Following his critically acclaimed memoir about his years as a comic, BORN STANDING UP, Steve Martin released a second memoir containing stories aboutFollowing his critically acclaimed memoir about his years as a comic, BORN STANDING UP, Steve Martin released a second memoir containing stories about his time in the movie business, NUMBER ONE IS WALKING. Rather than taking the same path as his first autobiography, Martin enlisted the help of cartoonist Harry Bliss to produce a sort of graphic novel style retelling of Steve’s years on the silver screen.
I was all set to give this book four to five stars, but unfortunately, Steve’s career in the movies is responsible for less than half of the total page count, which is a real shame as the marketing behind the book’s release was heavily focused on pushing that it is a memoir of his Hollywood years. The bulk of the book is focused on the “Diversions”, which are New Yorker style cartoons produced by the duo. Those were OK, but not exactly what I was looking for.
That being said, I absolutely loved what he and Harry had put together as they highlighted stories from Steve about his work on films like Planes, Trains And Automobiles, A Simple Twist of Fate, and Three Amigos, and many others. I was laughing out loud reading about John Candy, Martin Short and Diane Keaton (Martin Short’s introduction on Three Amigos was the best). I desperately wanted more and I have no doubt that Steve could have produced many stories that easily could have filled the book cover to cover.
I get that this is meant to be a coffee table book, but I feel like there is a lost opportunity here. Steve is endlessly charming, hilarious and effortlessly interesting. One of my biggest regrets was not going to see him when both he and Martin Short performed live here in Ottawa a few years ago. I can’t fully recommend this one given that more than half of the book is not something I cared for or would revisit, but the movie years that the co-authors shone a spotlight on were excellent....more
Following last year’s release of A CARNIVAL OF SNACKERY, his second collection of diary entries, David Sedaris returns with HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, his first Following last year’s release of A CARNIVAL OF SNACKERY, his second collection of diary entries, David Sedaris returns with HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, his first new collection of essays since 2018’s CALYPSO.
In HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, David touches on a multitude of topics including school shootings, his own mortality, the deaths of both his sister and his father, touring and the Covid-19 pandemic, all of which are presented with his signature humorous slant or skewed world view.
I’m not going to lie, when I received an advanced copy of Sedaris’ new book, I was about as excited and appreciative as you can get. I tore through this book in two days, which I suppose was not hard given that it was under three hundred pages and like all of Sedaris’ work, was easily digestible.
While he touched on the pandemic in his last collection of diary entries, he produces fully fledged out thoughts and experiences this time around, the best being his inability to hoard supplies in New York City during the first few weeks of lockdown (“I returned home with a quart of buttermilk and taco shells”) as well as his awe of Manhattan as it transformed into a ghost town of sorts.
All the usual players make appearances including his siblings, his Dad and his boyfriend, Hugh. The essays about his father’s decline are both heartbreaking and hilarious, a line I sometimes feel that only Sedaris can walk. Despite his father’s many, many faults, he was always someone I looked forward to hearing about with every new book. It’s sad to know we’ll never get new material (although, to be fair, his Dad lived to ninety-eight, so he had to go sometime).
It’s worth pointing out David’s experience with the pandemic as he often says in the book that it was surprising that he, nor Hugh, contracted the disease (to date). His day-to-day life didn’t really change outside of his inability to tour; he still hosted dinner parties, flew between NYC, Europe and North Carolina, and he spends a good chunk of an essay or two lamenting his inability to shop. It is frustrating to hear given that many of us tried our best to remain isolated and those that couldn’t, like frontline healthcare workers, didn’t have that option. But it’s not like Sedaris isn’t aware of that – he often points out how lucky he was/is.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY is another great collection of essays from one of my favorite writers. I always struggle with whether or not to read or listen to his books, but when presented with a free copy, I couldn’t turn it down.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY is scheduled for release in May 2022....more
I loved seeing the early artwork, which I enjoy more than what it eventually settled into. Charlie BrI don't really have a lot of say about this one.
I loved seeing the early artwork, which I enjoy more than what it eventually settled into. Charlie Brown is such a sad sack right from the get go, but hard to imagine him having a positive attitude when everyone hates him so much.
Not sure if I'll continue on with the other volumes, but it was cool to read the origins of the famous strip....more
David Sedaris returns with his second collection of diary entries. A Carnival of Snackery spans from 2003 all the way up to 2020.
This is a hard one toDavid Sedaris returns with his second collection of diary entries. A Carnival of Snackery spans from 2003 all the way up to 2020.
This is a hard one to review and it will entirely depend on if you’re already a big fan of David’s work. By no means should anyone begin their Sedaris journey with either collection of diary entries as both are more of an unfiltered look at the inner workings of David’s mind rather than the polished essays he’s most known for. It’s like watching the special features on a DVD without watching the movie.
A lot has happened both in David’s life and the world in the seventeen years that make up this collection. Big cultural moments like the beginning of the war in Iraq, the 2005 terrorist attacks in London (while David was a resident there), the political rise of the far right and the election of Donald Trump and the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic all make appearances. We also unfortunately encounter the loss of David’s sister Tiffany to suicide, David’s fractured relationship with his father and many a health scare.
It’s obviously not all gloom and doom, however. David is first and foremost a humorist, so the book has more than its fair share of laugh out loud moments; the best being jokes and insults he’s told at book signings.
“You’re so lazy, you would shit the bed and push it out with your foot.”
“The lowest of the low. You’re so low you could get under the belly of a snake wearing a top hat.”
There are definitely other highlights here like David’s unusual relationship with a fox who had visited his home every day looking for scraps, much to the chagrin of his partner Hugh. His interactions with readers at book signings often keep the events going long – sometimes over 5 hours – one highlight being how soon women remove their bras following their work day.
Like THEFT BY FINDING, I can’t see me recommending this to someone who hasn’t already read a good chunk of David’s work, but I did have an enjoyable time seeing these snapshots of David’s day-to-day life...more
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Hailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Mark knew from an early age what it was he wanted to do with his life – convincing his father, however, was the hard part. In AN EMBARASSMENT OF CRITCH’S, Mark goes through his early days struggling to find stable work in the entertainment industry all the way to the present where he now holds the honor of the longest-serving cast member on CBC’s THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES.
There were some interesting stories in here including Mark’s experiences with ambushing Canadian politicians for off-the-cuff interviews as well as being a veteran of filming remotes (on-location sketches) for the Canadian comedy institution. Even the stories that weren’t exactly memorable still maintained a level of enjoyment given Mark’s natural talent for storytelling.
The more memorable chapters in the book deal with Mark heading overseas to perform for the Canadian troops in Afghanistan in 2006, a journey fraught with rocket attacks, imported contraband and the horrors of “Emerald Lake”. Then there was Mark’s trip to Russia in 2007 where in response to Russian claiming The North Pole by planting a flag on the ocean floor, Mark tried to do the same by claiming Red Square for Canada by planting a flag in the center of the landmark. It goes without saying – that did not go according to plan. Another standout looked at Mark’s confrontation with Pamela Anderson and Sam Simon as they arrived on the shores of Newfoundland in 2013 to half-heartedly stop the annual seal hunt.
AN EMBARASSMENT OF CRITCH’S is both a look at the ins-and-outs of Canadian showbiz as well as the absurdity of dancing on the line of Canadian political humor. ...more
Seth Rogen’s new (and first) book, Year Book, is not so much a memoir, but a collection of wildly entertaining stories that stretch from his childhoodSeth Rogen’s new (and first) book, Year Book, is not so much a memoir, but a collection of wildly entertaining stories that stretch from his childhood all the way to present day.
I elected to go the audiobook route with this one after hearing the book was performed by a full cast. I honestly cannot imagine getting nearly as much enjoyment out of the book if I didn’t have Seth and his friends in my earbuds.
YEAR BOOK is insanely funny and endlessly entertaining. In fact, some of the stories in here had me crying from laughing. There are stories about his time as a teen navigating the world of drug use and dating, fascinating stories about his eccentric father, and of course, stories about his career in movies and television – the mind-boggling process of releasing 2014’s The Interview is a standout.
In a world where seemingly everyone in Hollywood has a ridiculous Nicolas Cage story, Seth has one of the best ones. He also tells a hilarious story about dropping acid at Joshua Tree (“look at the size of this letter opener”) and one about overdosing on mushrooms in Amsterdam in the late 90s.
Not only is YEAR BOOK likely to end up on my year-end list, it is one of my favorite experiences with an audiobook to date....more
Theft By Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 contains the contents of David Sedaris’ diaries.
A few years ago, I had read a book that collected Kevin Smith’s blTheft By Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 contains the contents of David Sedaris’ diaries.
A few years ago, I had read a book that collected Kevin Smith’s blog posts. David Sedaris’ Theft by Finding is essentially the same thing. Theft by Finding is twenty-five years of writing extracted from Sedaris’ journal. I suppose that’s all a blog is, really. Just an online journal that you let people read rather than a book you keep under your mattress.
Comparing this book’s contents to David’s previous work is like comparing a tweet to a letter. There are no essays here – these are quick snapshots into the daily life of David during a twenty-five year period, although you could see snippets of what would become full-length essays in his future books, like David’s job as an Elf in Santaland and his adventures in French language class.
My favorite parts involved overheard conversations where David gleefully does impressions of others. That and incredibly inappropriate jokes that are told to him by friends, coworkers and classmates. Also, his incredibly raw reactions to the 9/11 attacks that are told over several diary entries.
During the intro, David notes that he’s left some entries out because not everything he writes is worth reading, however, there’s still a hefty amount of content here. This is akin to a deep cut from a musician or band you’re already a big fan of. This is the stuff you look for after you’ve listened to all the albums. It should not be a starting point for any newcomer to Sedaris, but it’s an interesting look at his life and how he ultimately became a revered, crowd-drawing writer and performer....more
Is This Anything is a collection of Jerry Seinfeld’s best material in the five decades that he’s been performing stand-up. The book is separated into Is This Anything is a collection of Jerry Seinfeld’s best material in the five decades that he’s been performing stand-up. The book is separated into five eras: 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and teens.
I’m not shocking anyone when I say that Jerry Seinfeld is one of my favorite comedians to watch. I’m sure he’s on many top five lists out there. So when it was announced that I could own a physical record of his best and most famous material, I was looking forward to getting my hands on it.
I’m not going to lie, the first half of this book, there were moments where I was crying with laughter. The bit about his mother putting a mirror in her living room to try and make the room look bigger is one of my favorites of his. However, as time wore on, I found myself getting tired of the non-stop barrage of jokes. I can only compare this to going to see Jimmy Carr a few years ago on his “Solid Gold Hits” tour where he just relentlessly attacked us with joke after joke after joke. It gets exhausting!
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to power through the book as quickly as I did. There’s also the fact that you’re reading these jokes that are meant to be performed live along with Jerry’s signature cadence and delivery. That’s not really a fair criticism of a book, but there is certainly something lost when you’re just reading them rather than hearing Jerry deliver them (although, it’s hard not to hear Jerry’s voice in your head)....more
It’s always a treat when I get to sit down with a new David Sedaris book – well, one that is new to me anyway. While I much prefer to listen to a SedaIt’s always a treat when I get to sit down with a new David Sedaris book – well, one that is new to me anyway. While I much prefer to listen to a Sedaris audiobook than read one, it’s gotten to the point now where I can hear David’s voice in my head while reading. So, I guess it’s the best of both worlds?
Released in 2000, Me Talk Pretty One Day is David’s fourth book. This time, the essays mainly deal with his move to Paris and his struggle to learn a second language. There are some great moments here where he translates his broken French into English, which is where the book’s title comes from, as well as his contentious relationship with the class’ teacher. There are also some hilarious stories about his father and his attempt to create this family band with the Sedaris clan had me laughing out loud when he had David attend his first guitar lesson.
It’s not all about his family and his move to Paris, though. David writes about his early years in New York when he took a job with a moving company under a boss he suspected was a communist. He also tells of a friend who would visit him regularly in New York and the one time she brought along her own friend who had not ventured out of her small town in the South. David’s reaction to her belief that everyone was out to scam her had me laughing out loud (I tried quoting it in this review out of context and it just wasn’t working – trust me). My favorite story comes early in the book, however, when he tells of having to work with a speech therapist to correct his lisp as a child. His ultimate plan? Just avoid words with “s”. This leads to a funny exchange when asked of his plans for the Christmas break.
David Sedaris is one of those writers who can take even the most mundane subject and make it hilarious. If you’ve never read his work, I suggest starting with an audio version and I doubt you could go wrong with Me Talk Pretty One Day....more
Like all of David's stuff, this was a fun listen. I'll take David reading his work over reading it myself any day. Not really much to review here.Like all of David's stuff, this was a fun listen. I'll take David reading his work over reading it myself any day. Not really much to review here....more
A Very Punchable Face is a memoir of sorts from comedian/writer Colin Jost, the current co-anchor on Weekend Update and co-lead writer for Saturday NiA Very Punchable Face is a memoir of sorts from comedian/writer Colin Jost, the current co-anchor on Weekend Update and co-lead writer for Saturday Night Live. Jost presents a series of essays that takes the reader through various points in his life from his early years through to his current position both behind and in front of the camera on Saturday nights.
Jost rarely lets his past self’s behavior slide in the opening chapters. Stories of his years growing up on Staten Island, recurring incidents where he would require stitches and his journey into Harvard were essays filled with laughs from beginning to end. One heartbreaking chapter details his Mother’s position as Chief Medical Officer for the New York Fire Department and her near-death experiences on 9/11. Very powerful stuff inside a book that also speaks of drinking, debauchery and soiling oneself.
I found the most interesting bits to be about the behind-the-scenes structure of SNL and how a machine like that operates. He discusses the hectic Monday-Saturday schedule that involves pitching to the host, writing, re-writing, re-re-writing and planning out the show. We’re talking eighty hour work weeks where the staff will sometimes sleep at the offices at 30 Rock rather than making the trek home after a long night.
Speaking of SNL, one of the first things I was surprised to learn was that Jost has been a part of the crew since 2005. I wasn’t aware he was even involved with the show until they put him in front of the camera in mid-2014 as a part of the Weekend Update team with Cecily Strong. Apparently he was not a fan-favorite, to put it lightly. I had no problem with him from the beginning but I agree with Jost that it likely took him a while to become comfortable in the role. He and co-anchor Michael Che have been mainstays for a few years now and their chemistry continues to make the Update segment the best part of the show each week.
I haven’t read a book in quite a while where I laughed as often as I did with this one. Jost is especially charming in his ability to undercut both his career accomplishments as well as the awkwardness of his youth that gives him a very relatable, earnest quality that should endear him to anyone who picks up this book....more