Groucho Marx and Other Short Stories and Tall Tales: Selected Writings of Groucho Marx, An Updated and Expanded Edition [Paperback]

Robert S. Bader (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2011

Groucho Marx was a comic genius who starred on stage and in film, radio, and television. But he was also a gifted writer - the author of a play, two screenplays, seven books, and over 100 articles and essays. This newly expanded collection presents the best of Groucho's short comic pieces, written over a period of more than fifty years between 1919 and 1973 for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Saturday Evening Post, Variety, the Hollywood Reporter, and other newspapers and magazines. Here is the one and only Groucho on his family, his days in vaudeville, his career, World War II, taxes, and other topics from his love of a good cigar to his chronic insomnia, from "Why Harpo Doesn't Talk" to "The Truth About Captain Spalding." The familiar irreverence, wordplay, and a dash of self-deprecation bring Groucho's wisecracking voice to life in these pages, firmly establishing him as one of the world's great humorists. Groucho Marx and Other Short Stories and Tall Tales (a title of Groucho's own choosing) is essential reading for Marx Brothers fans, and a hilarious and nostalgic trip through the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert S. Bader has been a Marx Brother fan since childhood. He is the writer and producer of the documentary The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk. His other credits include The Legendary Bing Crosby, The Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Celebration, and numerous DVD collections including The Dick Cavett Show and Groucho's quiz show, You Bet Your Life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Applause; Revised edition edition (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781557837912
• ISBN-13: 978-1557837912
• ASIN: 1557837910
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good, Not Bad June 27, 2012

By Richard M Estel

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book after reading a Dick Cavett column in the NY Times (Dick was associated with Groucho and had him on his show a number of times).

While his claim that every page is hilarious can be attributed to Cavett's deep love and respect for Groucho, at least every item is amusing and/or interesting. You CAN hear Groucho's voice in your head as you read (assuming you're of a certain age), and it makes me wish he were still with us.

So here's the bottom line - if you were even moderate Groucho fan, you should enjoy this book. And you will certainly learn a lot about Groucho's career that preceded the time that most of us became aware of this very special man.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Can hear his voice May 15, 2012

By Jelena Follweiler

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I always feel a story captures the moment if you hear the voices of the people in the story in your mind while reading. Reading Groucho Marx's letters, articles, and other writings brings his voice and face to life for me again. What a funny, articulate man he was!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best- all else is downhill! April 21, 2013

By Henry Gross

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Groucho..... One of a small handful of unique comic characters who make true sense of life by pointing out the pomposity and hypocrisy of the privileged, powerful and absurd. I cannot imagine having grown up without his outrageous but always brilliant commentary on the very things I was struggling to make sense of. "I submit to you: "Time flies like an arrow but fruit flies like a banana!" Like the philosophy he espouses in his movies, I find his letters joyous, his use of language inspirational and his zero tolerance policy for the "Schnorrers" of the world a constant joy. My father could not have said it better than when Groucho whined: "I married your mother because I wanted children. Imagine my disappointment when you arrived!" His letters live up to the promise of his movie wit. A great expanded collection from arguably the greatest comic wit of all time! Ignore them at your peril! His movies and TV show only tell part of the story. You need to read the rest.

Groucho, Jack Benny, Burns & Allen, Lenny Bruce, Charles Chaplin, Jonathan Winters, Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields, Woody Allen, Jackie Gleason, Sid Ceasar, Peter Sellers... make any list you like... I believe you'll find Groucho at or near the top. Future comics and humorists, you must absorb every bit of the wisdom of all these geniuses that you possibly can. Read, enjoy and prosper!