Reviews
"...what "Last Words" ultimately reveals is how Carlin became a political protester, slam poet, cynic, polemicist and performance artist whose messages were delivered under the veneer of humor." -- Washington Post, "[Last Words] sounds as if he is still with us, rested and ready to ridicule the latest cultural hypocrisies."--The Washington Times, "Seven particular words are associated with the late comedian George Carlin, and sentimental is not one of them. But that's the surprising portrait that emerges from Last Words ." -- Houston Chronicle, "The book is at turns biting and touching, and often both, which is what you would expect from a man for whom the sacred was profane and the profane, sacred." -- Entertainment Weekly, "For comedy fans, this book is vital. It's easily worth its weight in gold for the biting observations on showbiz and its personalities." -- San Francisco Chronicle, "This is not a collection of setups and punch lines, but a candid, fearless accounting of his life and art... Last Words shows a comic master at the height of his storytelling powers and with no limit to what he had left to say." -- L.A. Times, "[ Last Words ] sounds as if he is still with us, rested and ready to ridicule the latest cultural hypocrisies." -- The Washington Times, " Last Words , a posthumous autobiography from George Carlin, is a jazzy, inward-looking piece of work...as a chronicler of the working of his own mind, Carlin is terrific." -- The New York Times
Synopsis
For the last 14 years of his life, the brilliant, caustic, and hilarious George Carlin worked on his autobiography--now, written with bestselling author Tony Hendra and posthumously published, Carlin has proven that even after death, he is still one of the funniest men who ever lived. One of the undisputed heavyweight champions of American comedy, with nineteen appearances on the Johnny Carson show, thirteen HBO specials, five Grammys, and a critical Supreme Court battle over censorship under his belt, George Carlin saw it all throughout his extraordinary fifty-year career, and made fun of most of it. Last Words is the story of the man behind some of the most seminal comedy of the last half century, blending his signature acerbic humor with never-before-told stories from his own life, including encounters with a Who's Who of 1970s celebrity--from Lenny Bruce to Hugh Hefner--and the origins of some of his most famous standup routines. Carlin's early conflicts, his long struggle with substance abuse, his turbulent relationships with his family, and his triumphs over catastrophic setbacks all fueled the unique comedic worldview he brought to the stage. From the heights of stardom to the low points few knew about, Last Words is told with the same razor-sharp wit and unblinking honesty that made Carlin one of the best-loved comedians in American history., With 14 HBO specials, five Grammys, a critical Supreme Court victory over censorship and countless appearances on the international comedy circuit, George Carlin saw it all and made fun of most of it. Here, he spares no details describing his life and career, discussing his personal battle with substance abuse, his often turbulent relationships with the women in his life and the politics that informed his stand-up routines. From the highs to the lows, Last Words is told with the same brash, unblinking honesty that defined George Carlin's life as a comedian., Now in paperback, this posthumous work by an American classic was a fitting last book, an instant bestseller, and a huge success One of the undisputed heavyweight champions of American comedy, with nineteen appearances on the Johnny Carson show, thirteen HBO specials, five Grammys, and a critical Supreme Court battle over censorship under his belt, George Carlin saw it all throughout his extraordinary fifty-year career, and made fun of most of it. Last Words is the story of the man behind some of the most seminal comedy of the last half century, blending his signature acerbic humor with never-before-told stories from his own life, including encounters with a Who's Who of 1970s celebrity--from Lenny Bruce to Hugh Hefner--and the origins of some of his most famous standup routines. Carlin's early conflicts, his long struggle with substance abuse, his turbulent relationships with his family, and his triumphs over catastrophic setbacks all fueled the unique comedic worldview he brought to the stage. From the heights of stardom to the low points few knew about, Last Words is told with the same razor-sharp wit and unblinking honesty that made Carlin one of the best-loved comedians in American history.
