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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 818.602
EAN: 9781401603991
Edition: Pap/Com
ISBN: 1401603998
Label: Thomas Nelson
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 240
Publication Date: June 02, 2009
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Studio: Thomas Nelson
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The only thing funnier than marriage is Rick and Bubba talkin' about it!
Rick and Bubba are at it again, and this time it is all about marriage. Addressing such topics as apologizing (The Ten Worst Ways to Say I'm Sorry), communication (Grunting Is Not a Language), date nights (Worst Date Nights in History), finances (I Thought You Paid the Gas Bill), and playing sports together (I Did Too Let You Win), the two "sexiest fat men alive" will have couples everywhere tied in knots. With stories, top ten lists, and even a bonus addendum of their oft mentioned, "The Book of Blame," this humorous look at marriage is long overdue. This book will revolutionize your way of looking at married life. And it might just remind you all over again why you fell in love in the first place.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I finished reading this book a month ago but have delayed writing this review. I've been trying to decide what I want to say about it. I'll admit that, until reading this book and listening to a few clips from the included CD, I'd never heard of Rick Burgess or Bubba Bussey or their Rick & Bubba radio show.
3 starsMy rating is three stars. I'd considered giving it only two stars but decided that was more a reflection of my own personal bias than a realistic appraisal of the book itself. The book is available in both paperback and Kindle editions.
I actually asked for this book because I really wanted to like it. The description sounded like a good read and a worthwhile addition to the innumerable library of marital advice books already on the market.
Maybe the problem is that I'm just not part of the target market for the book. I listened to a few of the radio show clips on the included "Best of" CD. It elicited a brief smile once or twice...but never an actual laugh, or even a chuckle. I'm just not a fan of the "good ol' Southern boy" approach to humor. Give me Bill Cosby any day. My wife and I will have been married for 41 years next month. Despite economic and other ups and downs, we are still happily married and enjoy each other's company.
It is refreshing to read a book of this type that is unabashedly Christian-centered. Of course, that's to be expected with a book from the country's largest Christian publisher. With chapters with titles like "Love and Debit Cards," "Annoying Habits," Teamwork," "Is There a Helpmate in the House?" and "R-E-S-P-E-C-T," you can get the general drift -- suggestions for weathering the difficulties of living side-by-side with another human being for years delivered with humor. Unfortunately, most of the humor borders on sophomoric, even when used to illuminate an important, serious point.
For example, Rick admonishes husbands to "walk worthy of your wives' respect" and urges wives to "live worth of a love so great that your husbands would give themselves for it." Fair enough, but then he adds a long chart with too many silly examples intended to contrast "shows respect" with "shows a lack of respect" -- such as "letting your husband drive" vs "having your husband sit in the backseat." I'll let you figure out which one is under the "shows respect" column.
Overall, Rick & Bubba's Guide contains useful suggestions for relative newlyweds (these days, I consider somebody a newlywed if they've been married less than 20 years...it's a matter of perspective). The advice is grounded in the Ten Commandants and based on many other Biblical injunctions, and that's a good thing. And presenting that advice with humor is also a good thing, as a sense of humor is important in marriage. But it would have been far better if their humor had been more, well, mature.
There's just something wrong with presenting serious advice for adults using sophomoric humor. And that's why I can only give it three stars.
Disclaimer: I received this book for review from the publisher Thomas Nelson via their Book Review Blogger program. I plan to donate it to our local library. (FTC, you happy now?)
Walt Shiel
[...]
Rating: -
The way Rick and Bubba see it, "marriage wasn't meant to be perfect. It was to teach us how to love an imperfect person perfectly." And it cuts both ways. Their stated goal in writing the book is that you look at your marriage with new eyes. Appreciate what you have.
Although Martha Bolton helped translate Rick and Bubba's radio humor to the page, it still seems aimed mostly at men. Thin-skinned women might even be offended by some of the jokes. The text is a little disjointed as you get to read from Rick, Bubba's, and sometimes even their wives' point of view. Perhaps keeping each chapter to one person might have helped, but even more helpful is the CD included with the book. By listening to the radio program, I was able to get a better handle on each man's personality. And I laughed, no - guffawed, several times while listening.
What I found most refreshing about the book was hearing from two men who love God and their wives and speak reverently about marriage. They clearly love and respect their wives, even if they don't always understand them - and therein lies the abundant source of humor. Sprinkled amidst all the jokes, you'll find some sound advice. I especially appreciated the chapter called "Enemies of the Mate" and the "Top Ten Comebacks for People Who Tell You to Give Up on Your Marriage." This chapter delivers, giving the most guidance as promised in the title - Rick and Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage.
Rating: -
Looking for marriage advice from a man's perspective? Then you might want to check out Rick & Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage.
As one might expect from the title, this is a book filled with humor about marriage. They begin at the beginning, writing about relationships before marriage and during the wedding. Most of the book, however, is about the ongoing give and take of the marriage relationship.
The self-proclaimed "sexiest fat men in America" really do have a serious commitment to marriage. In the introduction of the book they write, "...Marriage wasn't meant to be perfect. It was to teach us how to love an imperfect person perfectly." There are many moments when the humor is set aside so that some realistic and needful information is shared.
...God wants us to be good forgivers, knowing full well that we ourselves have been forgiven.
Your anniversary comes only once a year, so don't miss this opportunity to rekindle the romance and remind yourselves how much you mean to each other.
If your wife is hurt, embarrassed, or upset over a "funny" remark you made, you're probably not doing comedy.
Remember, too, that one day when your children are grown and on their own, it'll be just the two of you once again. You're goin to have to actually converse with that person sitting across from you at the breakfast table. So don't let him or her become a stranger.
These tidbits of wisdom are neatly tucked away inside a very funny book that will have you smiling in no time. The chapters are full of stories from Rick and Bubba's marital experiences. Bubba's wife Betty and Rick's wife Sherri also make several appearances in the book. Every chapter has something humorous, especially the insets that carry such titles as:
Surefire Ways for Guys to Know She's The One
Top Ten Things Not To Say on the Way to Your Honeymoon (For example: "If I speed a little, we could still catch the second half of the game!")
Worst Ways to Say "I'm Sorry" ("Honey, I am sorry I said I didn't like the dinner. All I meant was it just wasn't as good as my mom's.")
Baby Names when the Mom Chooses (Harrison, Chancelor, Tyler, Preston), Baby Names when the Dad Chooses (Brock, Earnhardt, Buck, Brick, Killer)
If you are looking for a therapy-style book on marriage, keep going. But if you are looking for some thoughts on marriage couched in some good clean manly humor, then you'll enjoy this book. There is also a bonus CD of Rick & Bubba that comes with the book.
Rating: -
Rick and Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage
By Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Living on the other side of The Pond, I had never before heard of "Rick and Bubba", but the book looked rip-roaringly funny and I decided I simply had to read it. I wondered what their take on marriage would be like.
I most certainly was not disappointed.
The format of two guys swapping comments and anecdotes about their own experiences of marriage led to a highly entertaining read and the accompanying CD was also a delight.
Much of the book is written in a light-hearted vein, (particularly the wonderful "Book of Blame" chapter) but there are many deeper truths hidden just below the humour in many cases, and very explicitly stated in other cases.
The chapter dealing with how Rick and his family dealt with the death of their youngest son was unbelievably poignant, particularly when you consider how many marriages fail to survive after the death of a child. They have managed to grieve and to become closer despite their tragic loss.
The hard work involved in maintaining a marriage, and keeping God as a focus in marriage is never under-estimated, and I really enjoyed the book. It has given me much to ponder on how I can strengthen my own marriage.
[...]
Rating:  -
As someone who loves to read, I had the opportunity to review this book by Rick Burgess and Bill Bussey. I was not sure what to expect, but I must add I was not disappointed. The book, Rick and Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage is a silly light hearted read. Expect to see yourself within this book. I must admit I never heard of these guys before, yet they take a humorous and light-hearted look at marriage and on the journey they disect some very real issues faced by couples today.
No couple is immune from the slippery slope that leads them away from emotional intimacy. By allowing us, the reader, to laugh with them, the authors, at some of their embarrassing matrimonial mistakes, provide glimpses into some of the do's and dont's every couple should know. If this book was only a book of comedy, it would still be a book worth reading.
However, the book goes beyond comedy and is sprinkled with many profound sections. The authors write, "show us a good marriage and we'll show you a union of two forgivers." That's a nugget most every couple can take with them. Especially the final chapters are worth the book. They get serious and instead of poking fun at themselves, give some good thoughts for couples of all ages. This would be a great book for couples to read together to laugh and share their own stories, or give it as a gift or anniversary present.
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