Last Words: A Memoir
by George Carlin
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Book Summary Information
Author: George CarlinContributor: Tony Hendra
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-11-10
ISBN: 1439172951
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Free Press
Book Reviews of Last Words: A Memoir
Book Review: A GREAT read about the genious of the man
Summary: 5 Stars
As American's I think we have taken for granted that the great genius of George Carlin, will always be around, to wake us up and slap us into wakefulness with the truth.
What is so special about this "semi-autobiography" is that it is all from the words of Carlin himself, with a smattering from family and close friends. Not from the written words of Carlin, as much as his words caught on the tape recorder of Carlin's long time friend, who was recording them for Carlin's auto-biography, that never got completed, but it was real close.
Just like Carlin the comedian, philosopher, satirist, activist, best selling writer and creator of comedy albums, this is dead honest.
When reading the stories of some of the entertainers, who I have enjoyed and changed my life in some way, like Carlin, I always find the "getting there" parts to be the most interesting, as opposed to the parts after recognition, success and fame came in. This book, as so many, like reading about The Beatles as well, shows that for 99% of those who are viewed as "successful" in their chosen art, there is a myth of being discovered over-night.
George's courageous chances that he took, along with his personal evolution that mapped his personal and professional growth is fascinating.
He wrote every day and practiced his routines until they were perfected before going in front of an audience. He then made those verbal gymnastics seem to easy. The looked easy because of the "inspiration" that was created by "perspiration".
He was a very private man, who worked hard to stay true to himself and avoid the pratfalls of becoming "a star" and showing up all over Hollywood.
Yet, he stayed doing what I think is the absolute hardest craft in the entertainment business, a stand up, solo comedian. On stage with nothing else but a stool that carried his water. For 50 years.
What also was so unique about Carlin is that he has to be the only comedian of long standing and success that never, ever once had anyone write ANYTHING for him. 100% of his stand up act, books, records were written by Carlin himself. He hired no writers and never hired himself out as a writer as well.
How the heck could this genious have no comedy writers at all.
As he said in the book, his act was edited by the audiences that he entertained. If some of his material wasn't going well with the audience, it was edited out or modified. Direct customer control of the product.
IF anything, his act kept getting more and more pointed and more edgy, as time went by and in his seventies. What energy. Because George continuously changed as a man (and thus was forever young), his words and act continually changed as well and was always fresh and incredibly inventive.
George was a mirror for us and our culture. If someone was never, ever offended or blushed when he revealed something about ourselves that was somewhat uncomfortable, then they didn't "get" was Carlin was doing.
The last thing maybe the most important. Last Words is a HILARIOUS read, non-stop from the first page to the end.
Jon
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