Daniel R.

The trials of breaking into stand-up comedy theater when there wasn't much of a scene are wonderfully told through Steve Martin's struggle. The book primarily focuses on his early years. Once he made it big the material speeds up and the book seems to end quickly. I would have enjoyed some additional retrospective about his final shows once he decided he was done with stand-up.

While Steve Martin was trying to become a comedian, many of the life lessons and trials he went through hold true for anyone trying to make it big in any field. His philosophical background helps him bring the right perspective on what made things work out and what failed for him. For this reason even if you haven't seen much of this stand-up career the book is worth reading.