THE PEAS WERE COLD
The Columns of Barry Damsky

by Barry Damsky

Narrated by: Barry Damsky

Production by: Barry Damsky

A Life Full of Stories Worth Telling

The Peas Were Cold brings together some of Barry Damsky’s favorite newspaper columns, offering an entertaining look at a life filled with unexpected turns, memorable encounters, and everyday moments.

From working as a theatrical agent and crossing paths with celebrities including Johnny Carson, Sonny & Cher, Arthur Miller, and Linda Eastman McCartney, to becoming an aspiring actor, appearing on The Dating Game, running with the bulls in Spain, and working in radio, Damsky has accumulated more than a few stories worth telling.

Alongside those adventures are thoughtful and humorous reflections on marriage, fatherhood, pursuing dreams, facing disappointment, and the ordinary experiences of small-town life. Funny, candid, and often poignant, this collection celebrates both the remarkable and wonderfully ordinary moments that make up a life.

Damsky’s columns offer a glimpse into experiences most people will never have while still making his journey remarkably relatable. His struggles to find work, the variety of roles he took on, and the people he encountered create an engaging portrait of a life filled with unexpected turns. For me, many of those encounters carried an added sense of familiarity because I grew up knowing the names and personalities he writes about.

He keeps each story authentic to its time, allowing the reader to become immersed in the period as well as the experience. From meeting Linda Eastman McCartney to running with the bulls in Spain, his adventures could easily have become a collection of boasts, but they never do. Damsky writes with warmth, humor, and a down-to-earth honesty that invites the reader into his memories rather than simply recounting them. That ability to find something familiar and human within even his most unusual experiences is what makes his writing connect so well with his audience.

Barry Damsky brings these stories to life in a way another narrator simply could not because the memories are his own. His tonal inflections reveal how significant certain encounters and experiences were at the time—and, in many cases, clearly remain today. His occasional incredulity when recalling some of the more remarkable moments made me laugh and added to the authenticity of the experience.

Damsky speaks clearly and conversationally, without making the narration feel like a performance. Instead, it feels as though he is sitting across from you, sharing stories from his life and inviting you to experience the memories with him. That personal connection makes him the perfect voice for his own work.

The Peas Were Cold is an entertaining, warm, and often funny collection that proves an interesting life isn't defined only by its biggest moments. Barry Damsky takes readers from encounters with famous personalities and extraordinary adventures to the struggles, disappointments, and everyday experiences that are just as much a part of his story. His down-to-earth approach makes it easy to connect with him, while hearing the stories in his own voice adds an intimacy that makes the audiobook especially enjoyable. By the end, it feels less like you've listened to a collection of columns and more like you've spent a few hours swapping stories with someone who has lived quite a life.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-biased, honest review.