We Be Big, by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey

We Be Big is the autobiography of a radio show. The "Rick and Bubba show" is a talk radio show out of Alabama hosted by two fun loving, regular but gifted, funny, food devouring, proud-to-be-fat guys who talk about  (in contrast to Seinfeld: a show about nothing) everything under the son.

Before coming across this book, I confess, I had never heard of The Rick and Bubba Show, and I have yet to actually hear the show. But now I am familiar with its origins. The book is about each host's upbringing and how they found their way into radio and became a duo, why their unorthodox and un-radio-like radio show became so popular, and the struggles they've had along the way.

The book was co-authored by Don Keith, an actual author by trade. The writing is fine. Meaning, it's readable, but has a bland quality to it, there's nothing special about it. So, there's no particular praise I might give the writing, but at the same time, no criticism either. It does its job, it tells the story.

At first, having no real idea of what this book was about, except that it had been publicized as comedic and hilarious, it took me a while to get into it. I didn't identify or bond with either of the characters or their story until late in the book. I must also say that, sadly, it wasn't very funny. Yes, there were a few jokes here in there in each chapter (mostly about being fat and loving food), but only one time did I actually laugh. And its advertisement as a "funny" book is why I chose it. So, in this manner, it was disappointing.

Had I been familiar with the radio show prior to reading the book, I would've been far more interested earlier on, and perhaps more entertained by the jokes. However, I committed to finishing it, and by the end I got into the story and wanted to know how it ended. Mostly, the content is happy-go-lucky. They chronicle their slow rise to fame, some difficult job stresses and station changes. But at the end they tell a very sad and touching story of when one of the hosts lost his youngest son who drowned in their family pool. A freak accident, it would bring tears to most peoples' eyes (unless they're a chaplain, then it takes more to make us cry, though my heart still goes out). They talked about their faith in God, a theme throughout the book, and what they learned from this tragic loss.

In the end, I found myself rooting for Rick and Bubba. I still don't know if I'll ever tune into their show, but if I do, I imagine I'll know who it is before they ever say who they are.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from BookSneeze.com, an entity of Thomas Nelson Publishers.