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The Book: Steve Martin - Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

Cost: Variable - from £1.99 on Amazon

Review

This book traces the life and career of Steve Martin from his childhood, right up to height of his stand up comedy fame. The early sections describe how he discovered magic and performing, the latter half details how this led to enormous success and the highs and lows that went with it.

I wouldn't necessarily describe myself as a huge Steve Martin fan. 'Father of the Bride II' doesn't feature in my DVD collection. However after seeing a few clips of his earlier stuff and bits and pieces of magic, I thought I'd find out a bit more and I got hold of this book. I'm certainly glad I did! I was totally engrossed from page 1 and found his relaxed, self-deprecating, writing style engaging and funny.

It's a fairly short book but that's because there isn't an ounce of excess waffle to pad it out. The way he approaches the evolution of his act in such an analytical, almost scientific way is fascinating. It covers a really interesting period (for me at least) in entertainment history and this feels like a privileged glimpse behind the curtain. Importantly for an autobiography, I really felt that I got to know what makes the man tick.

Overall I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in performance or just likes being carried along by an entertaining story.

Steve Martin is a great comedian and his stage show of Magic, The Great Flydini is absolutely hilarious.

I liked the book overall and it was an easy reading. It was fun to read about the pass or faro shuffle in a non-magic book. He talks a lot about his shows and I found his memories about being on-stage quite inspiring.
Nevertheless there were some parts of the book which I found quite boring. It was in the style of "I went there and met ???. He was working with ??? and ???. Later I worked with ??? and ??? bla, bla, bla. For me, who do not know any of the american commedians in the 70s there was nothing interesting about this.

Nevertheless there are some jokes and ideas which can be used and you'll get an idea of Steves long, long way to become a famous stand-up-act.

What I love about the Great Flydini is the way Martin really sells the fake arm as being real to begin with - walking on with hands held together, moving both arms at matching speeds away from each other. It clearly becomes apparent that it's fake, but just for the few moments at the start the illusion holds.

you should buy the audio book.Its better.

Alraune wrote:Nevertheless there were some parts of the book which I found quite boring. It was in the style of "I went there and met ???. He was working with ??? and ???. Later I worked with ??? and ??? bla, bla, bla. For me, who do not know any of the american commedians in the 70s there was nothing interesting about this.

forgive me, but it's his life story. What else did you expect.

Yes, but sometimes there was no story behind the information, who he met.

I think that you probably have to be of an age, or like a particular type of music, to get some of the references.

if you have read the book, or listened to the cd....

now watch the act that he reffers to in the early chapters....

http://homepage.mac.com/tfrank8176/TomF ... er102.html



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