20 Best Books By Comedians (Jan 2023 Update)

Have you ever watch in awe as someone performs amazing stand up comedy? ever thought if you could do the same thing? do you want to make people laugh endlessly by becoming a stand up comedian? why stand up comedy? being a stand up comedian is something which many people aspire to become. stand up comedy has the tremendous effect of bring a lot of joy to other people. it is perhaps one of the greatest occupation in the world – bring people laughter in their lives. a stand up comedian is someone who simply goes on stage and share jokes. the jokes can come from different topics. stand up comedy is perhaps the most creative form of entertainment. a stand up comedian requires a lot of guts in order to start off in the field in the very first place. do you have what it takes to be a success in stand up comedy? in how to be a stand up comedian – the beginners guide towards becoming a successful stand-up comedian, you would learn a step by step method of starting out in stand up comedy. simon cavalli has written a guide on his journey of becoming a stand up comedian. it is filled with methods of preparing yourself mentally and how to approach a gig. start out as a stand up comedian? the most important chapter is perhaps on how to approach being a stand up comedian for the first time. it involves having the right mindset to become a stand up. you would learn how to develop a stand up comedian mindset and to create a comic environment. you would also learn to debunk a great myth in stand up comedy – that stand up comedians are extroverts. simon also shares why stand up comedy is a spiritual experience as well – a great journey of knowing yourself. you would learn what is important to you, what tickles your funny bone and how you relate to others. how to be a stand up comedian for beginners if you are someone who has aspiration to become a stand up comedian but simply find it too tough to start, this guide would help you with the process of observing the stand up comedy masters as well. you would learn to develop a certain comedic personality and how to write great jokes based on them. you would learn how to build your joke and create a hilarious punchline. the aspiring stand up comedian would also learn how to test and polish their jokes. it includes a sub-chapter on "tips that would help you test your jokes" and "how sitcoms are being written". however, it doesn't stop there. you would learn how to present your jokes and to learn from the various performances. finally, in the last chapter, simon creates a checklist of what it takes to be a great stand up comedian. before you start your first stand up comedy gig, be sure to go through this checklist. stand up comedy for dummies in short, how to be a stand up comedian is a great "stand up comedy how to" or the perfect "stand up comedy for dummies" book. if you are someone with great aspirations in stand up comedy, this book is a great starting point. in short this book would answer these common questions of aspiring stand up comedians: how to prepare for the first time in becoming a stand up comedian what topics should you speak about that would get great responses how to write jokes for stand up comedy how to polish and test your jokes if you want to know more about this book, click look inside to learn more about how to be a stand up comedian.

Off the mic unpacks the inner workings of the minds of the world's best stand-up comics sharing their secrets, insecurities and successes.

New york times bestseller – in this “essential” (entertainment weekly), “hilarious” (av club) memoir, the star of mr. show, breaking bad, and better call saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.“ i can’t think of another entertainer who has improbably morphed so many times, and all through real genius and determination.”—conan o’brien – one of the best books of the year: the new yorker, vulture – bob odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. and yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. charting a “homeric” decades-long “odyssey” from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations—with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him—it’s almost like there are many bob odenkirks! but there is just one and one is plenty. – bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with second city’s legendary del close. he somehow made his way to a job as a writer at saturday night live. while surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing—eventually employing them in the immortal “motivational speaker” sketch for chris farley, honing them on the ben stiller show, and perfecting them on mr. show with bob and david. – in hollywood, bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on breaking bad—a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. his embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with steven spielberg, alexander payne, and greta gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. why? read this and do your own psychoanalysis—it’s fun! featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and bob’s trademark unflinching drive, comedy comedy comedy drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot.

New york times bestseller – named one of the best books of the year by the a.v. club – includes new interviews! from the writer and director of knocked up and the producer of freaks and geeks comes a collection of intimate, hilarious conversations with the biggest names in comedy from the past thirty years—including mel brooks, jerry seinfeld, jon stewart, sarah silverman, harold ramis, seth rogen, chris rock, and lena dunham. before becoming one of the most successful filmmakers in hollywood, judd apatow was the original comedy nerd. at fifteen, he took a job washing dishes in a local comedy club—just so he could watch endless stand-up for free. at sixteen, he was hosting a show for his local high school radio station in syosset, long island—a show that consisted of q&as with his comedy heroes, from garry shandling to jerry seinfeld. they talked about their careers, the science of a good joke, and their dreams of future glory (turns out, shandling was interested in having his own tv show one day and steve allen had already invented everything). thirty years later, apatow is still that same comedy nerd—and he’s still interviewing funny people about why they do what they do. sick in the head gathers apatow’s most memorable and revealing conversations into one hilarious, wide-ranging, and incredibly candid collection that spans not only his career but his entire adult life. here are the comedy legends who inspired and shaped him, from mel brooks to steve martin. here are the contemporaries he grew up with in hollywood, from spike jonze to sarah silverman. and here, finally, are the brightest stars in comedy today, many of whom apatow has been fortunate to work with, from seth rogen to amy schumer. and along the way, something kind of magical happens: what started as a lifetime’s worth of conversations about comedy becomes something else entirely. it becomes an exploration of creativity, ambition, neediness, generosity, spirituality, and the joy that comes from making people laugh.loaded with the kind of back-of-the-club stories that comics tell one another when no one else is watching, this fascinating, personal (and borderline-obsessive) book is judd apatow’s gift to comedy nerds everywhere.praise for sick in the head“i can’t stop reading it. . . . i don’t want this book to end.”—jimmy fallon “an essential for any comedy geek.”—entertainment weekly “fascinating . . . a collection of interviews with many of the great figures of comedy in the latter half of the twentieth century.”—the washington post “open this book anywhere, and you’re bound to find some interesting nugget from someone who has had you in stitches many, many times.”—janet maslin, the new york times “an amazing read, full of insights and connections both creative and interpersonal.”—the new yorker “fascinating and revelatory.”—chicago tribune “anyone even remotely interested in comedy or humanity should own this book.”—will ferrell

This volume presents seventeen of the funniest people of the 20th century talking about how they make people laugh. each engaging interview was painstakingly elicited by the author, who spent years researching, collecting the material and recording these intimate one-on-one conversations.

This volume presents seventeen of the funniest people of the 20th century talking about how they make people laugh. each engaging interview was painstakingly elicited by the author, who spent years researching, collecting the material and recording these intimate one-on-one conversations.

Jokes change from generation to generation, but the experience of the comedian transcends the ages: the drive, jealousy, heartbreak, and triumph. from the marx brothers to milton berle to george carlin to eddie murphy to louis ck–comedy historian kliph nesteroff brings to life a century's worth of rebels and groundbreakers, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts, forgotten stars and workaday plodders in this essential history of american comedy. beginning with the nationwide vaudeville circuits that dominated at turn of the twentieth century, nesteroff describes the rise of the first true stand-up comedian–a variety show emcee who abandoned physical shtick for straight jokes. the end of prohibition ushered in a surprising golden age of comedy, as funnymen were made into radio stars and the combination of the "borscht belt," the "chitlin circuit," and mafia-run supperclubs furnished more jobs and money than ever before. those were the days of the copacabana, tuxedos, and smoking cigars onstage, when insulting the boss could result in a hit man at your door and obscenity charges could land you in jail. in the 1950s, late-night television cemented the status of the comedy establishment while young comics rebelled, arriving on the beatnik coffeehouse scene with cerebral jokes and social angst. they soon found their own way to fame through comedy records that vied with top musicians for billboard spots. then came the comedy clubs of the coke-fueled 1970s and 80s, saturday night live and cable tv, and with the internet, a whole new generation of youtube stars, podcast personalities, and twitterati. through the decades, nesteroff reveals the contradictions between comedians' public and private personas and illuminates the often-seedy underbelly of an industry built on laughs. based on over two hundred original interviews and extensive archival research, the comedians is a sharply written and highly entertaining look at one hundred years of comedy, and a valuable exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed american culture along the way.

Public speaking can be terrifying. for david nihill, the idea of standing in front of an audience was scarier than cliff jumping into a thorny pit of spiders and mothers-in-law. without a parachute or advanced weaponry. something had to change. – in what doesn't sound like the best plan ever, david decided to overcome his fears by pretending to be an accomplished comedian called "irish dave" for one full year, crashing as many comedy clubs, festivals, and shows as possible. one part of the plan was at least logical: he was already irish and already called dave. – in one year, david went from being deathly afraid of public speaking to hosting a business conference, regularly performing stand-up comedy and winning storytelling competitions in front of packed houses. and he did it by learning from some of the best public speakers in the world: stand-up comedians. do you talk funny?: 7 comedy habits to become a better (and funnier) public speaker shows how the key principles of stand-up comedy can be applied to your speaking engagements and presentations to make you funnier, more interesting, and better looking. (or at least two of the three.) whether you are preparing for a business presentation, giving a wedding toast, defending your thesis, raising money from investors, or simply want to take on something you're afraid of, this book will take you from sweaty to stage-ready. – ten percent of the author's proceeds from this book will go to arash bayatmakou via help hope live until he is fully back on his feet and thereafter to one of the many facing the same challenges after suffering a severe spinal cord injury.

What peter biskind did for filmmaking, time magazine critic richard zoglin does for comedy in this meticulously researched and hilariously readable account of stand-up comedy in the 1970s. in the rock-and-roll 1970s, a new breed of comic, inspired by the fearless lenny bruce, made telling jokes an art form. innovative comedians like george carlin, richard pryor, and robert klein, and, later, steve martin, albert brooks, robin williams, and andy kaufman, tore through the country and became as big as rock stars in an era when saturday night live was the apotheosis of cool and the improv, catch a rising star, and the comedy store were the hottest clubs around. in comedy at the edge, richard zoglin gives a backstage view of the time, when a group of brilliant, iconoclastic comedians ruled the world—and quite possibly changed it, too. based on extensive interviews with club owners, agents, producers—and with unprecedented and unlimited access to the players themselves—comedy at the edge is a no-holdsbarred, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most influential and tumultuous decades in american popular culture.

If you want to know how to do stand up comedy, then get the "how to be a stand up comedian" guide now. you will discover simple step-by-step secrets on how to succeed at improv stand up comedy. it is created by a real stand up comedian with real life improv experience. get the guide and discover how to become the funniest guy on stage! howexpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from a to z by everyday experts.

Judy carter, guru to aspiring comedy writers and stand-up comics, tells all about the biz of being funny and writing funny in this bright, entertaining, and totally practical guide on how to draw humor from your life and turn it into a career.do you think you’re funny? do you want to turn your sense of humor into a career? if the answer is yes, then judy carter’s the comedy bible is for you. the guru to aspiring stand-up comics provides the complete scoop on being—and writing—funny for money. if you’ve got a sense of humor, you can learn to make a career out of comedy, says judy carter. whether it’s creating a killer stand-up act, writing a spec sitcom, or providing jokes for radio or one-liners for greeting cards, carter provides step-by-step instructions in the comedy bible. she helps readers first determine which genre of comedy writing or performing suits them best and then directs them in developing, refining, and selling their work. using the hands-on workbook format that was so effective in her bestselling first book, stand-up comedy: the book, carter offers a series of day-by-day exercises that draw on her many years as a successful stand-up comic and the head of a nationally known comedy school. also included are practical tips and advice from today’s top comedy professionals—from bernie brillstein to christopher titus to richard lewis. she presents the pros and cons of the various comedy fields—stand-up, script, speech and joke writing, one-person shows, humor essays—and shows how to tailor your material for each. she teaches how to find your “authentic” voice—the true source of comedy. and, perhaps most important, carter explains how to take a finished product to the next level—making money—by pitching it to a buyer and negotiating a contract. written in carter’s unique, take-no-prisoners voice, the comedy bible is practical, inspirational, and funny.

A celebration of the most groundbreaking women in comedy who used humor to shake up the status quo and change perceptions of gender and comedy forever.the league of extraordinarily funny women celebrates the outstanding contributions of fifty women in comedy past and present. from legends like lucille ball, joan rivers, and tina fey to current comedy heroes like issa rae, lena waithe, abbi jacobson, and tig notaro, this beautifully illustrated book charts a rich lineage of women using humor to speak truth to power, tangle with sensitive subjects, challenge the status quo, and do anything but sit still and stay quiet when laughs are on the line.some of these women broke boundaries as pioneers on stage as well as in front of and behind the camera. others penned their way into the history of american humor, redrawing the boundaries of writers' rooms to include diverse voices and perspectives. through their collective work as stand-ups, sketch and improv comics, humor writers, and slapstick film stars, these women formed a network forged by creativity, guts, and a deep love of what comedy can do and be. in the process, they continue to pass their knowledge and insights from woman to woman, from funny generation to funny generation, offering support, inspiration, and, above all, laughter.

While other books give you tips on how to “write funny,” this book offers a paradigm shift in understanding the mechanics and art of comedy, and the proven, practical tools that help writers translate that understanding into successful, commercial scripts. the hidden tools of comedy unlocks the unique secrets and techniques of writing comedy. kaplan deconstructs sequences in popular films and tv that work and don't work, and explains what tools were used (or should have been used).

"ebullient … daitch finds stimulating connections and writes with sharp irony and joy. this offers delights on every page." –publishers weekly award-winning author susan daitch returns with siege of comedians, a novel in triptych told through interconnected narrative threads pulled taut by linked crimes. in the first piece, an american forensic sculptor, reconstructing the faces of three victims receives a midnight, visit from a man who threatens her life unless she alters the faces she's almost completed. the twists and turns of the mystery lead her to a new life, working with forensic archeologists at a site near the prater amusement park in vienna. in the second section, an accent coach discovers that the man implicated in the death of his girlfriend in 1970s buenos aires was once a censor and assistant minister of propaganda in vienna during world war ii. when bodies start turning up under the former propaganda offices, some date from the war period–but others are much older, their origins going back to the ottoman siege of vienna. in the final arc, in the aftermath of the last battle between the austrians and the turks, a local businesswoman finds three displaced women from istanbul–former wives of the sultan–wandering in vienna and gives them shelter in her brothel, located on the site of the future ministry of propaganda. connected across time by intersecting crimes and themes of language, cultural assimilation, and nationalist conflicts, siege of comedians, part political thriller, part comic noir, reflects on aspects of the current refugee crisis, human trafficking, and identity.

If you think you're funny, and you want others to think so too, this is the book for you! greg dean examines the fundamentals of being funny and offers advice on a range of topics, including: writing creative joke material rehearsing and performing routines coping with stage fright dealing with emcees who think they're funnier than you are getting experience and lots more. essential for the aspiring comic or the working comedian interested in updating his or her comedy routine, step by step to stand-up comedy is the most comprehensive and useful book ever written on the art of the stand-up comedian.

Jokes change from generation to generation, but the experience of the comedian transcends the ages: the drive, jealousy, heartbreak, and triumph. from the marx brothers to milton berle to george carlin to eddie murphy to louis ckcomedy historian kliph nesteroff brings to life a century's worth of rebels and groundbreakers, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts, forgotten stars and workaday plodders in this essential history of american comedy.beginning with the nationwide vaudeville circuits that dominated at turn of the twentieth century, nesteroff describes the rise of the first true stand-up comediana variety show emcee who abandoned physical shtick for straight jokes. the end of prohibition ushered in a surprising golden age of comedy, as funnymen were made into radio stars and the combination of the "borscht belt," the "chitlin circuit," and mafia-run supperclubs furnished more jobs and money than ever before. those were the days of the copacabana, tuxedos, and smoking cigars onstage, when insulting the boss could result in a hit man at your door and obscenity charges could land you in jail. in the 1950s, late-night television cemented the status of the comedy establishment while young comics rebelled, arriving on the beatnik coffeehouse scene with cerebral jokes and social angst. they soon found their own way to fame through comedy records that vied with top musicians for billboard spots. then came the comedy clubs of the coke-fueled 1970s and 80s,saturday night live and cable tv, and with the internet, a whole new generation of youtube stars, podcast personalities, and twitterati. through the decades, nesteroff reveals the contradictions between comedians' public and private personas and illuminates the often-seedy underbelly of an industry built on laughs. based on over two hundred original interviews and extensive archival research, the comedians is a sharply written and highly entertaining look at one hundred years of comedy, and a valuable exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed american culture along the way.

All the world loves a clown and whether you want to clown around at parties or make a living as a standup comic, comedian judy carter can show you how to "do" comedy.

The must-have guide to humor writing bring on the funny! with comedy writing secrets 3rd edition, you can discover the secrets of humor writing that will keep your readers rolling in their seats. learn the basics of joke construction, as well as in-depth comedy-writing techniques that you can apply to a variety of print and online markets. if your aim is to make 'em laugh–and make a career in comedy writing–then look no further. in this completely revised and refreshed edition, you'll discover: – hundreds of updated one-liners, anecdotes, and bits from top comedians like louis c.k., conan o’brien, tina fey, amy schumer, rodney dangerfield, jon stewart, steve martin, ellen degeneres, jimmy fallon, george carlin, zach galifianakis, stephen colbert, erma bombeck, and more. – exclusive tips for injecting humor into articles, speeches, advertisements, greeting cards, and more. – new instruction on writing for online markets and social media. – advice on brainstorming and editing to beat writer's block and generate new material. – exercises and expanded instructions for exaggeration, reverses, word play and more to practice and refine your writing skills.for more than twenty years, comedy writing secrets has helped humor writers of all skill levels write and sell their work. with comedy writing secrets 3rd edition, you'll be laugh-out-loud funny and leave readers wanting more.

This entertaining and sharply written guide–for both beginners breaking into comedy and professionals seeking to improve their sets and advance their careers–examines the work of great comedians such as louis c.k., jerry seinfeld, eddie izzard, moms mabley, hannibal buress, sarah silverman, richard pryor, and more as a means of illustrating the most important techniques of performing and writing stand-up.here, stephen rosenfield lays out a clear plan for achieving success, candidly explaining what works, what doesn't, and why. including a 12-item "successful comedian's to-do list," rosenfield states, "get undeniably good at each of these and you can kiss your day job good-bye. you will be a pro." the new york times heralded stephen rosenfield as "probably the best known comedy teacher in the country." his alumni include some of today's most prominent comedians and comedy writers, such as lena dunham, jim gaffigan, eric slovin, and jessica kirson. rosenfield has directed, coached, and/or written for these and hundreds of other comedians. as a pioneer in the field of teaching comedy, he founded the american comedy institute, the premier stand-up comedy school in the united states, in 1989.

This workbook assists and guides you in the process of performing and becoming a working comedian. only stage time will give you the experience to apply all the techniques and skills you've learn in this workbook series. this companion workbook turns the instructions, advice, and goals from chapters 9, 12, and 13 of the paperback, ebook, or audio book of step by step to stand-up comedy into exercises so you can learn where to get experience and how to behave like a professional.