Customer Reviews

Me of Little Faith

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

This is an hilarious set of essays documenting one man's effort to understand his own spirituality as well as that which has been (and continues to be) thrust upon him by his semi-Jewish upbringing and many well-meaning friends. Honestly, I was in tears with laughter as he suggested those of us who gather annually to fight over Christmas dinner should keep our voices down lest we wake the baby Jesus. (I don't recall inviting Lewis Black to my family's Christmas dinner, but I could swear he'd given a fairly accurate account in this book!)

The zealots of religion (i.e., those who feel they need to step in and defend God) need to turn away from this book immediately. If you can't laugh at yourself and your human foibles -- especially with regard to how you practice your faith -- you won't find this book funny at all. The rest of us -- those of us who know we are human, frail, and utterly laughable at times in the eyes of God as well as those around us -- are ready converts to Black's satire of the human spiritual condition.

OK, I could have done without the reprint of the play toward the end of the book. Some comedy just doesn't come across when you read it on the page because you need the voices and the visual nonverbals to make it work. I expect it would be hilarious if I could actually see it (note to publishers: Next time just give us a DVD or a URL, OK?), but it doesn't do well when read.

But that's the only little sour note in this collection. It's funny, it's touching, and it's the best set of observations on faith in the US I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

I got an autographed copy of the book from Lewis Black @ Bookends this week and purchase it with some trepidation, you know, the subject, Religion. I bought it based on Lewis himself being funny. Well if you're fed up with the religious Right or the Religious Left for that matter, you'll get it. (The people in Starbucks were looking at me because I could not stop chuckling page after page.) Subjects include: Religion & death, religion & 72 virgins ("Which would be impossible, I think, as I haven't met one on earth."), Jews & his Chanukah transformation, Mormons & religious Glasses, the call from Norman Lear, Oral Roberts & the tent, et al, and much more are up for Lewis's scrutiny. As long as you have seen him in concert and can hear his voice speaking as you read, well you can't stop laughing. You might need some understating of different religions, which enabled the joke to go over better. Warning: If you are deeply religious, you probably shouldn't buy this book. However, for the rest of us non-church going people Lewis has hit another home run. Happy Reading!

While early parts of the book do incorporate some of his standup routines (Which he admits), the majority of the book is original content, part biographical. Some of the things he refers to could make it a little more difficult to get if you haven't read/listened to Nothing's Sacred.

The best part of this book is that the audiobook is still performed by him, as was Nothing's Sacred. If you're a fan of Lewis Black, or if you're skeptical about all forms of religion, or wondering why we believe why we do, this is a great read.

Bless you Lewis Black, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Joke.

Though George Carlin imo was, is and always will be the King of stand up comedy, Lewis Black is a VERY close contender. I'm not a fan of religious bashing, as I have a live and let live mentality. But this book H.A.D.-M.E.-R.O.L.L.I.N.G.!! Black is unapologetically brutal, but he's also honest in the fact that he believes in "something", but cannot "pinpoint it". I think my favorite chapter of all pertained to 'The Rapture'. Like him or loathe him, the man knows how to shake up a crowd. Imo, Black was given a purpose on this earth to lead people to THINK with an open mind, while howling with laughter. Hardcore Christians and ye of little humor beware. No, Black is NOT the last word & testament on the "truth" re: religion, but then again...until God himself shows up for a personal autographing session, neither is the bible.

Some of the essays are funny but too many not so much. If there is a central idea in all these diverse essays, it is that the fear of death is the root of religion and humor. But too many of the essays seem to stand alone disconnected. For example, the extremely short essay on Islam was the perfect place where Lewis Black could have elaborated in a humorous way, of course, on the complex interplay of fear of death and humor (or the lack of it in this instance) and religion. But no such effort is made to pull this "book" together into a more cohesive whole.

While I'm normally a person who can ramble on almost on cue, I find myself almost speechless about this book. I can not emphasize enough how much this book is a must read, it's truly a unique combination of humour intertwined with a wisdom that's only Lewis Black seems to have. And for all of this he still doesn't take himself too seriously making this a book you won't be able to put down.

All that being said, I would advise that if you are easily offended in the context of your faith and spirituality you should avoid this book; however if you aren't, enjoy the ride.

Gentle Snowflakes,

If you enjoyed reading Christopher Hitchens' recent demolishment of world religions, "God Is Not Great," then you'll love "Me of Little Faith."

Lewis does what Hitchens did, but funnier. That says all that need be said.

Before I say anything else, please know this:

THIS BOOK IS A COMEDIC VENTURE

This was not written to attack or belittle anybody. Lewis Black is, and always has been, an angry Jewish Comedian. That's it. He is no saint, priest, rabbi, or any other title that is related to religious expertise.

That being said, the book is very funny. I read it in tandem with the audiobook, which truly added to the experience. Hearing Black read the book to you is essentially listening to a 6 hour stand-up album, without the two-drink-minimum idiots laughing in the background. Those who have paid attention to his past work will hear some recycled jokes within, but overall his insights to the "quirks" of various religions are quite funny, even to me, someone who considers himself very solid in his own faith and beliefs.

The key to enjoying this work is to have an open mind and to understand that Black is an entertainer, and in the end, his goal is to conjure a laugh from his audience (or readers). If you are easily offended by this sort of thing, by all means, DO NOT buy the book (or CD).

Overall an excellent and entertaining read, just like his last book (and cd). Worth every penny.

Lewis Black is hilarious and I love his rants. I remember a part of the book about how LSD inspired and changed him and was his religious expirence. Anyway if the book did one thing it made me never want to try LSD. It was not as funny as his stand up.

Mr. Black is an acerbic, insightful comedian would doesn't seem to have many qualms about addressing any issue. The author follows in the footsteps of other iconoclastic funny men such as Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. The guy's delivery certainly is not everybody's cup of tea. If you are uncomfortable about anyone being critical of or taking potshots at certain aspects of different religions, it would be best for you to avoid his surprisingly thoughtful, often hilarious meanderings through different faiths. This book is not an atheistic argument written in the manner of Richard Dawkins' work "The God Delusion." In fact, Mr. Black has experienced otherworldly events which keep him open to what happens after we die. With the exclusion of a few interesting factoids, I didn't learn anything new from the author. But good God, what a fun, laugh-out-loud time it was reading this little baby.