Marc Maron

This was not the sort of book I expected. Generally when I pick up something by a comedian, I expect a lot of observational humor or personal anecdotes told in humorous ways. Attempting Normal has just a bit of both, but more than anything it is Maron reflecting on how he got to where he is and being brutally honest about his life.

No topic is off-limits for Maron. He covers his struggles with substance abuse, the dissolution of his two marriages, his troubled childhood, and his love of cats. show more Most of the stories he relates have an element of humor to them, because I don't think Maron knows how to be anything but funny, but there's an edge to it. It cuts deep. When he's discussing his experiences with prostitutes, you'll laugh, but it'll be an uncomfortable laugh because in the back of your mind you'll be thinking "There but for the grace of God..."

I am vaguely familiar with Maron's standup work; I can't say I've followed his career, but when snippets of his acts come up on SiriusXM, I listen and laugh. I'm not at all familiar with his podcast, but I plan to change that. Anyone that can step out of themselves and write an autobiography this scathing is someone that may be worth listening to. show less

I've followed Maron's career on and off since he was the host of Short Attention Span Theater on Comedy Central in the early 90's. I found him annoying, grating, manic, smart and funny as hell, and someone with whom I would not want to spend any time in person. This book serves to only further cement his status as one of my favorite living comedians, but happy that he's usually on the other side of the country from me. Maron's description of "The Situation in [His] Head" while on an airplane show more is hilarious and I TOTALLY could see this happening to me. The chapter totally eviscerating John Mackey of Whole Foods is terrific, well, really it's all good. I don't normally recommend comedians' books, but this is one I gladly recommend to anyone with a sense of humor and half a brain. show less

I'd never heard of Marc Maron until last month, when I heard his name four times in one day. First in an ad for his IFC show (which was appealing enough for me to actually DVR it) an appearance on Stern, an ad for an appearance on one of the Late Night talk shows, and a message from LibraryThing that I'd won a copy of his book. So, by the end of that day it felt like we were old buds, high- fiving..

This book is good, deep, raw, funny. It's cool being in an interesting person's head, watching show more how the gears work. I think the book should be called 'Attempting NOT TO BE Normal'- only in that it's clear that a so-called 'normal' life would be the bane of Maron's existence. He's obviously familiar with the Comedian Handbook - he's dark, disturbed, has the dysfunctional family thing going on in spades, the 'shambly' life on the road (a band of drunken pirates), drugs, a coupla hookers (gotta have at least one hooker story on the resume),and the fear of failure-ALWAYS the fear of failure! The pretty, tragic girl-women (of all things comedians do not want to EVER be negatively evaluated on, their girlfriend's looks are of the utmost importance. Of course, no surprise it isn't going to work out when she's 21 and you're 35, and far from your intellectual match! I predict the first good comic to date a non-model in his own age group will be revered as 'brave!' and 'fearless!!' 'a sky diver without a chute! It's the single most ironic thing most comics do: treat women like they themselves were treated by women before they 'made it' by judging them on appearance, and cherry picking based solely on aesthetics and what the other comics will think. Must make for riveting conversations.

Then again- I don't think most comics want to be 'happy' in the first place, lest it take the edge off their comedy. They're comfortable being uncomfortable, and we love them for the observations they make from that vantage point. A comedian is really a rock star without the band, who just needs that one song.....and probably some Wellbutrin- but he/she won't take it, in order to gift the audience with their cynicism. And for that, I thank them.

There are a lot of good observations in the book. Like this:

'I know you've probably heard that in show business it can take twenty years to create overnight success but what you don't hear is that that is the exact amount of time it takes to create a bitter failure. You just don't know what it's going to be until the night before.'

Or:

'It amazes me that we are all on Twitter and Facebook. By "we" I mean adults. We're adults, right? But emotionally we're a culture of seven-year-olds. Have you ever had that moment when you realize every status update is just a variation on a single request? "Would someone please acknowledge me?" You post it and just wait it out. That first thumbs up appears. Like! Yes. All comments are then read as "We see you, Marc. We love you, Marc. We care that you are there, Marc." Twitter and Facebook are my techno-parents, sating the child in me. But they are not above abusing him.

Yesssssssss.

I also love the cat thing. Ever since George Costanza and Jerry Seinfeld voiced the opinion 'Guys with cats....... I dunno' I've been patiently waiting for a male cat-lover to step forth. Thank you Marc. It's like you jumped without a chute! And Fuwanda? My next cat's name......

Read this book if you've got that back-of-the-class, rebel-outlaw thing going on, if you color outside the lines, if you swear on a regular basis, if you march to your own drummer- and even if you don't. It's like listening to a friend. show less

With no frame of reference or previous exposure to Marc Maron, I read an advanced copy of his book and laughed myself silly. I want everyone I know to read this book because it is the funniest laugh out loud memoir I've read in years and I want to spread the endorphins around. Marc Maron is brutally and neurotically honest in examining his life and he has a gift for turning sad and sordid events into funny ones. I bookmarked over a dozen passages to reread because they made me laugh so show more hard.

For the record, I'm female, so parts of the book made me cringe, deeply, but the author gets my respect for having no shame in exposing his most embarrassing moments, which are among some of the funniest in the book. In addition to the laughter, the book is a good read as a memoir, an attempt to understand a crazy life, a cautionary tale of substance abuse, an inspiration for recovery and as encouragement for aspiring artists.

I could relate to many chapters in the book, which cover a crazy wide range of topics in a stream of consciousness vein, and marveled that someone finally calls out adorable hummingbirds for the vicious territorial murderers they truly are. Relationships, parents, sex, feral cats, air travel, shrink to fit jeans, clown dunking and near death experiences are just a few of the topics explored, and it would be hard to choose a favorite chapter.

Marc Maron is everywhere right now, on the internet, cable and network tv and I wish him well. He has paid his dues and he has a comedic gift. I'll be checking out his podcasts and tv show to offset the endorphin withdrawal, because laughter is the best drug of them all. Thanks to LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program for the book and Mr. Maron for the laughs. I tried really hard to think of a funnier book I've read, and would rate the laughs per page of Attempting Normal alongside Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods and J. Maarten Troost's Getting Stoned with the Savages and The Sex Lives of Cannibals.

Either that means I have really good taste in humor books or I am as warped as the author, but either way works for me. show less