Customer Reviews

S J Perelman a Life

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Why do so many brilliant humorists lead miserable lives? Perelman was, in my opinion, the most dazzling comic talent of the 20th century. Pick up "The Most of SJ Perelman," read the 100 or so short pieces therein, and tell me I'm wrong. I dare you. Okay, some will counter with Parker or Benchley or Thurber or Allen or Leacock-- I think I'm on solid ground with Perelman. But his life was not a happy one, and this bio does a reasonable job of limning his often painful journey through his frequently bitter existence. His marriage was unhappy, and both he and his wife strayed regularly. His children were strangers to him (as were most people-- "cuddly" wasn't a term to apply to SJP). He was miserly and cranky and paranoid.

But the work! The writing is unsurpassed, and must be judged on its own. So judge the art and not the artist and Perelman remains supreme. Biographer Hermann does due diligence at tracking Perelman's personal and business meanderings, but (mostly) leaves the work alone.

If you want to learn about Perelman the man, this is quite satisfactory, and likely the only bio we'll see. But don't let it keep you from his work, especially his early stuff-- pure bliss, even 70 or 80 years later....

S.J. Perlman besides being a columnist for the New Yorker in the 40's and beyond, was also a great gag writer. He was one of the men behind the comedy of the Marx Bros., providing classic quips that are still quoted by their followers.