Presto!
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An unconventional weight loss tale from an unconventional personality--magician Penn Jillette tells how he lost 100 pounds with his trademark outrageous sense of humor and biting social commentary that makes this success story anything but ordinary. Topping 330 pounds and saddled with a systolic blood pressure reading over 200, he found himself at a dangerous crossroads: approaching his sixtieth birthday, he needed a drastic lifestyle change if he wanted to see his small children grow up. Enter "CrayRay." A former NASA scientist and an unconventional, passionate innovator, Ray Cronise changed Penn Jillette's life with his wild "potato diet." In Presto, Jillette takes us along on his journey from skepticism to the inspiring, life-changing momentum that transformed the magician's body and mind. He describes the process in hilarious detail, as he performs his Las Vegas show, takes meetings with Hollywood executives, and hangs out with his celebrity friends and fellow eccentric performers, all while remaining a dedicated husband and father. Throughout, he weaves in his views on sex, religion, and pop culture, making his story a refreshing, genre-busting account. Outspoken, frank, and bitingly clever, Presto is an incisive, rollicking read.--Adapted from dust jacket.
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To me Penn Jillette is kind of a douche in a lot of ways but this is a pretty good book. Of course Mr. Jillette most likely cares very little about what I think and is probably saying I'm kind of a douche. We should probably hang out.
This book is a must-listen: if you're going to read it, you should hear it from the horse's (or 1/3 of a cow dressed as an elephant) own mouth by listening to the audiobook. Penn does such an incredible job of reading his own writing.
As someone always interested in nutrition but with a personal bias towards eating all whole foods (not just plants), this book was a great way to challenge what I think I know about healthy eating.
What I appreciated most was Penn's transparency when discussing concepts that aren't supported by science (most of what he did), and that this book is simply a record of his experience without attempting to suggest a particular dietary approach for anyone else.
That said, the whole reading is irreverent, hilarious, and entertaining.
