• Failure Is an Option

  • An Attempted Memoir
  • By: H. Jon Benjamin
  • Narrated by: H. Jon Benjamin
  • Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (4,874 ratings)

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Failure Is an Option  By  cover art

Failure Is an Option

By: H. Jon Benjamin
Narrated by: H. Jon Benjamin
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Publisher's summary

Actor, voice actor, and comedian H. Jon Benjamin helps us all feel a little better about our own failures by sharing his own - despite his success starring on Archer and Bob's Burgers - in a hilarious, self-helpful memoir.

While he's not quite a household name, most people would consider H. Jon Benjamin, the voice-actor star of Archer and Bob's Burgers (and a sentient can of mixed vegetables in 2015's Wet Hot American Summer) a comedy show business success. But he'd like to remind everyone that as great as success can be, failure is also an option. In a hilarious, self-deprecating memoir, Jon lays out some of his many failures in all areas of life, from Work ("wherein I'm unable to deliver a sizzling fajita") to Family ("wherein a trip to PF Chang's fractures a family").

Fans of his characters' signature wit and voice will rejoice in H. Jon Benjamin's comical failures - and appreciate a rare look into the life of the man behind their favorite shows.

©2018 H. Jon Benjamin (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“His craft, and what makes him such an inspired and singular voice, is to make it look easy.... That it’s decidedly not that easy is part of the gag; writing this funny requires immense talent.” (AV Club)

“It’s that voice.... Had me laughing out loud.” (The New York Times)

“Benjamin’s stories run the gamut from personal to professional and will leave you laughing out loud and embracing your own failures.” (HelloGiggles)

Featured Article: The Best Comedy Audiobooks to Get You Laughing Out Loud


It’s no secret that good comedy can lighten our spirits and brighten our lives. So if you’re looking for a hilarious new listen to liven up your work day, hit the treadmill, or unwind with some leisure time at home, we’ve got the list for you. With these listens, you can laugh along with stories from some of the world’s greatest comedians, all delivered with pitch-perfect performances. From personal memoirs to multi-cast recordings, we’ve got the perfect listen.

Editor's Pick

The perfect anti-self-help memoir
"The only thing better than an author-narrated memoir is one narrated by one of the most distinct voices in comedy. Even if you think you don’t know H. Jon Benjamin, I’m willing to bet you’ll recognize the distinct voice of of Archer and Bob’s Burgers (just to name MY favorites) from the first word. And if not, I still recommend you let H. Jon Benjamin take you on a self-help journey, detailing from hilarious real-life stories why failure just might actually be the key to success. "
Catherine H., Audible Editor

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What listeners say about Failure Is an Option

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

No joke, This book helped my marriage

I'm way to hard on myself and my failures, which is why I decided to listen to this book. I thought if I could hear how a person who's, by all rights, "made it" can be casual about failure, then I could be too. What the book did, was allowed me to think back to some of my failures and be ok with them. Besides, failure is a set closer to success ... that if, if you keep going, which Jon often didn't ... but that's not the point.

It also gave me a great amount of insight about my husband, who focuses on his own failures, and has described the many times in his life when he's been paralyzed by failure, or the possibility of failure. I hugged him often while finishing a listening session and gained a new level of love and awe for his ability to succeed even when the fear of failure paralyzed him so.

This book was funny, and fun to listen to, and honestly it's made all the better by Jon actually reading it to you.

I recommend it to anyone who wants to laugh about themselves, while laughing at someone else.

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66 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, archer, and bob

I've been a fan of Bob's Burgers and Archer for years, so when I saw that H. Jon Benjamin wrote a memoir, I knew I had to have it. And when I saw that he read it himself, I knew I had to get in on audio. 

I was not disappointed. 

Failure Is an Option is a phenomenal book to listen to. Benjamin starts from his childhood and goes through his life so far, detailing his failures: how he failed to have a name, how he failed to have a sleepover, how he failed to make a pilot, how he failed at launching a kid's show. He's had a lot of failures. And yet, he's clearly had successes too. He makes the point that while some authors talk about how failures can lead to success, he believes that they're not necessarily correlated. We all fail. We all succeed. But then he goes back to doing one of the things he does best, being funny. 

With buckets of honesty and self-awareness, Benjamin shares stories of living in France and studying at university, about trying pot and negotiating with gay escorts (it's not as easy as it sounds, especially when they play Good Gay Escort/Bad Gay Escort). He goes to Canada and baseball games and a Chinese restaurant that his parents "discover." He buys a dirt bike (or two) and offers poor customer service, both in his father's electrical supply store and at a restaurant that serves sizzling hot fajitas. And in with all the stories of his failures are other ideas he's had: failed Presidential pets, failed business ideas, failed pickup lines, and he even includes an excerpt from his fake Holocaust memoir. 

His openness is only matched by his ability to take what could be a painful experience and turn it into a laugh-out-loud funny story that makes you like him even more.

Failure Is an Option may be a perfect audiobook. I recommend it strongly (while giggling behind my hand, knowing what you're in for). 

Note: this isn't for everyone. There is talk of sex, including threesomes, and drug use. If you know him from Bob's Burgers, you might cringe a little every once in awhile. If you know him from Archer, you won't even bat an eyelash. 

Second, far more important note: In this book, Benjamin admits that as a teenager, he liked disco. Not only that, he had the ability to do the DISCO SPLITS! ON ROLLER SKATES!! How has this not been in an episode of Archer yet??? Someone important: please make this happen, ASAP!

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26 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Great narration, less than great content

I love H Jon Benjamin's voice, and I really enjoyed parts of the book, but when someone keeps writing about how unimpressive they are, you gradually start to ask yourself why you are listening to such an unimpressive person and learning about their life. As much as I love his voice, I couldn't finish the book. Made it about 60% of the way

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23 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Love H Jon Benjamin

Truth be told, I was a little disappointed about the book. BUT H. Jon Benjamin as narrator does NOT disappoint, and the last 3 chapters are worth the price of admission. You should still get this book.

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18 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A complete Failure!

#sarcasm

Ok... so 2nd time listening and pretending it's Archers attempt at a memoir.

#buy

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16 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Super funny...

...I just wish it were longer. Any fan of Jon's work should get a kick out of his attempted memoir; I don't think I've ever laughed out loud this many times while listening to an audiobook. Hopefully he attempts a follow up!

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15 people found this helpful

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Everything I expected and more

With all it's rambling filler this book is wonderful. The comedy within is all I hoped for. Well done!

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14 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Set up to fail

Thank you Jon Benjamin. Thank for you this book which I do very much believe in written form is made of solid gold. It’s probably a heavy book then. Thank you for narrating your book. Thank you for being you. I feel like I’m set on a good track to fail after listening to this audio book! If you have even just one working ear you should listen to this book. Your ear(s) will thank you.

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10 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Favorite comedy book of all time

I’m a huge fan of Archer so getting to listen to that voice in my ear - huge plus. HJB is so likable and endearing and hilarious. Laughed through the whole book, out loud and to the concern of others at the gym.

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9 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Just When You Thought You Were Out Of Options...!

Here we go!
You tired of being around over-achievers? Are you wallowing in despair because of flaws, failure, rejection?
Don't worry. In Failure Is An Option, H. Jon Benjamin has been there, done that... only ten times worse!
While I didn't laugh out loud that many times (heads up: watch for diarrhea in rental cars), I certainly did smile and chuckle my way through not quite 5 hours of tremendously clever writing and pitch-perfect delivery (seriously, Benjamin's voice cracks in despair and anguish over that rental car scene).
There are robberies that could have been foiled... just weren't quite. Children driving small electric cars (wearing shades, no less)... who are worthy of scorn and loathing. Your own wonderful fathering skills... that end with your kid eating dog poop.
Seriously, this is not a serious book. Plus, at the very end, there's a truly enlightening bit about how to fail, why it's good to fail and not take it all so dash-blast-it personally.
Worth the groans. Worth the giggles.

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9 people found this helpful