George Carlin’s: Brain Droppings

I rarely read comedy books, mostly because I rarely find material that manages to capture the same feel of a stand-up performance. I recently picked up two comedy books that literally made me cry laughing from time-to-time: Louis Black’s Nothing’s Sacred (which I reviewed just a few weeks ago) and George Carlin’s Brain Droppings. I have been a lifelong fan of George Carlin, and I was really hoping that this book could live up to his live material. If you have ever seen George Carlin’s stand-up, then you know what you are in for. This book contains a large amount of material found in Carlin’s live performances, serving as somewhat of a “best of” collection, and a decent amount of new material, so fans should have plenty to look forwards to. Carlin is his regular, raunchy, reflective self throughout, and the result is a degree of hilarity that most authors and comedians spend their whole lives trying to reach. If you are not familiar with George Carlin, I must give a word of warning: the profanity flows freely and controversy is around every corner. That being said, do not mistake this for a lack of substance. Like all comedic greats, Carlin uses these techniques as a form of communication that drives his message more powerfully than he can otherwise. Whereas Louis Black riffs primarily on politics, Carlin hits the more all-encompassing aspects of human experience, looking at why we do what we do and asking if any of it even makes any sense. If you are able to get past the method of delivery, George Carlin’s Brain Droppings will almost certainly leave you rolling on the floor laughing the whole time.