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Last Words: A Memoir > Wiki

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For more than a decade before his 2008 death, groundbreaking stand-up comedian Carlin had been working on his autobiography with writer Hendra (Father Joe), who finished it by distilling hours of conversations with the irascible social commentator. Armed with an eye for detail and a seemingly photographic memory, Carlin retraces his life in full, chronicling petty crimes and stolen kisses, escalating drug problems and the death of his wife with unflinching honesty. He applies that same precision to the mechanics of comedy, giving would-be comics a veteran's insight into the dynamics of crowds, the structure of a performance and the importance (or unimportance) of the social and political landscape. Tracing his evolution as a comedian from the first time he made his mother laugh to performing for an empty room in Baltimore to the series of HBO specials he made over the course of his career, Carlin peppers his narrative with the routines that have made him famous (though this is no gagfest, a la Brain Droppings, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, etc.). Throughout, Carlin comes off as a smart, humble everyman with a strong distaste for hypocrisy in all its forms; fans may be surprised at his discipline and drive, and anyone interested in comedy should find this autobio as illuminating as it is funny.
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Details

ISBN-10:  1439172951
ISBN-13:  978-1439172957
Author:  George Carlin
Genre:  Biographies & Memoirs, Entertainment
Publisher:  Free Press
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review by . August 30, 2010
posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More
“Last Words” by George Carlin with Tony Hendra is an interesting and entertaining look at the life of George Carlin, a popular and brilliant comic for many years, who not only seemed to get better with age, but who also suffered from drug and alcohol addiction and heart troubles for many years.  The book starts with his birth, literally, and proceeds to cover the highlights of stardom and the low points that few knew about, during his fifty-year career.       …
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