Knives & Spoons

by Luis J. Gomez, Johnny Russo (Primary Contributor), Robert Kelly (Foreword)

Knives & Spoons is a raw, darkly funny, and deeply honest memoir chronicling the turbulent childhood of comedian and entrepreneur Luis J. Gomez. Beginning with the devastating loss of his father and ending with the equally tragic death of his mother, this book offers an unflinching look at a life shaped by heartbreak, chaos, and resilience.

Through vivid storytelling, Gomez navigates the highs and lows of a childhood marked by bullying, drug abuse, petty crime, and the crushing weight of poverty. Yet, amidst the darkness, readers will witness the origins of the humor that would define him—a defense mechanism turned into a powerful tool for survival and success.

A memoir that pulls no punches, this is a story about finding strength in unlikely places, about the power of laughter in the face of pain, and transforming even the darkest moments into fuel for success. Bold, unapologetic, and deeply moving, Knives & Spoons is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

208 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2026

Reviews

[John Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew what to expect when I bought this book. I knew the language wasn’t the most advanced. It seems the stories were random. But I don’t care about that. If you know who Luis J. Gomez is and how successful he’s become you’d want to read about his upbringing or lack thereof. And for the record, I read the chapter where he meets Dave Smith and Big Jay Oakerson on the night Dave Smith has his last live show with LoS.

[Zack Welker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good memoir, Luis had a really messed up childhood and as someone who has been a fan of his podcasts and comedy for over 10 years now it’s been really cool to see his rise. Now getting to see what he really came up from is pretty inspiring. Father stabbed to death when he was 4, mother OD’d on heroine when he was barely an adult. His perspective sheds a lot of light on how lucky a lot of us are to live in situations as good as we do.

Though the writing style is very simplistic, and he jumps all over the place in terms of timelines and goes off on random, seemingly pointless tangents for stories. All together you get a basic picture of what his childhood and early adult years were like. If you’re a fan of Luis, LOS, or anything comedy, it’s worth the read.

Overall 7/10

[Cory Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

as a fan I enjoyed it

I’m a big fan of LOS and the boys so I enjoyed this deeper dive into Louis’s life. Some of the stories I knew to an extent so hearing more detail was cool plus it had Louis’s humor and his touch on the writing. I also found myself reading the entire book in Louis’s voice the entire time

[Ryan Saretsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

🇵🇷🐍

[Taylor James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew all these stories from the decade I have been a fan of Luis.

The last chapter was beautiful.

Loved it