Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life Paperback – Illustrated, September 2, 2008

I purchased this memoir on audio a few years ago and decided to read it on my kindle while relaxing at the pool. This is easily one of my favorite autobiographies I've read and couldn't recommend it highly enough to those who are fans of Martin and his comedy. I really enjoyed his novella and film, Shop Girl, and decided to read about his life in his words.Steve's book, first Published in 2007, chronicles his early life, his days working for Disneyland, working at low-tier coffee shops and clubs as a comedy act, his later days at the Bird Cage at Knotts Berry Farm, his relationships, his eventual fame, and the reason why he quit stand-up comedy altogether at the height of his fame in 1981. The book is written in Martin's own voice, and he is refreshingly candid about his struggles and successes as a comedian. He writes about the long hours of work and practice that went into his act, the rejection he faced from audiences early on, and the personal demons he had to overcome in order to achieve success.Martin also writes about the changing landscape of comedy during his career, from the early days of the Borscht Belt to the rise of Saturday Night Live. He offers insights into the art of comedy and the importance of finding your own unique voice.One of the things that makes Born Standing Up so enjoyable is Martin's honesty. He doesn't shy away from discussing his failures or his insecurities. He writes about the times he bombed on stage, the times he was rejected by agents and producers, and the times he felt like giving up. But he also writes about the times he triumphed, the times he found his voice, and the times he made people laugh.He is an inspiration to anyone who has ever had a dream and has been told that it is impossible. Born Standing Up is more than just a memoir. It is a love letter to comedy. Martin writes about the power of laughter, and the importance of finding humor in even the darkest of times. He reminds us that comedy is a gift, and that it can make the world a better place. If you are a fan of Steve Martin or of comedy in general, then you will definitely enjoy Born Standing Up. It is a funny, moving, and inspiring book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it!

This is by Hollywood standards an exceptional memoir: it's well-written, modest, honest, and revealing. But I think it comes across well just because we hold famous individuals to such low standards, and while this is a competent piece of work it fails to inspire.The actor and comedian Steve Martin found success for a variety of reasons. He was at the right place at the right time: the exploding field of television was desperate for young creative voices. The culture of Hollywood, television, and California doesn't appear to be so cutthroat as it is today: Martin was lucky enough to meet a couple of girlfriends who helped him in the industry, and to have friends and roommates who happily shared their material with him (and he generously acknowledges their contribution to his early success). Martin is also blessed with both a sunny disposition (it is also impossible to imagine Martin sad) and relentless ambition. So, at age twenty-eight, dissatisfied with his almost perfect life as television comedy writer and as a well-recognized stand-up comedian, Martin decides to leave California, and travel around the country in the hope of becoming a famous comedian. And while he invariably faced hostile audiences and a constant string of comedic failures this experience only made him stronger, and slowly but surely he climbed his way to fame and fortune.While Martin tries to both entertain and enlighten, I really don't know what we can learn from his memoir. I came away from the book, thinking, "Boy, Steve Martin sure is lucky to be Steve martin." Yeah, Martin had a cold and aloof father, but that was the only sore point in his whole life. As a young man who's tall, handsome, sunny, and funny, he's an instant chick magnet, and people were lining up to help him out. He's a very limited writer, and modern audiences would have real difficulty laughing at his material, but as a stage performer he's wild and free-spirited, and that just makes audiences want to laugh and to like him. And, despite his protests to the contrary, he's also a very focused and disciplined individual who carefully mapped out his ascent to the top.

Excellent book about Steve Martin and his struggles to make it in the comedy world and how he earned his spot as a great comedian.

I haven't read it yet because I'm lazy but it's Steve Martin so I'm sure it's great.

Excelente

You can read it in a sprint and take in every word. Funny, sincere, modest, enlightening. Worth the ticket price.

I loved this book and read it in one piece. While it is written in a humorous language, it is not a funny book. It is a highly emotional travel diary. It describes the loneliness of stage life known not only to comedians, but to all public speakers, teachers, and the like. It describes the painful struggles of a young man seeking to work his way up. It describes the tensions between fathers and sons. The chapter about his reconciliation with his parents and his presence at their death bed are the most touching. In passing, Steve Martin lays out his theory of comedy which is more helpful to aspiring comedians than many of the guidebooks on the subject. Reading the book changes the way I listen to Steve Martin‘s recordings and look at his movies. This story of the human side to success is a must-read for all lay actors.