Digging Up Mother: A Love Story

Doug Stanhope is a degenerate and this is his story; which is also the story of his unorthodox relationship with his mother. It reads like an honest, no holds barred, more or less true account. At least, I hope it is because I shudder to imagine what kind of content he may have omitted or toned down otherwise.Although I am a fan of the comedian, I didn't have high expectations of the writer. Well, I was surprised. It's very readable, the narrative flows and the man can put a sentence together. It is shocking, offensive, outrageous, achingly sad and very, very funny. (I note a few reviewers somewhere complained that the book was too long in the middle; these people should read shorter books).On completion, I have two questions: why is Doug Stanhope still alive and how has he managed to avoid incarceration?A note on the copy and who I would recommend it to: Kindle copy - good with occasional formatting errors; I also couldn't read some of the note and letter copies included but that might just be my eyesight. For fans, voyeurs in general and the morally bankrupt.

Stanhope's comedy is frequently pretty challenging, with jokes about abortion, babies, transvestite hookers, sex toys, drugs and a whole bunch of stuff someone will take umbrage at - but as an audience you're always aware that the tale has been ramped up for comedic effect and the truth may have been buffed to a shine for your enjoyment. This book in contrast is just straight out honest in its approach, covering Doug's childhood up to the present day and including the important stuff, not just the funny stuff - the marriages on a whim, the arguments, the mental state of Mother and her hoarding, her own acting career, his "hey there guy" father, his Marine brother and their childhood goofs, the whole shebang.As such, it doesn't read like a Stanhope stand-up routine - but it's very very good, completely engaging, written in a way that's easy to read but with such detail and nuance that you don't want to skim read it. It starts with Mother's death and then goes back to the start and works through chronologically and doesn't pre-introduce anyone - Bingo for example isn't even mentioned (intro excepting) until Doug meets her in the progress of the story. It unfolds as it progresses.Essentially - if you're a Stanhope fan, if you've been listening for years, you follow the podcasts, all that - you know bits of his history. This is all of it, but the important bits, not just the funny ones. It's well worth the purchase price, order it now.

I absolutely loved the experience of reading Digging Up Mother: A Love Story. It appealed to me on multiple levels and as a huge fan of Mr Stanhope, this didn't come as a surprise to me at all!It is essentially an autobiography, with the focus falling on his mum, known by Doug as "Mother", to varying degrees throughout the book.What I love about Doug's work - and about the man as a whole - is his composition of crackling wit, carefully-crafted monologues, and philosopher-cum-comedian repertoire, combined with an unwavering decency, humility, and magnanimity. He challenges so much of the politically-correct, intellectually-repressed, state-dictated rubbish that is fed to us through mass media, politicians, and the rest of the establishment - and subsequently internalised and regurgitated by tens of millions of brainwashed clones - and invites us to broaden our minds, to turn conventional wisdom upside down, and to reflect on our existence. Don’t worry, though: he also does toilet humour and crude gags as well as any comedian on the circuit!Many will know Mr Stanhope for his sometimes-extreme humour and occasionally-gross-out comedy, but this but skims the surface: like all the great stand-up comedians, he is a social commentator and a free thinker, as well as hands down, in my opinion, one of the funniest and most skilful stand-ups to ever take the stage. Although Doug invariably takes it in his stride, I always find myself becoming infuriated when some sanctimonious prat gets up and walks out of one of his shows. This is largely because I cannot stand holier-than-thou hypocrites, but also because I know that Doug’s deep-seated decency and humility almost certainly tower above those same narrow-minded idiots that storm out in protest.Another reason why I am such a fan of Mr Stanhope’s work (and I am in serious danger of peddling dime-store psychology here!) is that I have never been able to escape the idea that there is a certain vulnerability and sensitivity about him, despite his flashes of bravado and “who gives a toss?” demeanour. These qualities have, to my mind, helped him to closely attune to the human condition, which enables him to delve much deeper than so many other comedians – lauded or otherwise – out there.Mother, for all her brilliant, nurturing qualities, sadly had a tough life, afflicted by crippling insecurities, anxieties, fear, and depression, particularly as she grew into middle age and beyond. Perhaps the biggest tribute to Doug’s decency is that he stood by her the entire time. He didn’t judge his mum, berate or belittle her, become exasperated by her, or abandon her; rather he stood by her until the end, even during periods when, through no fault of her own, his mum was not an easy person to be around. This is not to say that she was a burden which he felt he had no choice but to shoulder: their relationship was clearly a brilliantly close one despite the challenges and strains, and they had a pure, unconditional love for each other. Each was the other’s most trusted and cherished supporter and confidante.I am at risk of falling into a trap that Doug steadfastly avoids throughout his book – that of being a schmaltzy, sentimentalist prat! Lol. The book is hilariously-, and insanely-skilfully-written, and is teeming with laughs from start to finish. He is undeniably a comic genius. The humour takes many forms – road tales, outrageous hidden-camera stunts, character assassinations, love stories, Mother’s antics, brutal self-deprecation, unadorned and unflattering sexual anecdotes, socio-political commentary, and free-flowing rants.In short, I definitely recommend buying the book; if you are interested in philosophy and the human condition, and have a taste for visceral, intellectual comedy with a smattering of frat-boy jokes, gross-out gags, and “if you’re part of the conservative, PC brigade I sincerely hope I offend you” delights, disregard everything you have read from this obsequious Stanhope fan-boy and just buy the effing book!!Just like Doug’s brother once said: It’s only funny if you actually do it!

Stanhope is beyond just a stand-up comic. He is a force of nature, laughing and screaming in the face of everything we know is wrong with the world. The Grand-overlord of the Killer Termites, operating from his fun-house of 212 Van Dyk St, Bisbee az, 85603. Send him and Bingo gifts, send Chad and Chaille from his podcast money and buy every special this guy puts out.Because this book is a beautiful tale of wretchedness, debauchery and love and comedy. It starts dark, weaves through a lifetime of cocktails, cigarettes and sex, littered with some of the funniest pieces of text ever put to print and finds it way back to the darkness, within which shines a light of the brightest and sweetest kind. You will laugh, cry and very possibly let go of the bullshit in your life. Now go buy this book and pour a cocktail. I might just because of how pretentious this review is.

Just read this on holiday and absolutely loved it. When I finished it I put it in the 'book share' box in the hotel lobby and the random pillock who picks it up and decides to give it a try will not be giving it five stars. If indeed they get past the first couple of chapters. Which I doubt. If you're a fan of his do not hesitate, buy, you will enjoy. If you are not how did you get here?

Great book! The first time I read digging up mother I thought it was one of the funniest books I’d ever come on. (This was the abbreviated version.) The second time I read it, uncut, I thought it was one of the saddest. I mention this personal reaction only because "digging up mother" is one of those occasional books which arrive swishing behind them a long tail of opinion and reputation which can knock the unwary reader off his feet. Is it shocking, is it pornographic, is it immoral? Is its reading to be undertaken not as a simple experience but as a conscious action which will place one on this, or that, side of a critical dividing line? What does the Watch and Ward Society say of it? What does Sartre, Graham Greene or Charlie the Tuna think?This is hard on any book. “digging up mother” stands up to it wonderfully well, though even its author has felt it necessary to contribute an preface on his intentions. This, by the way, seems to me quite as misleading as the purposely absurd (and very funny) prologue by Captain Jack who is a beautifully constructed caricature of American Academic Bumbledom. But in providing a series frames for the action of his book, Doug Stanhope has undoubtedly been writing with honesty: they are screens as well as frames.He is fond of frames and their effects He is not writing for the ardent and simple-minded civil-libertarian any more than he is writing for the private libertine; he is writing for readers, and those who can read him simply will be well rewarded.Then, as in a fairy tale, his wish comes true. Comedy is his fulfillment. She is the quintessence of the nymphet, discovered by total accident in an American gambling town. To get her, Stanhope puts himself through a pattern of erotic choreography that would shame a bower-bird. He is grotesque and horrible and unbearably funny, and he knows it. He will settle for anything, and does. The “anything” involves Kitty porn, with all the lies and swallowing of distaste that this implies.In his epilogue, Mr. Stanhope informs us that “comedy” has no principles, but is all morality. I can only say that Stanhope's fate seems to me classically tragic, a most perfectly realized expression of the moral truth that Shakespeare summed up in the sonnet that begins, “The expense of spirit in a joy of shame/The author, that is, is writing about all lust. He has afflicted poor Humbert with a special and taboo variety for a couple of contradictory reasons. In the first place, its illicit nature will both shock the reader into paying attention and elicit sentimental nostalgic erections. Contrariwise, I believe, Mr. Stanhope is slyly exploiting the American emphasis on the attraction of youth and the importance devoted to humanity and life in order to promote an unconscious identification with Stanhope’s agonies. Both techniques are entirely valid. But neither, I hope, will obscure the purpose of the device: namely, to underline the essential, inefficient, painstaking and pain-giving selfishness of all passion, all greed—of all urges, whatever they may be, that insist on being satisfied without regard to the effect their satisfaction has upon the outside world. Stanhope is all of us(what? that's some hefty cheese).This book is has an intensely moral message, which is not supposed to have. Technically it is brilliant, humor in a major key, combined with an eye for the revealing, clinching detail of social behavior. Mr. Stanhope had just so much color on his brush; which color is, I suppose, the moral that poor Stanhope is carrying for his existence.Never mind. This is still one of the funniest and one of the saddest books that will be published this year. As for its pornographic content, I can think of few volumes more likely to fan the flames of lust than this exact and immediate description of its consequences.Lol sue me

Doug Stanhope is a masterful story teller and his book shows how true his comedy is, it isn't an act or phony persona put on for the sake of a job or to earn a living. I never miss him when he comes up to Ottawa or Montreal and have a new perspective on him from reading the book. I can't wait for the audio book to come out, his podcasts are wicked funny and as much as I could hear his voice when I was reading it a full cast will be awesome!

Stanhope is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. frankly i don't even like tea. i pretend i do, i have for years. but tea is so dumb, such a waste of a drink. and it's too hot. it has no right to be that hot if it's not even coffee. what am i? British? honestly i'm asking, do they sell 23&me on amazon? if you're a fan of his, READ THIS BOOK. may i suggest buying the hard copy because it's a keeper. But if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

I've been roped into writing a review because if I don't, I'm dead to Doug Stanhope & Co. I still want to call myself a fan. I still need to order the signed book from his website because apparently if I don't, then I'm dead to them. I don't really have that much money and I'm low on food, but at least the book is funny.

A disgusting, hilarious, poignant memoir from a horrible drunken genius. Stanhope tells the truth on every page and dares you not to judge.That cover, though.

Buy this book, it's full of hilarious thoughtful raw honesty. Doug Stanhope is a completely unique human being and he deserves way more credit than he gets.

Read the book in a few hours. A creative and sensitive point of view on life death and humour. If you like rock n rollers bio, you will love this book.

Funny ..serious. ..stories. ..Best line .."out of the three black chick i slept with two were men"

I'm sure this book will be great when or if I ever receive it!

I'd give it 6 stars if that were an option.So funny, so honest.... an true american classic

Interesting, honest, hilarious, and quite touching. I read it in two evenings, it's one of those books that's easy to read and hard to put down.

Great read! Laughed out loud legit a couple dozen times.

I first heard about the book on the Doug Stanhope Podcast and I had some pretty high expectations. It was well worth the wait! Completely hilarious and disgusting, everything you would expect. Would definitely reccomend.

Great read so far, funny, thoughtful and Doug indeed whipped out the thesaurus to remove the 'nices' from the writing (as referenced on the podcast).

can't wait to read this book. the intro is great so far and Doug is the best in the industry, IMHO.