The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee

I LOVE Sara Silveman. I'm 70 years old and this comedian's brilliance and style are just right for me. She's clever, filthy, insightful, unique, hilarious, and very entertaining. I kept her "book" on my Mp3 player and listened to her charming voice on various errands around town in my car. It's easy to keep up with on various start-stop trips. I was already a fan and now I'm happy to know so much more about her.

Sarah Silverman is one of best rising young comedians today. Her sense of comedy is in the tradition of the great Tom Arnold. But the bitch attitude she brings to her art puts her in a class all her own. Toliets, poop jokes, farts, tampons and the human side of sex are what paints her canvas with. This is a woman who loves filth and is proud of it. But she also shows her human side. She was traumatized in childhood by a culture that neither accepted nor understood her. She also, as per the title, goes on at great length about the bedwetting brought on by her cultural alienation and the abuse she suffered in New Hampshire. The comic tradition of Tom Arnold is alive and well today through her performances. She deserves a bigger audience and a major network sitcom.

If you are already a fan of Sarah Silverman, you know her irreverant brand of humor. Okay, maybe it's juvenile, gross and dirty. But it's so funny! I knew that the book would be hilarious and witty, just like Sarah is. I really think she went above and beyond with this book. Besides sharing stories of family and friends that will have you laughing til you cry or at least snort in an unladylike manner; you'll read things about her that really give you a rare insight into her life and past. Being the ultimate Sarah fan, I thought I had ferretted out most, if not all, of the info available about her career and why she thinks the way she does. There is so much more depth and honesty in this book than I ever expected. I have an even bigger appreciation of her humor, and a deep admiration for the road she's traveled to get to where she is now. You'll see a new, deeper Sarah here, as funny and shocking as always, but with so much more. I think people unsure of what to think of her and her brand of humor will have a fresh viewpoint and new opinion of her after reading this book. Enjoy!

Sarah Silverman's approach to comedy is not like the approach of many comedians working today. Sarah approaches all taboo topics with the same enthusiasm, whether it be the usage of racist lingo, sex, or the Holocaust. This "nothing is sacred" approach to comedy defines Silverman's attitudes and, philosophically speaking, puts these taboo topics into perspective. In Silverman's memoir, we discover where she acquired these traits. In talking about her parents, it's very obvious that her adoration for her father is without doubt and that much of her humor comes from him. In a sub-chapter titled "The Only Reason I'm Not Completely Retarded," Silverman discusses her admiration for her mother. The book follows Silverman through her childhood, adolescence, and career, with much emphasis on family. Throughout, Silverman subjects the reader to relentless comedy that some would consider vulgar, racy, and inappropriate. But, that's just Silverman's charm - genius. Including a Foreward written by herself an an Afterword written by God, I wholeheartedly believe that this book is the comedic masterpiece of the literary world of 2010.

I expected this book to be hilarious, and it is. (I'm not even going to qualify that by adding "...if you're a fan of Sarah's comedy." It's just funny. Period.) What I didn't expect were the sensitivity and sincerity that Sarah has brought to both the writing of the book and to its glimpses behind the scenes into her personal life and the thoughtfulness behind the humor. The section in which Sarah's editor earnestly tries to explain to Sarah, a professional comedian, what's "really" funny (and why) is worth the price of admission all on its own. I think there are some things that many people believe deep down they could also do just as well as the professionals, if only they had the time, the inclination, etc. I suspect that professional comedy is one of those things. So what I really appreciated about this book is the way Sarah explores comedy as a craft that is diligently developed and honed over time. You might not like her jokes, but you have to respect her commitment to the work that goes into them. As a person who appreciates both Sarah's humor and the dedication of craftsmen in all walks of life, this book just worked for me on every level. I highly recommend it.