Nothing's Sacred

The "bonus material added" is largely a play written by Black at the start of his career. I think he is a better comedian than playwright, as I am sure he would agree. This is basically a memoir of growing up in the turbulent '60s, becoming disillusioned with government, college, drama, and well ... becoming Lewis Black as we know him. We basically know him for trademark, sputtering apoplectic fits of incoherent rage at the inanities of life and society. Here tapping away on the tour bus he is calmer and more collected and we have greater insight into this unique view and what made him, starting from a hapless, would-be provocateur invisible to women.

My life has not been as colorful and ambitious as his. I think I feel more at the point show more his father was:

When I asked my father what he really liked to do, he said, "Sit on a bench in Paris,
France, and watch people walk by."

(His father nobly withdrew from military engineering due to his conscience -- something I hope I would have the nobility and creativity to do.) show less

You’ve seen him on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart offering up his trademark angry observational humor on everything from politics to pop culture. Now for the first time Lewis Black translates his volcanic eruptions into book form. With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his anti-authoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and these was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd. This book is a mixture of printed versions of Black’s stand-up routines and show more auto-biography. It works at times though his power really comes through the spoken word. Not the best comedy book ever and it does not do his comedy justice but it is interesting to get a glimpse into his formative years. An easy read but not a particularly memorable or fun one. show less

Sam and I listened to this book through a couple of road trips. I'm not much of a fan of Lewis Black's comedy style, so I didn't have high hopes for the book. I did enjoy it, however. It was an interesting view of his life and what has lead him to have the views he does.

You've seen him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart offering up his trademark angry observational humor on everything from politics to pop culture. You've seen his energetic stand-up performances on HBO, Comedy Central, and in venues across the globe. Now, for the first time, Lewis Black translates his volcanic eruptions into book form in Nothing's Sacred, a collection of rants against stupidity and authority, which oftentimes go hand in hand. With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his antiauthoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and there was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a show more jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd. True to form, he puts common sense above ideology and distills hilarious, biting commentary on all things politically and culturally relevant. "No one is safe from Lewis Black's comic missiles." (New York Times) You have been warned.... show less

This memoir by a baby boomer playwright is just like the conversation you’d have with this guy if he was sitting next to you on a plane. The writing is casual and conversational, the anecdotes sometimes funny and sometimes not so much. I can relate to the mind-blowing pleasures of growing up in the 60s, although some of Black’s antics made me go “Ewww. Only a guy would do that.”

I love the comedy of Lewis Black and this book managed to catch most of it. The only detractor from this book is the presentation. While Lewis Black can do his material as if he is on the verge of a total meltdown, his writing doesn’t portray that same sense. The material was funny and would have been perfect if I could have pictured Lewis Black saying the words himself. Still a very good and humorous read.

If you are an avid follower of Lewis Black's comedy, you will recognize some of the stories and jokes in this book. However, the book draws an intense picture of Mr. Black's life and how he became a comedian. Through sometimes funny, sometimes obscene, and sometimes dark stories, you will gain a deeper understanding of the jokes that have become so familiar. I'd highly recommend this book to any Lewis Black fan.