marc Spector
    4.0 out of 5 stars Story after story you will be continually amazed at the brutal honesty in the writing
    Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Heart-wrenching honesty. Wow! Story after story you will be continually amazed at the brutal honesty in the writing. My only complaint would be that somewhere around 2/3 of the way through the stories just feel the same. It's like an album by a band with a great sound. Each song is remarkable in its own right, but they can lose some of their impact when taken all at once.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Majeed
    2.0 out of 5 stars nop!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The first chapter is the best. The rest is not worth it. The Author seems like a fun guy to know in reality and probably hang out with. A lot of stories to hear about, but not to read about!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Hilarious, touching, thought provoking and well written. I will be looking for more of Mr Rothbart's work.
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  • huntie
    2.0 out of 5 stars I'm finding it hard to read, due to the character
    Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I've had this book for almost a year, and only on chapter 2. I just can't seem to stand the character, I find him annoying, running around like he's a child with no self control over himself. You can say his heart's an idiot, or you can say he thinks with his penis. Either way, the book came fast and in good condition, so that's good. If you DO like this book, here's a good place to order. Like new :)
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