Roger BennettReborn in the USA: An Englishman's Love Letter to His Chosen Home

I saw Roger Bennett on a morning show and was intrigued enough to buy his book. I only started it yesterday and could hardly put it down. I'm wasn't sure what to expect, but going on a journey through his young years and his challenges at a Liverpool private school, was a happy surprise. I laughed out loud during much of his accounts, not only from what happened, but Bennett's writing style was so funny. Sometimes writers overdo "funny" and tire me out with their efforts, but Bennett had the perfect balance. Some of his recollections will forever stick in my mind like the shower scenes he described after sports and his feelings of not fitting in. His path from nerdy outsider, to finding a cool American friend, to transforming his standing at school after that and being one of the cool kids, only to find out during a Beastie Boy's concert fiasco that he didn't want that after all, made me really feel for this guy. Although I thought there would be more chapters on his experiences once in America, what he did include had me with tears running down my face at the end. I was really moved by his Epilogue. What a great story!

I really like Roger Bennett. He's sharp, witty, and has a great sense of humor. While I never watch Men in Blazers, I do listen to Roger when he is a guest on Morning Joe. That's when I was first introduced to him, and that's why I was so excited to read this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't what I was expecting, and as a result, I was disappointed with it (I read the entire book).The book is, of course, well written with Roger's great sense of humor. It contains an enormous amount of detail relating to his coming of age in the bleak, grimy and gritty city of Liverpool, England. He is especially impacted by his years studying in an equally bleak private school aimed at educating the middle class citizens of England destined to become accountants or shopkeepers. It's no wonder why he wants to get the hell out of there and come to America.My problem is he spends way too much time in the book talking about his growing up in Liverpool, and not on how he flourished once he arrived in America. His pedantic recounting of the most excruciating details of his small penis as a boy borders on juvenile. And, his description of his school days and mates, which he provides in almost encyclopedic detail, is, well, really boring to read.I was most interested in Roger coming to America (he does provide plenty of information as to why he wanted to come) and how he settled in, and what he found most exciting and enjoying, how he met his wife, what opportunities he found here that didn't exist in England, and the rest of the "immigrant" experience. To me, the book is less about a love letter to America and more about a Dear John letter to England.

Bennett is very funny and this book is basically a John Hughes meets Porky's movie waiting to be made -- very bawdy, crude and settling the scores with high school bullies like Richard Linklater did in Dazed and Confused (seemingly using real names and pictures -- I sure hope his first girlfriend consented to the detailed description of his de-flowering). Funny that Bennett who professes to be left and anti-Thatcher but basically got the American Dream the surest way possible -- by marrying into the wealthy Kroll's of Rye, Connecticut (Nick Kroll is his brother-in-law). So not quite the working class bloke from Liverpool (prep school with a judge for a Dad) he sometimes depicts himself as. But no matter, he's a great writer, his memory of the middle school locker room perhaps far too keen and his tale is an inspirational one. The 4th Beastie Boy with references to the Children's Crusades from the 12th century. Not going to get that every day. Great summertime read.

Roger Bennet first captured my attention with his outrageously hilarious commentary full of Liverpudlian spice and laughs on Morning Joe where he occasionally reports on English football. In the same way in this book he tells about his love story with all things American. Through his TV presence and this book he captures all the things I loved about living for 20 years with my English husband in Fulham, London, near the Chelsea football stadium. He feeds my nostalgia for the things I love about England and the English, and writes with great humor and nostalgia about his love of America and all things American. He writes movingly about chasing our dreams and succeeding. These are things we all need to help us focus after 4 years of a political nightmare, the pandemic isolation, and the aftermath. Roger's book is a tonic for the soul. It had me belly laughing out loud. It is also inspiring.

Felt like I could her Rog’s voice in my head while reading it. I laughed, I cried, it was perfect! #Courage

Rog is a master of words and emotion…

I've to admit, I've never heard the podcast before. I just saw him as an eloquent and entertaining guest on Colbert and expected a book about his life in the US or at least some chapters about it.Unfortunately the book is mostly about his life in Liverpool, more precisely his school career.Some parts are pretty funny but I definitely wasn't looking for a three page look into how he lost his virginity.I feel pretty bad for only giving two stars but I just think his presentation is pretty misleading.