Me of Little Faith by Lewis Black Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Me of Little Faith
Book Review: An honest & hysterical read
Summary: 5 Stars
Black tries to make sense of what is truth from his own experiences in regards to God, religion & life & death. I thought it was honest & of course, coming from Lewis Black, hysterical.
Since fleeing fundymentalism myself, the church of Comedy sounds GREAT to me!
I think Black's conclusions on what a God expects of us are brilliant & so simple...something most religions are NOT, especially fundamentalism.
I think someday I'll have to listen to the audio as I would LOVE to hear this read by the author.
The warning at the beginning of the book is good to have...."true believers" & fundamentalists would no doubt, be offended by this book. But if you are a person who is sick & tired of religious dictators trying to force feed you what God is, & what God is like & what God expects...you will probably enjoy this book.
Book Review: Awesome Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this book! It's so refreshing to look at religion that way. It's not offensive, just enlightening whether you agree or not.Book Review: Black's Black Humor Isn't Black & White
Summary: 4 Stars
Mr. Black is an acerbic, insightful comedian would doesn't seem to have many qualms about addressing any issue. The author follows in the footsteps of other iconoclastic funny men such as Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. The guy's delivery certainly is not everybody's cup of tea. If you are uncomfortable about anyone being critical of or taking potshots at certain aspects of different religions, it would be best for you to avoid his surprisingly thoughtful, often hilarious meanderings through different faiths. This book is not an atheistic argument written in the manner of Richard Dawkins' work "The God Delusion." In fact, Mr. Black has experienced otherworldly events which keep him open to what happens after we die. With the exclusion of a few interesting factoids, I didn't learn anything new from the author. But good God, what a fun, laugh-out-loud time it was reading this little baby.Book Review: F-Word Does Not Translate Well From Stage to Page
Summary: 2 Stars
While I usually find Lewis Black's stand-up comedy routines to be quite funny, they do not translate well to the written page, not that Black has made much of an effort to do so in any event. I bought this book because I expected some great humor, especially about religion, but there's very little humor at all, and Black's insights into religion amount to little more than inane anecdotes.
In a word, this book is pointless. Black's abundant use of the F-word may be hilarious and appropriate in his comedy routines, but in this book it's just a sign of having nothing interesting to say. To prove that he ran out of ideas long before the end of this already short book, the last chapter consists of a play he co-wrote years ago. It's as dull as the book, so now we know why he's not a playwright.
Having shelled out good money to buy this book, I forced myself to read almost all of it. That was one big mistake, but maybe I'll get that time back in the next life. Unless you are desperate for something - anything - to read, I'd give this Lewis Black book a pass.
Book Review: Funny but Uneven
Summary: 3 Stars
In "Me of Little Faith," comedian and social critic Lewis Black searches for humor in organized religion - and he finds plenty. Black is an equal opportunity offender and by the end of the book he has given the reader his take on every major religion in the world - although he treads lightly when it comes to Islam.
In the tiny piece titled "Islam. All I'm saying is, I got nothing to say," he states "I'll get back to you later, when things have settled down." He does follow this short piece with one called "When Bobby Goes Boom," in which he skewers "religious suicide bombers" and another called "The Suicide Bomber's Prayer" that is written in the voice of a Muslim bomber (although Black jokingly substitutes "Holy One" for "Allah"), but Black's refusal to treat Islam in the same brash manner he treats every other religion weakens the impact of the book - and seems out of character for someone like Lewis Black who has an image of not fearing any backlash his comedy might create.
Black has particular fun with the multi-millionaire televangelists out there that still manage to scam their way to riches. He revisits the heydays of Jim and Tammy Baker, Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swaggart and others, and finds much humor in the personal failings and absurdities of each of them. Swaggart is obviously Black's pick of the litter (he admits to having been fascinated by the man's television shows), and he devotes several pages to explaining the great success of the ministry (basically, "he's used-car salesman sexy").
One of the funniest parts of the book is Black's take on athletes who use entire post-game interviews to thank Jesus for their success on the playing field. He wonders why, if God gets all the credit for carrying the successful athlete, the day's losers don't say something like, "Yeah, we were in the game...until Jesus made me fumble. He hates our team. Jesus hates us." You know, I've often wondered the same thing.
"Me of Little Faith" is really about Lewis Black, how he was raised as a non-practicing Jew, what religious experiences he has had over the years, and what he believes today. It is a comic-biography, if you will, and it is sharp and funny in places, but a bit uneven. Black made the mistake of ending the book with a 38-page play he co-wrote in 1981, a play that he admits was largely panned by the critics who bothered to see it. He did not understand then why it was not more of a success and he still doesn't seem to get it. Simply put, it is not funny - and its inclusion in "Me of Little Faith" is a mistake, especially so near the very end of the book where it seems to drag down all the really funny stuff that preceded it.
Rated at: 2.5