I agree with other reviews in that this book will probably only appeal to people who already like Kevin Smith. It's a little haphazard for those who don't know his movies. However, if you like his work, you'll most likely enjoy the essays here. I did! It has me thinking about going to see him speak live, so it must've done something right! The essays can feel a bit dated - references to a young Britney Spears or to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's romance (and there are essays that are just *admittedly* love letters about his man-crush on Affleck). Mostly I enjoyed getting to read about Kevin Smith himself - some of the funniest essays are about his wife's self-portrait, his history with comic books and Jersey, or his issues with lap dances. I think my personal favorite was his depiction of the seedy underworld of San Diego Comic Con. ( )

Smith is such an interesting guy to follow. His storytelling is second to none, the guy can really captivate an audience in his ability to entertain in the most mundane of subjects - as evidenced by his constant sell out performances in concert halls for Q & A sessions.

While this book is probably better for the casual fan - rather than "Boring Ass Life" - I still prefer the latter. ( )

These columns are short, readable, and hilarious. Smith comments on everything from pop culture and his own film experiences to the quandaries of day to day life and philosophy. If you've seen any of his movies, you'll recognize the humor. Whether you've enjoyed the movies or not, or enjoy the essays, there's no denying that Smith is intelligent and funny. I'd recommend this if you're a fan of his, a fan of humor, or especially a fan of comedians like John Stewert. This book will make you think and laugh. ( )

We were out this weekend, browsing through the Borders before going to see Capote, and I picked up a copy of Silent Bob Speaks (the collected writings of Kevin Smith). Large print, wide margins, and an easy, flowing style of prose made for a fast read. I finished it yesterday afternoon.

First of all, let me say that this isn't a particularly good purchase for anybody who's followed his online postings at various sites around the net as all it does is reprint those columns. Secondly, I am not one of those people, so well done, me. I had read a few of them before, in particular his love-fest interview with Ben Affleck, and I swear I've read his experiences with casting Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, some of them, anyway.

The entirety of this book is told in Smith's acerbic, self-deprecating style. If you're a fan of his movies, you'll like this book. More to the point, you'll be comfortable reading it. A good portion of it is vulgar beyond shocking, but then again, so are his movies. Basically, if you made it half-way through Clerks and had to turn it off because the list of movies Randall was ordering from the video store shocked you, don't read this book.

But if not, and if you're curious about the behind-the-scenes goings-on of a somewhat-famous, seldom-indie filmmaker, then you'll get a kick out of this. Particularly if you don't like Reese Witherspoon (i.e., Greasy Reesey) and if you idolize Charlie (Ma-) Sheen.

Invisible Lizard's Unusual Oranges ( )

Collected works by Kevin Smith from various magazine articles he's written and interviews he's done. Very funny and very Kevin Smith - which means that if you're offended by vulgarity, you'll want to stay away from it. Occasionally very fawning but always very funny.