I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, the Big Lebowski, and What Have You

by Ben Peskoe, Bill Green, Will Russell

Book Overview

On the twentieth anniversary of the Coen brothers' cult classic film, the ultimate fan's guide to The Big Lebowski, with a foreword by the Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, and a new afterword by writer and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596912464
• ISBN13: 9781596912465
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 237 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Great book to go along with a great movie.

huh? Not me, babe. This book is all about the Lebowski fan, it's for the Lebowski fan, and it cannot disappoint the Lebowski fan. Well, at least, that's the intention, and thank you Odin, it does not disappoint. Let's be honest, it takes a special breed of dork to get into a movie enough that you would be interested in buying this book, and if you are that special breed, I think you'll like what these achievers have put together. Lots of interviews, and I can't pat the authors on the back enough for devoting space to the smaller names, the no names from the film, and also the other Lebowski fans that aren't in the movie who are (gasp) famous. Cool kitties like Patton Oswald and Tony Hawk, and I guarantee you my "wife from another life," Janeane Garofalo loves this movie. My favorite parts of the book, without a doubt, have to be the interviews that uncover the people and events that inspired the story that became "The Big Lebowski." I loved the telling of these stories because I too am a guy that likes to write stories, and I too, like to use the strangeness of real life as inspiration. I don't do "companion" pieces. Sequels usually disappoint because they were an afterthought, and only intended to drain money from an excited and devoted audience. Video games that break off from films are usually bad too. Books that are described as a, "good companion piece to the film," usually aren't, again, just a way to make more money. If you've ever seen a movie only to later discover that it was based off of a book or a comic book, then you know what I mean. The book/comic is always way better, isn't it? This book, I'm glad to say, is a companion piece to this film. It was made by fans, and it does a better job for being for the fans than any studio produced companion book ever could. This may only apply if you like the movie enough. How do you know if you like the movie enough? Well, I don't have to tell you, but if you bowl more as a result of this film, call anyone you like an "achiever", have been or wanted to go to a Lebowskifest, or you quote this movie daily, then you should buy this book. It will look so proper next to your copy of the film, and you can wow your non-achiever friends, (you may have those, I don't, it's a rule), with obscure knowledge of the film, actors, characters, locations, etc. They will leave your apartment thinking you are a dork, but that's just because, "Jackie Treehorn treats objects like women, man." Or, quite possibly, they DO like The Eagles. Either way, you're better off without them. I give this book 5 out of 5 tokes.

The Achievers Guide

This is a great book for any Lebowski Fan, it is all interviews with anyone who has anypart in the movie. Not only all the celebs like, Bridges, Goodman, Turturro, It has tons of other peoples stories Including Jeff "The Dude" Dowd, and the real life inspirations for Walter, the real Larry Sellers, Jesus's Bowling team partner and many more. I am not a big reader and I couldnt put this book down.

A good book- and thorough.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I was a little afraid that it wouldn't add anything to the experience of watching, loving and living The Big Lebowski. No fear necessary- it did. While the liberal use of quotations from the movie peppered throughout the text at first felt slightly forced (maybe like in this here review), they felt smoother and more seamless as I read- dare I say they really tied the book together. I realize now that one cannot have a discussion about the movie without using lines of dialogue- try it, I dare you. There are bits of information related to the movie scattered throughout the text- for example, a short history of the man who was behind making a record about whale sounds, and one about the Dick Nixon poster above The Dude's bar. Taken independently of the movie, they're vaguely interesting. In the context of the film, though, they are fascinating. I'm still waiting for a leather-bound volume of critical analysis and deconstruction of The Big Lebowski, but IAL,YAL does include a quasi-bibliography of academic papers about the movie. I need to find out how to get some of those. The interviews with the actors and inspirations for the characters are all entertaining and insightful. In fact, at one point I wondered if knowing the true stories behind some of the movie's key events would detract from the magical world of the film. Ultimately, it adds to the magic to know that the essence of the Dude walks among us. I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that.

That's just, like, your opinion, man

I picked up a copy of I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski after seeing it mentioned in a magazine. I do consider myself a fan of The Big Lebowski, having seen it over a dozen times, but I was heretofore uninitiated in the ways of Lebowski Fest, the religion of Dudeism, and the legions of Achievers (fans) around the world. Consider me a convert! The prerequisite for reading I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski is several viewings of The Big Lebowski, a white Russian or some herbal refreshment, and perhaps a cadre of like-minded comrades who don't roll on Shabbos and can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon...with nail polish. The authors expertly combine the laid-back slacker ethos of the Dude with a thoroughly academic look at the cult film. You can play Lebowski Mad Libs, read ridiculous television censorship of key movie lines, and learn how to Dude-ify your car and live by the Dude-updated version of Deuteronomy. Allusions to the Zen nature of the Dude abound throughout the text. The book is christened by the Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, in an introduction discussing his role in the film and relationship with the Coen brothers. Bridges writes that he is frequently asked if he is surprised by the cult following of The Big Lebowski. His response is that he was surprised it wasn't a bigger hit, following the critical reception of the Coen brothers' Fargo. Nearly every other actor, from Julianne Moore (Maude Lebowski) to John Goodman (Walter) to the Ralph's Checkout Girl, is also interviewed. The authors even tracked down the real-life personalities who inspired the characters of the Dude and Walter. The Coen brothers do not comment on the film, offering instead a cryptic, ""You have neither our blessing nor our curse." The actors, however, all describe the Coen creative process in detail. All the Dude ever wanted was to get his rug back. With my copy of I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski's guide to the set locations, all I want to do is embark on a pilgrimage around Los Angeles. With some Credence on the tape deck.

You need the Donny at the end, otherwise it's just profanity.

If you're like a child who wanders into the middle of a movie and wants to know what's going on and that movie happens to be The Big Lebowski, then grab this book, pour yourself a white Russian, throw a thick blanket across your legs and sit by the fire. But if you haven't seen the movie and have no idea what an achiever is, then you are out of your element. You'll need to take at least 3 doses of TBL and let that sink in. Then this book will be transformed into gospel. I don't consider myself an achiever (similar to a trekkie, only drunker and more hip) I've only seen the movie 7 or 8 times. But I've seen enough to quote it constantly. Telling my wife that her "aggression will not stand, man," and yelling at my dog to "shut the ---- up, Donny" (even though her name is Sassy and she hardly ever barks), has made the movie a part of my personal history. It's not a movie you watch. It's one you absorb. It was my ascending achiever status that scored me an advanced reader's copy. Someone told me to "Shut the ---- up, Donny!" and I simply pointed out that he was out of his element and the book appeared. Like sacred parchment shared secretly between disciples. And that's the entire spirit of this book. Written by the people who started LebowskiFest after they found themselves trading lines of dialogue and laughs with complete strangers. This book goes deep into the movie with interviews of the cast, fellow achievers and even the actual people who inspired the characters. It's a validation of all those parroted lines ("Where's the money, Lebowski?"), and devoted hours, and white Russians consumed. The problem with recommending this book is that it comes with The Big Prerequisite. You must see and love The Big Lebowski. If you do and you can answer the question, "Are you employed, sir?" (of course, "sir" is not the preferred nomenclature when addressing women) with the affirmative, then you should buy, nay, need this book. The book also works for those studying film, in particular films that have achieved cult status. But if you don't love the movie, especially after studying it, you are an infidel, traitor and trespasser and you don't deserve the deeper insight this book provides.