6. Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
By Steve Martin
Publisher: Scribner
224 pages
$25.00

Martin was a standup comedian for 18 years. It's a bizarre occupation for a temperamentally private person, just as memoir is an odd genre for such a person to attempt, but Martin turns out to be a genius at both. Born Standing Up is full of hard-won personal truths, lightly tossed-off comic touches and astute observations about the 1970's, the decade when Martin made his bones — he played off 1970's culture as cleverly as Warhol or any of the punk musicians. He's also touchingly forthcoming about his difficult childhood, all the more so since his personal revelations come to us untainted by any hint of exhibitionism.