Lee and Victoria weren’t the only ones to love Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld… Here is what the QBD crew thought:
While Jerry Seinfeld is best known to millions of people as the titular TV character from his classic sitcom Seinfeld, his true love has always been the stand-up comedy world that he’s been part of now for a staggering 45 years. And ever since Seinfeld was a budding comedian in mid-‘70s New York City he’s been writing down his stand up ‘bits’ – on his favoured “big yellow legal pad” – and hoarding them in an accordion folder to save them for posterity.
Now in the new book Is This Anything? literally, hundreds of these humorous stand-up sketches covering an absolute litany of topics are laid out one after the other in chronological order (separated only into decades), the bits rolling into each other seamlessly to provide an unrelenting cavalcade of comedy gold. Obviously, some land better than others, but if you’re a fan of Seinfeld’s astute brand of observational comedy you’ll no doubt find plenty to love.
Seinfeld’s first written foray since his debut #1 New York Times bestseller Seinlanguage became one of the most successful books of the ‘90s, Is This Anything? gives a fascinating insight into not just the evolution of Seinfeld’s brilliant career but into the man himself and his inimitable worldview. Some anecdotes and analysis are provided for context, but this collection is primarily an escape into Seinfeld’s incredible imagination, a strange vista where anything is possible, and nothing should be taken for granted.
It’s like being a private audience of one at a career-spanning show by one of the finest minds in the business, the only caveat being that you might need to find somewhere private to read it because loud laughs are virtually guaranteed at regular intervals. A must for not only Jerry Seinfeld lovers but for fans of the mysterious art of stand-up comedy in general.
