Customer Reviews

Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The reference is very valuable, though not quite exhaustive. And if anything other than highbrow humor makes you laugh, then try to avoid reading the reviews of the albums, they'll just make you mad. The harsh criticism of record after record makes you wonder if the author actually has a sense of humor.

This is a very well-written and researched book. I'm not quite sure if the author actually likes the subject matter though, since almost every single entry, while informative, looks down on the records and artists that are discussed. He seems to somewhat venerate the old-time radio stars who put out LPs, and almost denigrates almost every other artist who committed comedy to records (with the notable exception of Bill Cosby, whom I think the author has interviewed many times and may have done another book on).

Even with that slant, this is a great compendium of spoken-word comedy albums. You are not going to find a lot of information on 80% of these albums on the internet. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the genre, as it is well worth the price ... well, at least the Amazon Marketplace price.

For students of comedy, Smith's Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide is priceless. Those of us collectors who are lucky enough to have picked up a mint Brother Theodore or Bob & Ray On A Platter for next to nothing will delight to see the lofty prices afforded to these and many others. Smith definitely lets his personal tastes be known and his write-offs of such classics as Robert Klein's Mind Over Matter, Richard Pryor's That Nigger's Crazy and Peter Sellers' recorded output may leave some fans confused/angry. But that's the norm in album guides of all sorts. All in all, comedy historian and expert Ronald L. Smith has given collectors an entertaining, informative and exhaustive study of humor on record.

Amazing book. The guy not only has every comedy record, but has listened to them all. What I liked best was that he was fair with all types of comedians -- he digs Lord Buckley as well as Homer and Jethro, Mort Sahl as well as Jackie Mason, and tells you what their best records are. I also found out I have some albums worth BIG BUCKS! Yeah!! But he doesn't say where I can sell them. Great to find a book that's worth the money. Photos of album covers were good, too. Wish there was more of them.