The Bassoon King

Praise

“Quirky, witty, literate.”
—The Washington Post

“Rainn Wilson’s memoir captures the essence of his offbeat humor.”
—Chicago Sun-Times

“Wilson defies the typical tropes of celebrity memoir. At points, The Bassoon King’s episodes read with the comparably startling, surreal and yet downright endearing outrageousness of an Augusten Burroughs or even David Sedaris essay. . . . Wilson’s memoir details what it’s like for a regular human, a relatable human, a nerd to become famous after climbing the proverbial ladder of professional acting (whilst keeping your humanity and your grounded perspective intact).”
—Paste Magazine, a top 10 book of November

“Filled with genuinely fascinating stories about his unusual upbringing, his entrée into the comedy world, and his thoughtfully developed views on life, Wilson’s book is an unsurprisingly funny and surprisingly poignant entry in the cavalcade of celebrity memoirs.”
—BookPage

“A breath of fresh air in a genre desperately gasping for some. . . . A deeply personal recollection of Wilson’s journey from bassoon player to Emmy-nominated beet farmer. . . . It’s outlandish and unexpected, but it reads real.”
—Phoenix New Times

“You know Rainn Wilson as Dwight from NBC’s The Office, but I’m not sure many are fully prepared for how outrageous and often endearing his life story can be, captured in the pages of The Bassoon King.”
—The Oakland Press

“Wilson’s hilarious book is a brisk, delightful read for his devoted fans.”
—American Way

“The Office star brings a value-added approach to his new book The Bassoon King: It’s a coming-of-age story and a showbiz memoir and a funny read. Wilson also brings a values-added approach: The Bassoon King is a gentle introduction to the Bahá’i Faith, which Wilson re-embraced as an adult, after wrestling with both drugs and the question of meaning in his life.”
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Wilson’s story is engaging. . . . Readers will relish his experiences as Dwight Schrute (who contributes the book’s foreword) in The Office—snagging the part, the show’s debut, the actors and writers, and behind-the-scenes reminiscences.”
—Publishers Weekly

“[Wilson] shares the ups and downs of his journey to fame in this funny and frank memoir . . . of particular interest to aspiring actors and other creative types, as well as the many fans of the long-running NBC comedy.”
—Booklist

“Certainly for fans of The Office, but the amiable actor also offers thoughtful glimpses into the realities of the TV and film industry and an impassioned rationale for living an openly spiritual life.” 
—Kirkus Reviews