Nothing's Sacred (Paperback)

~ (Author), Hank Gallo (Editor), Michael Frost (Photographer) "I was born in Washington, D.C., on August 30, 1948..." (more)
Key Phrases: temporary head, New York, North Carolina, New Haven (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Comedy, pathos and politics intertwine in this occasionally lewd 'n' crude but surprisingly heartfelt memoir. Black, a playwright, stand-up comedian and Daily Show correspondent, looks back on his youth as a budding nonconformist while delivering comic rants against such tempting targets as Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Halloween, cell phones and Starbucks, and reflecting on his comic influences (a big one, reprinted here, was an obscene satire by Paul Krassner in which Lyndon Johnson violates John Kennedy's corpse). Since Black's worldview, he avows, has not changed much since his 20s, the book centers on his Vietnam-era student days and experiences with a start-up theater troupe. Hilarious experiences with pot and LSD take center stage, but he also recounts his dabblings in radical politics ("I was in the very heart of my youth. And my country was bombing the snot out of a little tiny country in Southeast Asia, and there but for the grace of God, I could have been lying in a pool of blood. It made me want to do something") and the exhilaration of his first dramatic triumphs. These formative years left him with the mouth of a shock-jock and the heart of a liberal, expressed in a profane attack on the anti–gay marriage backlash, an admission that "I like seeing nineteen-year-olds alive and stoned in college" instead of packed off to war, and an appreciation of public works projects that stimulate the economy by building some "Big Fucking Thing." He's no policy wonk, that's for sure—and that's why his many fans love him so much. Funny photos. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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 the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment (July 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416914811
• ISBN-13: 978-1416914815
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #249,237 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 59 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 500 REVIEWER)    (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.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much more than just a rant, March 20, 2005

By	Traci Giland (Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks, Lew!, March 22, 2005

By	MargieMarge (Stratford, CT) - See all my reviews

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!