Nothing's Sacred and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime Free Trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn More
Kindle Edition
 
   
Sell Back Your Copy
For a $0.21 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Nothing's Sacred
 
 
Start reading Nothing's Sacred on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Nothing's Sacred [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Lewis Black (Author, Reader)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)

Price: $29.95 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Only 2 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Want it delivered Tuesday, January 31? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --  
Hardcover --  
Paperback $10.95  
Audio, CD, Audiobook, Unabridged $29.95  
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged $17.95 or Free with Audible 30-day free trial

Book Description

March 22, 2005
You've seen him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart offering up his trademark angry observational humor on everything from politics to pop culture. You've seen his energetic stand-up performances on HBO, Comedy Central, and in venues across the globe. Now Lewis Black's volcanic eruptions can be found in Nothing's Sacred, a collection of rants against stupidity and authority, which oftentimes go hand in hand.

With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his antiauthoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and there was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd.

True to form, he puts common sense above ideology and distills hilarious, biting commentary on all things politically and culturally relevant.


Frequently Bought Together

Nothing's Sacred + Me of Little Faith + I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas
Price For All Three: $60.88

Show availability and shipping details

Buy the selected items together
  • In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • Me of Little Faith $11.21

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas $19.72

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of the hilarious rantings of the mad-as-hell comedian and Daily Show regular may be surprised that, unlike many stand-up comics who create books by virtually transcribing their honed comedy routines, Black has written a memoir that is both funny and moving. Raised in the early 1950s in a Washington, D.C., suburb ("an oxygenated void... that prepares you for either depression or space travel"), Black passes the decades by venting on everything from how he was taught to avoid an atomic bomb blast by hiding under a classroom chair ("we're talking about a fireball from hell and these morons had me hiding under wood; under kindling, for God's sake") to the "breathless, exciting" times of campus war protests. Black's reading is less explosive than his usual this-man-is-going-to-have-a-heart-attack delivery. Although he still smolders at the corporate greed, government incompetence and antigay marriage rhetoric ("It takes a lot of balls for heterosexuals to make a fuss over this issue considering 50% of us can't stay married"), his even tone showcases his articulate, biting sarcasm. Simultaneous release with the Simon Spotlight hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 7).
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

As cable-TV addicts know, comedian and playwright Black's shtick is acerbically ranting about the American scene. As with many a finger-stabbing pundit, his strategy is to erect a straw man, smite it about the head and shoulders, ignite it, and move on (think George Carlin without the crinkly smile and palpable empathy). The short pieces here are perfect for the attention spans of devotees of the TV punditocracy and for episodic reading. Among Black's best rants are a withering appraisal of Starbucks (inspired by the confounding sight of two across the street from each other in Houston), a gleeful deconstruction of high-school guidance counseling, and his take on the junior-high-school experience ("If there is a Hell, it is modeled after junior high"). Energetic and peppery, much of what Black says is as original as it is scathing. Whether his book remains appealing beyond the current cultural moment is an open question; but right now readers interested in strongly satirical social commentary are being well served by Citizen Black. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Audio CD
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio; Unabridged edition (March 22, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743544536
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743544535
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 6.4 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,083,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lewis Black is a New York Times-bestselling author, stand-up comedian, actor, and playwright. Besides appearing regularly on The Daily Show (in his own segment, "Back in Black"), he has written and starred in a string of successful HBO and Comedy Central specials and one-man Broadway shows. He has won a Grammy, an Emmy, the American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Stand-up Comedian, and is a favorite guest of everyone from Larry King to Craig Ferguson to Conan O'Brien to the women of The View. He lives in New York City.

 

Customer Reviews

65 Reviews
5 star:
 (25)
4 star:
 (16)
3 star:
 (12)
2 star:
 (4)
1 star:
 (8)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (65 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected, April 17, 2005
By 
Timothy Haugh (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Nothing's Sacred (Hardcover)
To be honest, this book is not what I expected. Having become familiar with Mr. Black through his segments on The Daily Show with John Stewart, I thought this book would be a collection of rants on current events much like he does on the show. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Basically, this book is a memoir of Mr. Black's formative years: growing up outside of Washington DC, attending UNC in the fabulous sixties and heading out for a few years to Colorado to run a theater after a brief stint working for the government. It is in the immediate aftermath of his Colorado experience that the book winds down. Apart from a few brief forays into political commentary in asides, what you've got is a person telling there life story.

That said, Mr. Black is a funny man and he tells his story with humor. I wouldn't say this is the best thing I've ever read but I did find myself laughing out loud a few times. To me, for that alone, the book is worth reading. Still, be aware of what you're getting when you get this book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars So much more than just a rant, March 20, 2005
This review is from: Nothing's Sacred (Hardcover)
Being a Lewis Black fan, one just short of a restraining order most of my friends would say, I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this book for many months. Lewis Black's comedy has always struck a chord with me. Even though my formative years came in the 70's and 80's, our viewpoints are similar, what winds us up the same. So I expected a book of his usual mordant observations that would make me laugh until I couldn't breathe. But this book greatly exceeded that expectation. Not only is it hilarious, the kind of hilarious where you have to put it down for a moment to recover, but it is also an intensely personal and often poignant account of the genesis of his anti-authoritarian point of view. Best of all, Nothing's Sacred isn't just a written version of his stage act. His concise storytelling and ability to convey emotion without being maudlin allows the reader to relate on a very personal level. Throughout the book Lewis is funny, sarcastic, enraged, incredulous and heartbreaking, sometimes within the same paragraph. The overall effect makes for an extremely satisfying read. Add to that you can rip through it in an afternoon and you've got your self a hit!

And don't think you have to be a fan of my caliber to enjoy this book. Lewis' talent for putting together a story readers can identify with is superb. For anyone with a slightly torqued view of authority and an intolerance of stupidity, you have a kindred spirit in Lewis Black and will enjoy the hell out of his story.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks, Lew!, March 22, 2005
By 
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Nothing's Sacred (Hardcover)
Couldn't put this book down! If you have been lucky enough to see any of Lew's live shows, a lot of what is in the book is also in his act, but, that's ok! Lewis Black is a lone voice screaming at us, telling us what is wrong, and how to laugh at it. I am a BIG Fan, and he fills the void caused by Bill Hicks' death.

Lew tells us about growing up, gives us stories and images of his father, mother, brother and friends who helped him mold into the observational humorist he is. Great stories, I was peeing in my pants reading the introduction!

If you love Lew, get this book! if you like Lew, get this book!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence:
I was born in Washington, D.C., on August 30, 1948. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
temporary head
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, North Carolina, New Haven, Lewis Black, Chapel Hill, Silver Spring, Vietnam War, Book of Death, President Kennedy, Southeast Asia, Yom Kippur, Black Panther, Boone's Farm, Fort Carson, Lyndon Johnson, President Nixon, Ross Perot, World War, Boomer Sooner, Chorus Line, New Jersey, Yale University
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Citations (learn more)
This book cites 4 books:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:









i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...