Chip Gaines. You probably know him as the contractor husband of the husband-and-wife home renovation duo on the HGTV show Fixer Upper. Now you can get to know him a little more in his new book Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff.When I first discovered that this book existed, I immediately knew I wanted to read it. So then when I saw it was available to request from Booklook Bloggers for free as part of the review program, I immediately put in my request for it. I love watching Fixer Upper, though I was getting a little tired of hearing the word "shiplap" for a while there. And I wish that Chip and Joanna would come to my house even though I don't live in the Waco, Texas area.
And I know that Chip is a bit of a silly wild card, so I figured that with the subtitle of the book, he'd have some really interesting stories to share from his childhood and early adulthood, what with all of the businesses he's run. I figured this book would be inspirational, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs. It even seems that that's what it's supposed to be from the book's author's note.
Well, let me be honest. This book is basically just a telling of the story of Chip and Joanna and how Magnolia got started and some experiences they had with the business and with the TV show and why they decided to end the show after five seasons.
Sure, there are a few good "learn from me" stories in the book, mainly in the beginning of the book, but I didn't think it was all that inspiring and "go get 'em". I mean, anybody, not just Chip Gaines can tell me to pursue my passion. I know that. But I didn't feel like this book was any sort of blueprint for how to go about doing that.
I have also never read Chip and Joanna's other book The Magnolia Story, but I almost feel like some of the stories in this book might be a rehashing of stories in that book. I mean, it's basically the same story, right?
If you're a fan of Fixer Upper, then you might still enjoy reading the book. But if you're a hardcore fan of the show, then there might not be a whole not new for you to learn. And I don't know, but did anyone else who read this book think that some of the stories told by his assistant's in the back of the book were less endearingly funny and kind of annoying?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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