The Other Great Depression [Hardcover]

Richard Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2000

The brilliant, famously neurotic comedian tells the story of his recovery from alcoholism through profoundly honest, often hilarious short takes on family, childhood, work, success, sex, love, drinking, therapy, eating disorders, comedy, creativity, and the human condition. . Richard Lewis is one of the most gifted and successful comedians in America and one of those most respected by his peers. The Chicago Tribune has called him "the most audacious wordsmith since Lenny Bruce. " But at the age of 44, at the height of his success, Lewis found himself on a gurney in the ER, toxic with alcohol and hallucinating from excess drug use. The same neuroses and dysfunctions that had been the basis for his successful stage persona and that had generated so much wonderful material for comedy, had, it seemed, turned on him. How he got to that point, how he got on the road to recovery, and how he copes with being Richard Lewis sober on a daily basis are the subjects of this very funny, deeply honest, inspiring but unsentimental book. With the same fearlessness, wild energy, and coruscating humor that have defined his talent as a comedian, Lewis re-creates scenes from his childhood and of his Hollywood escapades; imagines what Jackie Mason, Woody Allen, and Rodney Dangerfield might say on the subject of whether he should commit suicide; shares the gory details of his secret obsessions with food and women; holds forth on the difficulties of being a man and of having satisfying relationships; and talks about what it's like to be a "recovering lunatic" who occasionally, finally, feels like a human being.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Lewis's bleak shtick are the natural audience for these searing, confessional riffs on the comic's angst, acute alcoholism and relentless sexual conquests, but it's hard to imagine that the uninitiated would enjoy the musings of "a bad-postured, guilt-ridden ball of confusion with a trace of paranoia, self-loathing and a little faith thrown in for some taste." Lewis attributes his misery to his parents: a sullen mother whose antipathy toward her son is not fully explored; his distant but admired father died young. The New Jersey boy found his escape route via jokes and isolation and, eventually, Ohio State University. Though he makes a sort of peace with his mother at the end of her life, the author reserves his moments of near-tenderness for members of comedy royalty: Buster Keaton's elegant widow, Eleanor, and Lenny Bruce's raucous mother, Sally Marr. (However, larger-than-life icon Jackie Gleason displays less-than-noble behavior to Lewis.) In his early 20s, Lewis found a mentor in the manager of a legendary Brooklyn comedy club. After the requisite struggles on the stand-up circuit, he made it big in many venues: HBO specials, a movie and a four-year stint in a TV series, Anything but Love. Bouts of debilitating drunkenness and the interventions of loyal friends led Lewis to the Hazelden clinic, though he dropped out in two days, opting to manage his own recovery. Though he now struggles to be monogamous with his current "lady," Lewis's mostly cynical rants about desperate women and PMS won't win him any new female fans. Agent, David Vigliano.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Imagine my surprise when I realized soon after starting this book that the one person to whom I had confided my deepest and most intimate thoughts was a raging alcoholic. I now know more about him than I do about me. A most unfortunate development." Larry David" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: PublicAffairs; 1 edition (December 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891620932
• ISBN-13: 978-1891620935
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,780,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Proud to be in Recovery!, December 27, 2000

By 

"papacake" (Santa Monica, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Other Great Depression (Hardcover)

Richard Lewis might have problems with women and intimacy and God knows everything under the sun but the way he writes about his newfound spirituality after becoming part of the recovery community made me feel a lot less alone. The book is really cool and a quick read and I was astounded at how well he writes only knowing him from his comedy but his brutal honesty and ultimate day-to-day battle to stay sober has certainly made my own recovery something even more to be proud of. This is quite a book for anyone with the "quiet fear" of having all sorts of addictions and should give lots of people courage to change their lives. I think I have quite a few people to send this book to anonymously. Shh! Don't tell anybody. Bravo, Mr.Lewis!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Depressing Yet Hopeful; A Great Book, September 16, 2001

By 

LEON L CZIKOWSKY (Harrisburg, Pa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Other Great Depression (Hardcover)

A book that brutally describes what addiction is like, from the viewpoint of an addict, and how to overcome addiction is "The Other Great Depression". Written by comedian Richard Lewis, we learn how he has overcome three decades of alcohol and drug addiction with seven years of sobriety. His book analyzes how youthful traumas and adult insecurities lead to anxieties, depression, alcohol, and drugs. It was Richard Lewis's realization that his lifestyle was leading towards death and that he wanted to live that enabled him to win his struggle to overcome addicitons and regain his life.
Richard Lewis presents many deep personal thoughts about the pressures of youth, dating, and the entertainment worlds to present his own road to the depths of depression and alcoholism. His description of his struggle to overcome his difficulties, which came from his own realization of his need for survival along with assistance from caring friends and his sprituality, brings encouragement to people seeking to overcome their addictions.
One key point Richard Lewis makes is that addicts are screaming for help, even when they deny they need assistance. All too often, we ignore their pleas, in part because many addicts do not know how to ask for help. Addiction can be helped. It may not be easy. Ignoring the addiction is not the way to provide that help.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, December 27, 2000

By 

Gavin (Los Angeles,CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Other Great Depression (Hardcover)

I've been a huge fan of Richard Lewis' for many years and have always loved his stand-up as well as his acting. When I read "The Other Great Depression" it blew me away! Now his story-telling brilliance is written for all of us to savor anytime. As honest as he always seems to be on stage, one never knows if that's real. It's real! And then some. The book is revealing, humorous, and tremendously inspiring ... I have a long list of friends and relatives who need to read it--including my girlfriend!