Nothing's Sacred

Similar to George Carlin’s “Last Words,” you get a glimpse into the comedian’s childhood and coming of age. Like Carlin, there is the humorous reflection of how family, neighborhood and religion, came to shape his personality and his humor. Like Carlin, there is also reflection into events that molded his politics and his particular style of cynicism and attitude towards authority. Many chapters are really short and he admits he was pressed by deadlines to fill space, but for fans of Luis Black; the book is an easy read and fun glimpse into the funny angry man.

Having been a fan of Lewis Black's stand-up comedy and television segment on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" I had high expectations of this book. I was relatively pleased with the result. While some of the material found in the book heralds back to stand up material of Black's that has been around awhile, the additional material was both funny and insightful. This book provides a better picture of the early life and college experience of the young Lewis Black that has formed who we know today. It is particularly interesting to see how he more or less stumbled into the career he finds himself in, especially when one considers how (admittedly) terrible he once was as a comic. While not an autobiography in the truest sense, Black's retelling of his own experience in a humorous manner makes this a nice read. And it's funny. Very funny.

Excellent, and hysterical. I love Lewis Black. Might not be for everyone, but an excellent choice for any fan of his.

... but still extremely good. I have not really laughed hard when listening to this album but I got to say my respect for Lewis grew immensely. Especially after learning about his low budget travels in Europe while in college. He has seen the world (some of it anyway), he has seen America, he worked for the Man (Government) and that makes him in my mind immensely qualified to comment on what's happening in the world today. I was not able to stop listening until the album was over. And I recommend you give it a try as well.

Being a Lewis Black fan, one just short of a restraining order most of my friends would say, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this book for many months. Lewis Black's comedy has always struck a chord with me. Even though my formative years came in the 70's and 80's, our viewpoints are similar, what winds us up the same. So I expected a book of his usual mordant observations that would make me laugh until I couldn't breathe. But this book greatly exceeded that expectation. Not only is it hilarious, the kind of hilarious where you have to put it down for a moment to recover, but it is also an intensely personal and often poignant account of the genesis of his anti-authoritarian point of view. Best of all, Nothing's Sacred isn't just a written version of his stage act. His concise storytelling and ability to convey emotion without being maudlin allows the reader to relate on a very personal level. Throughout the book Lewis is funny, sarcastic, enraged, incredulous and heartbreaking, sometimes within the same paragraph. The overall effect makes for an extremely satisfying read. Add to that you can rip through it in an afternoon and you've got your self a hit! And don't think you have to be a fan of my caliber to enjoy this book. Lewis' talent for putting together a story readers can identify with is superb. For anyone with a slightly torqued view of authority and an intolerance of stupidity, you have a kindred spirit in Lewis Black and will enjoy the hell out of his story.