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Me of Little Faith
What do we believe? And in God's name why?
These are the thorny questions that Lewis Black, the bitingly funny comedian, social critic, and bestselling author, tackles in his new book, Me of Little Faith. And he's come up with some answers. Or at least his answers. In more than two dozen essays that investigate everything from the differences between how Christians and Jews celebrate their holidays, to the politics of faith, to people's individual search for transcendence, Black explores his unique odyssey through religion and belief.
Growing up as a nonpracticing Jewish kid near Washington, D.C., during the 1950s, Black survived Hebrew school and a bar mitzvah (barely), went to college in the South during the tumultuous 1960s, and witnessed firsthand the unsettling parallels between religious rapture and drug-induced visions (even if none of his friends did). He explored the self-actualization movements of the 1970s (and the self-indulgence that they produced), and since then has turned an increasingly skeptical eye toward the politicians and televangelists who don the cloak of religiouos rectitude to mask their own moral hypocrisy.
What he learned along the way about the inconsistencies and peculiarities of religion infuriated Black, and in Me of Little Faith he gives full vent to his comedic rage. Black explores how the rules and constraints of religion have affected his life and the lives of us all. Hilarious experiences with rabbis, Mormons, gurus, psychics, and even the joy of a perfect round of golf give Black the chance to expound upon what we believe and why—in the language of a shock jock and with the heart of an iconoclast.
"To put it as simply as I can," Black writes, "this is a book about my relationship with religion, where my—dare I say it?—spiritual journey has taken me...what it's meant and not meant to me, and why it makes me laugh." By the end of Me of Little Faith, you'll be a convert.
These are the thorny questions that Lewis Black, the bitingly funny comedian, social critic, and bestselling author, tackles in his new book, Me of Little Faith. And he's come up with some answers. Or at least his answers. In more than two dozen essays that investigate everything from the differences between how Christians and Jews celebrate their holidays, to the politics of faith, to people's individual search for transcendence, Black explores his unique odyssey through religion and belief.
Growing up as a nonpracticing Jewish kid near Washington, D.C., during the 1950s, Black survived Hebrew school and a bar mitzvah (barely), went to college in the South during the tumultuous 1960s, and witnessed firsthand the unsettling parallels between religious rapture and drug-induced visions (even if none of his friends did). He explored the self-actualization movements of the 1970s (and the self-indulgence that they produced), and since then has turned an increasingly skeptical eye toward the politicians and televangelists who don the cloak of religiouos rectitude to mask their own moral hypocrisy.
What he learned along the way about the inconsistencies and peculiarities of religion infuriated Black, and in Me of Little Faith he gives full vent to his comedic rage. Black explores how the rules and constraints of religion have affected his life and the lives of us all. Hilarious experiences with rabbis, Mormons, gurus, psychics, and even the joy of a perfect round of golf give Black the chance to expound upon what we believe and why—in the language of a shock jock and with the heart of an iconoclast.
"To put it as simply as I can," Black writes, "this is a book about my relationship with religion, where my—dare I say it?—spiritual journey has taken me...what it's meant and not meant to me, and why it makes me laugh." By the end of Me of Little Faith, you'll be a convert.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2008
72 people are currently reading
1082 people want to read
About the author
Lewis Black
40 books183 followersLewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright and actor. He is known for his comedy style which often includes simulating a mental breakdown or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena. He hosted Comedy Central's The Root of All Evil and makes regular appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart delivering his "Back in Black" commentary segment. When not on the road performing, he resides in Manhattan and also maintains a residence in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Black was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is the son of Jeannette, a teacher, and Sam Black, an artist and mechanical engineer. He was raised in a middle-class Jewish family in Silver Spring, Maryland, graduating from Springbrook High School in 1966, summa cum laude having the highest average of all males in high school. Black claims in his book that he scored highly on the math section of his SAT exam and later applied to Princeton University among others. Black matriculated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied playwriting and was a brother of Pi Lambda Phi International fraternity and a member of Student Congress. He earned a Masters in Fine Arts at the Yale School of Drama in 1977.
Originally, his career was in the theater as a playwright. He served as the playwright in residence and associate artistic director of Steve Olsen's West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theatre Bar in Hell's Kitchen in New York City, where he collaborated with composer and lyricist Rusty Magee and artistic director Rand Foerster on hundreds of one-act plays from 1981 to 1989. Also with Rusty Magee, Lewis wrote the musical The Czar Of Rock and Roll, which premiered at Houston's Alley Theatre in 1990.
Black's stand-up comedy began as an opening act for the plays as he was also the master of ceremonies. After a management change at the theater, Black left and began working as a comedian as well as finding bit parts in television and films.
Lewis Black's style of comedy is that of a man who, in dealing with the absurdities of life and contemporary politics, is approaching his personal limits of sanity. Sarcasm, hyperbole, profanity, shouting and trademark angry finger-shaking bring emphasis to his topics of discussion. He once described his humor as "being on the Titanic every single day and being the only person who knows what is going to happen." He claims that he doesn't write his jokes down, he merely starts talking about something that makes him angry until he has to move on before he has a stroke.
Black describes his political affiliation as such: "I'm a socialist, so that puts me totally outside any concept...the Canadians get it. But seriously, most people don't get it. The idea of capping people's income just scares people. 'Oh, you're taking money from the rich.' Ooh, what a horrifying thing. These people really need $200 million".
Black lists his comedic influences as George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, Bob Newhart and Shelley Berman.
In 1998, he starred in his first comedy special on the series Comedy Central Presents. He starred in two additional episodes of the series in 2000 and 2002. He starred in another special for the network in 2002 titled Taxed Beyond Belief.
In 2000, Black and fellow comedian Jim Norton were arrested for their involvement with "The Naked Teen Voyeur Bus", a specially designed bus with acrylic glass walls containing numerous (18 and 19 year old) "teen girls." This bus rode around Manhattan while being broadcast on the "Opie and Anthony" radio show. Unfortunately, radio station management did not inform the O&A show that the bus' route was also the route that President Clinton was taking that same day. Twenty-eight hours after the arrest, Black and Norton were released. Black appeared on The Daily Show the following night where he stated he was exercising his constitutional rights. He then joked that the location of
Black was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is the son of Jeannette, a teacher, and Sam Black, an artist and mechanical engineer. He was raised in a middle-class Jewish family in Silver Spring, Maryland, graduating from Springbrook High School in 1966, summa cum laude having the highest average of all males in high school. Black claims in his book that he scored highly on the math section of his SAT exam and later applied to Princeton University among others. Black matriculated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied playwriting and was a brother of Pi Lambda Phi International fraternity and a member of Student Congress. He earned a Masters in Fine Arts at the Yale School of Drama in 1977.
Originally, his career was in the theater as a playwright. He served as the playwright in residence and associate artistic director of Steve Olsen's West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theatre Bar in Hell's Kitchen in New York City, where he collaborated with composer and lyricist Rusty Magee and artistic director Rand Foerster on hundreds of one-act plays from 1981 to 1989. Also with Rusty Magee, Lewis wrote the musical The Czar Of Rock and Roll, which premiered at Houston's Alley Theatre in 1990.
Black's stand-up comedy began as an opening act for the plays as he was also the master of ceremonies. After a management change at the theater, Black left and began working as a comedian as well as finding bit parts in television and films.
Lewis Black's style of comedy is that of a man who, in dealing with the absurdities of life and contemporary politics, is approaching his personal limits of sanity. Sarcasm, hyperbole, profanity, shouting and trademark angry finger-shaking bring emphasis to his topics of discussion. He once described his humor as "being on the Titanic every single day and being the only person who knows what is going to happen." He claims that he doesn't write his jokes down, he merely starts talking about something that makes him angry until he has to move on before he has a stroke.
Black describes his political affiliation as such: "I'm a socialist, so that puts me totally outside any concept...the Canadians get it. But seriously, most people don't get it. The idea of capping people's income just scares people. 'Oh, you're taking money from the rich.' Ooh, what a horrifying thing. These people really need $200 million".
Black lists his comedic influences as George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, Bob Newhart and Shelley Berman.
In 1998, he starred in his first comedy special on the series Comedy Central Presents. He starred in two additional episodes of the series in 2000 and 2002. He starred in another special for the network in 2002 titled Taxed Beyond Belief.
In 2000, Black and fellow comedian Jim Norton were arrested for their involvement with "The Naked Teen Voyeur Bus", a specially designed bus with acrylic glass walls containing numerous (18 and 19 year old) "teen girls." This bus rode around Manhattan while being broadcast on the "Opie and Anthony" radio show. Unfortunately, radio station management did not inform the O&A show that the bus' route was also the route that President Clinton was taking that same day. Twenty-eight hours after the arrest, Black and Norton were released. Black appeared on The Daily Show the following night where he stated he was exercising his constitutional rights. He then joked that the location of
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 401 reviews
June 24, 2019
Definitely not a classic, but still worth the trip. Very funny in its ridicule of organized religion, yet surprisingly serious--and still funny--in its detailing of transcendent, ineffable experiences that have helped the author temper his skepticism with a recognition of spiritual realities.
I have always found Black to be screamingly funny, but this book has made me like and respect him more, both as a thinker and a human being.
July 21, 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lewis Black: I think he's very funny but also very smart, even (especially) when taking on some of stickiest issues. That is why I was so disappointed with this book.
I think it may simply be that Black's humor doesn't translate well into the written form. It felt like he was stuck in between two goals: an honest but amusing discussion of religion and an effort to translate his loud-yelling style of humor onto paper. But his voice never came through, and the book ended up with below-average but inoffensive writing peppered with vulgarities and sentences in all-caps that marked Black's effort to yell on paper. But Black doesn't come through in his writing, and the whole effort comes off as forced and futile.
The discussion itself quickly lost my interest because of how disjointed it was. Black has no real unifying point or theme to convey, except that each chapter somehow touches (some very tangentially) on the subject of religion or spirituality. But the fact that one chapter follows another does not mean that there's any continuity between the two of them, and Black is content to play hopscotch all over the board while hoping his reader can make large thematic jumps along with him. This becomes more a series of very short vignettes than a unified book.
So, as a whole, I was very disappointed. The book quickly turned into a bathroom reader for me (the short chapters and disjointedness are conducive to that purpose), and even then I only managed a chuckle or two along the way.
I think it may simply be that Black's humor doesn't translate well into the written form. It felt like he was stuck in between two goals: an honest but amusing discussion of religion and an effort to translate his loud-yelling style of humor onto paper. But his voice never came through, and the book ended up with below-average but inoffensive writing peppered with vulgarities and sentences in all-caps that marked Black's effort to yell on paper. But Black doesn't come through in his writing, and the whole effort comes off as forced and futile.
The discussion itself quickly lost my interest because of how disjointed it was. Black has no real unifying point or theme to convey, except that each chapter somehow touches (some very tangentially) on the subject of religion or spirituality. But the fact that one chapter follows another does not mean that there's any continuity between the two of them, and Black is content to play hopscotch all over the board while hoping his reader can make large thematic jumps along with him. This becomes more a series of very short vignettes than a unified book.
So, as a whole, I was very disappointed. The book quickly turned into a bathroom reader for me (the short chapters and disjointedness are conducive to that purpose), and even then I only managed a chuckle or two along the way.
June 12, 2020
I have seen Lewis Black's comedy performances live a couple of times. I used to watch him on Comedy Central and the Daily Show, so I know what he is like. (His guest appearance on the Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite episodes. "...Oxnard in the onion fields..." is a classic line that Lewis Black spit out. I love that. But I digress.) He makes me laugh and shake my head at the same time. I like his rants. I like his expressions of anger and frustration at the absurdities of human nature.
In this book, he takes on his upbringing in a Jewish family and then he takes on everyone's religious beliefs, which I think is bold but consistent with his act. I appreciated that he shared his childhood experiences. They were funny. And he made good points on many obvious issues about religion. He is clearly a talented guy. I just didn't understand the screen play at the end of the book. He lost me there.
Most Lewis Black fans have probably already read this book. I had this on my shelf for multiple years and hadn't read it until now. Other family members have read it and enjoyed it, so I read it as part of my goal to read everything I haven't read that is in my house. (When does the library open again?) I wouldn't really recommend this book to non-Lewis Black fans. You have to be willing to have Lewis Black ranting at you for 200 plus pages.
In this book, he takes on his upbringing in a Jewish family and then he takes on everyone's religious beliefs, which I think is bold but consistent with his act. I appreciated that he shared his childhood experiences. They were funny. And he made good points on many obvious issues about religion. He is clearly a talented guy. I just didn't understand the screen play at the end of the book. He lost me there.
Most Lewis Black fans have probably already read this book. I had this on my shelf for multiple years and hadn't read it until now. Other family members have read it and enjoyed it, so I read it as part of my goal to read everything I haven't read that is in my house. (When does the library open again?) I wouldn't really recommend this book to non-Lewis Black fans. You have to be willing to have Lewis Black ranting at you for 200 plus pages.
July 29, 2011
Up until the very end of the book, I was ready to give it three-four stars ... And then I got to the truly, truly awful script from the show he put on with Mark Linn-Baker, of "Perfect Strangers" fame. Oh, good God. Any salient points Black had made previously as to the odd relationship between religion, faith, and comedy we out the window. Seriously, if you read this book, STOP at the "Laundry Hour" chapter.
Before that disaster of a script, things were a bit uneven in Black's written tirade, but still interesting. Though he did go for the too-obvious joke at times, his overall ruminations on the nature of faith and religion were quite insightful. More of that would have been greatly appreciated!
Before that disaster of a script, things were a bit uneven in Black's written tirade, but still interesting. Though he did go for the too-obvious joke at times, his overall ruminations on the nature of faith and religion were quite insightful. More of that would have been greatly appreciated!
April 8, 2013
Lewis Black is one of my favorite comedians. He would have to completely suck before I’d pan his material. That being said, I’m not inclined to call this a masterwork of comedy. I was much more taken in by Bill Maher’s recent film Religulous, for instance. And digging back further, everyone should hear Bill Cosby’s classic treatment of Noah and the Ark.
At times, I feel Mr. Black wanders, and not in a humorous way. Too often his thesis boils down to an anticlimactic confession of bafflement regarding any given belief system. Forgiving the misses, there are also plenty of hits. Perhaps my favorite chapter is Mr. Black’s restrained thoughts on Islam. Far from a cowardly avoidance of a hot topic, Mr. Black skewers the issue by denying it lip service. It’s the most intelligent shot he takes in the whole book.
Lewis Black has some great stories to tell about his spiritual journey. In so doing, the book provides a valuable window into his early career and upbringing. For people looking to try out Lewis Black’s brand of comedy, there may be better inroads like the Daily Show. For all the chuckles this book elicits, its too frazzled and scatterbrained to be a truly great comedic take on present-day religion.
A final note, I listened to the audio edition of this book, which includes a delightful performance by Mark Linn Baker. The audio edition also benefits greatly from being read by the author.
At times, I feel Mr. Black wanders, and not in a humorous way. Too often his thesis boils down to an anticlimactic confession of bafflement regarding any given belief system. Forgiving the misses, there are also plenty of hits. Perhaps my favorite chapter is Mr. Black’s restrained thoughts on Islam. Far from a cowardly avoidance of a hot topic, Mr. Black skewers the issue by denying it lip service. It’s the most intelligent shot he takes in the whole book.
Lewis Black has some great stories to tell about his spiritual journey. In so doing, the book provides a valuable window into his early career and upbringing. For people looking to try out Lewis Black’s brand of comedy, there may be better inroads like the Daily Show. For all the chuckles this book elicits, its too frazzled and scatterbrained to be a truly great comedic take on present-day religion.
A final note, I listened to the audio edition of this book, which includes a delightful performance by Mark Linn Baker. The audio edition also benefits greatly from being read by the author.
March 7, 2010
While Lewis's voice is clearly present in this loosely related collection of religious-themed anecdotes, it felt like he was calling it in, especially toward the end.
And very unlike Lewis, on one of his rants about Jimmy Swaggart, he misinterpreted Mr. Swaggart's apology to The Lord following his infidelities. Jimmy figured God would forget all about his transgressions, and Lewis took that literally--that He was some kind of Alzheimer patient. He went on for pages about this. The problem is that Jimmy was simply implying God would "forget" about his transgressions the same way parents "forget" missteps by their children. Letting it slide, not hold it against him; that's what he was saying God would do for him.
Now, Jimmy Swaggart is obviously a charlatan, and Lewis has every right to be skeptical about anything the man says, but he was reaching here, and badly. I admit his visuals were amusing, but they were wrong. Swaggart says so many things Lewis could lambaste with ease, but he went with a strawman instead? Say it ain't so, Lewis!
And maybe--and I'll be the first to admit this is possible--I'm just too lowbrow to understand it, but he included the entirety of an act he and Mark Linn-Baker from Perfect Strangers concocted called The Laundry Hour, and it was terrible. It was a long read, and not nearly as funny as the rest of the book. I read the whole thing, hoping maybe I was missing something, but no, it was just bad. I can only hope it was much better on stage. It really dragged down the end of the book, though.
The rest is worth it, I'd say, and offers a unique picture of Lewis's childhood and suggests he's always been a brooding malcontent--just as he should be.
And very unlike Lewis, on one of his rants about Jimmy Swaggart, he misinterpreted Mr. Swaggart's apology to The Lord following his infidelities. Jimmy figured God would forget all about his transgressions, and Lewis took that literally--that He was some kind of Alzheimer patient. He went on for pages about this. The problem is that Jimmy was simply implying God would "forget" about his transgressions the same way parents "forget" missteps by their children. Letting it slide, not hold it against him; that's what he was saying God would do for him.
Now, Jimmy Swaggart is obviously a charlatan, and Lewis has every right to be skeptical about anything the man says, but he was reaching here, and badly. I admit his visuals were amusing, but they were wrong. Swaggart says so many things Lewis could lambaste with ease, but he went with a strawman instead? Say it ain't so, Lewis!
And maybe--and I'll be the first to admit this is possible--I'm just too lowbrow to understand it, but he included the entirety of an act he and Mark Linn-Baker from Perfect Strangers concocted called The Laundry Hour, and it was terrible. It was a long read, and not nearly as funny as the rest of the book. I read the whole thing, hoping maybe I was missing something, but no, it was just bad. I can only hope it was much better on stage. It really dragged down the end of the book, though.
The rest is worth it, I'd say, and offers a unique picture of Lewis's childhood and suggests he's always been a brooding malcontent--just as he should be.
June 1, 2011
Lewis Black is one of my favorite stand-up comedians. His commentary on everything from politics to religion to our fascination with pseudo-celebrities always makes me laugh out loud, so I thought I would really enjoy this book. I was expecting a well-reasoned, but humorous, book-length essay on what is wrong with (organized) religion today, and how we could go about fixing it; what I got, instead, was a series of short, chapter-length rants about the usual topics associated with religion: televangelists, Mormons, growing up Jewish, child-molesting priests, etc. This is Black's version of the same ground that's been covered by any stand-up comedian that's written a book - Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, probably Tim Allen too (although I've not forced myself to read any of his books yet). Don't get me wrong, there's some funny stuff in here, but it just doesn't compare to his stand-up routine. Worst part of the book? Tacked on, at the end, there's the script of a play about religion that Black and Mark Linn-Baker did during the 1980s. According to Black, it didn't run for very long; after reading the script, I'm not terribly surprised.
July 14, 2008
Not the greatest, and not all that funny, but he is terribly candid, and he makes some observations about religion that ought to make believers think hard about why they believe. Of course, most seriously religious people won't bother to read a book like this, more's the pity.
Here are some great truths from the book:
"Religion is based on dissatisfaction with the real world."
"It always seemed strange to me that people gave up drugs for religion just to get high on their new-found beliefs."
"They were all grinning that grin that one finds only in the zealously religious. The kind of grin that says idiocy has replaced any form of real thought."
"I realize that Noah-like stories comfort people, but so do fairy tales. People just don't base their lives on them. When was the last time you lived platonically with seven dwarves in the woods? I rest my case."
Here are some great truths from the book:
"Religion is based on dissatisfaction with the real world."
"It always seemed strange to me that people gave up drugs for religion just to get high on their new-found beliefs."
"They were all grinning that grin that one finds only in the zealously religious. The kind of grin that says idiocy has replaced any form of real thought."
"I realize that Noah-like stories comfort people, but so do fairy tales. People just don't base their lives on them. When was the last time you lived platonically with seven dwarves in the woods? I rest my case."
September 18, 2020
I love Lewis Black so I was predisposed to love his book. The only part I could have done without was the re-creation of a play he did in the 1980s. I expect the audio version is more enjoyable because he reads the material in his characteristic style which may not translate well to the page.
Overall, the book made me laugh and it gave me quite a lot to think about.
Overall, the book made me laugh and it gave me quite a lot to think about.
February 3, 2010
It took awhile to pick up pace/catch my attention. There isn't much groundbreaking material--a bit of it I've heard in his standup routines already. Part of that is probably my own fault for waiting until the book was on sale for $5 to read it. The essays just seem like common sense to me, but it's worth reading for the occasional line that is distinctly Lewis Black enough that you can imagine him shouting it at you.
As an Atheist, I don't think the book was offensive enough.
It ended with a play. I like plays well enough, but I could have done without this one. There's an added essay at the end that basically says "fuck you; you're stupid if you don't appreciate the play," but even that doesn't motivate me to pretend to have liked it.
What I agree with most out of everything Lewis Black wrote in this book is: Chapel Hill is a great place. It redeems North Carolina.
Also, religious people are fucking nuts--one of the biggest reasons North Carolina needs redeeming in the first place.
As an Atheist, I don't think the book was offensive enough.
It ended with a play. I like plays well enough, but I could have done without this one. There's an added essay at the end that basically says "fuck you; you're stupid if you don't appreciate the play," but even that doesn't motivate me to pretend to have liked it.
What I agree with most out of everything Lewis Black wrote in this book is: Chapel Hill is a great place. It redeems North Carolina.
Also, religious people are fucking nuts--one of the biggest reasons North Carolina needs redeeming in the first place.
May 14, 2011
I always liked watching him sputter and fume on "The Daily Show,"
but somehow he does not translate well into print. I'll skip his
next effort.
but somehow he does not translate well into print. I'll skip his
next effort.
March 30, 2018
I needed this book so badly right now. I've been in a swirl of stupid things done in the name of a god, from genocidal bhuddists to hard line islamists and fundamentalists christians, it seems the whole world has gone to an inquisition level of intolerance and fanaticism. I needed to hear that someone else just doesn't feel that, but doesn't feel nothing either, that religion is all too often used to either scare people to death or send them off to war. It was comforting and disturbing, that even during the now delightfully tolerant days of Bush 43, we were already on this path.
April 17, 2019
I listened to the audio book which was great because I didn’t need to read it in Lewis’s angry voice the whole time he made it easy. Was surprised to hear some open minded perspectives from someone I easily would have thought as the most cynical of people.
The end was a bit bizarre when he jumped into a form of past comedy show with his friend Mark(cousin Larry) called Laundry Hour. Otherwise pretty good.
The end was a bit bizarre when he jumped into a form of past comedy show with his friend Mark(cousin Larry) called Laundry Hour. Otherwise pretty good.
July 21, 2013
I don't always enjoy books by comedians I like - there's often something lost without their delivery (I guess I should switch to the audio versions), but I quite enjoyed this, and even had some actual laugh-out-loud moments (especially in the chapter about his Hanukkah gifts). Black doesn't exclude any religion from his skewering (and yet he has had a number of spiritual experiences in his life that he relates in the book, related to a number of different instigating factors, including nature, meditation and a psychic), but also makes some excellent points (granted, I agree with his general premise, so I'm sure I was predisposed to liking this). Some gems:
In describing his friend Cliff who went to live on a spiritual commune: "The fact was, the people in the caravan were looking to lead a more spiritual life, one not necessarily defined by God or the rules of organized religion. And do you need God to lead a spiritual life? I suppose so, if you're desperate for an authority figure who's invisible but can be tasted at communion. Can't you just practice what Jesus preaches and live a good and upright life? Isn't that spiritual enough? What if you did do that and because you didn't believe in God, he sent you to hell? Well, for me that would sure justify not believing in him in the first place, especially if he's going to be such a prick." (91)
On the inability of many religious Americans to accept that other people have different religious beliefs: "Each and every one of us has our own way of relating to the universe. We beseech or hosanna or meditate. Some of us feel nature is the governing principle. Some of us feel that there is no governing principle. It is what makes this country rich. it is also what undermines America. In a land that should take great joy in the differences of its people-and in the knowledge that those differences are what make us strong-we generally choose to fear diversity while wallowing in our own stupidity. For a country where so many believe in some sort of God, we seem, as a whole, to have more faith in our ignorance. We seem to find a shared comfort in our fear of those who don't share our beliefs. I don't know about you, but there just comes a point when I get sick of thinking about religion." (180)
On a high school friend who insists that Black is on a short route to hell, since he isn't a fundamentalist Christian like she is: "My classmate and I were roughly the same age and had been born in the same suburb and attended the same high school. But she chose the path that apparently has been snowplowed by Jesus, and I headed up the one where I'm slogging through snowdrifts and slipping and sliding because I'm wearing shoes that have no traction. So she feels I have chosen the wrong path. Well, I feel there's a bit of hubris to that. After all, outside of being a criminal, if you're happy with your path, how can it be the wrong one? Even if you don't find yourself skipping with God....I know her heart is in the right place. I am just not sure if her head is. I have never understood the need of people who believe they have to get everyone else to believe the same things they do....as much as a find all this quite funny, I also know that it's not funny to her. I'm laughing because she's worried about me, and she's worried about me because I'm laughing. And that's what it all boils down to. A sense of humor." (186)
Both thoughtful and funny - quite enjoyable!
In describing his friend Cliff who went to live on a spiritual commune: "The fact was, the people in the caravan were looking to lead a more spiritual life, one not necessarily defined by God or the rules of organized religion. And do you need God to lead a spiritual life? I suppose so, if you're desperate for an authority figure who's invisible but can be tasted at communion. Can't you just practice what Jesus preaches and live a good and upright life? Isn't that spiritual enough? What if you did do that and because you didn't believe in God, he sent you to hell? Well, for me that would sure justify not believing in him in the first place, especially if he's going to be such a prick." (91)
On the inability of many religious Americans to accept that other people have different religious beliefs: "Each and every one of us has our own way of relating to the universe. We beseech or hosanna or meditate. Some of us feel nature is the governing principle. Some of us feel that there is no governing principle. It is what makes this country rich. it is also what undermines America. In a land that should take great joy in the differences of its people-and in the knowledge that those differences are what make us strong-we generally choose to fear diversity while wallowing in our own stupidity. For a country where so many believe in some sort of God, we seem, as a whole, to have more faith in our ignorance. We seem to find a shared comfort in our fear of those who don't share our beliefs. I don't know about you, but there just comes a point when I get sick of thinking about religion." (180)
On a high school friend who insists that Black is on a short route to hell, since he isn't a fundamentalist Christian like she is: "My classmate and I were roughly the same age and had been born in the same suburb and attended the same high school. But she chose the path that apparently has been snowplowed by Jesus, and I headed up the one where I'm slogging through snowdrifts and slipping and sliding because I'm wearing shoes that have no traction. So she feels I have chosen the wrong path. Well, I feel there's a bit of hubris to that. After all, outside of being a criminal, if you're happy with your path, how can it be the wrong one? Even if you don't find yourself skipping with God....I know her heart is in the right place. I am just not sure if her head is. I have never understood the need of people who believe they have to get everyone else to believe the same things they do....as much as a find all this quite funny, I also know that it's not funny to her. I'm laughing because she's worried about me, and she's worried about me because I'm laughing. And that's what it all boils down to. A sense of humor." (186)
Both thoughtful and funny - quite enjoyable!
July 2, 2010
This book by the acerbic and hilarious Lewis Black, standup comedian and regular on The Daily Show, turns out to be oddly serious in tone. It's more autobiography than comedy, though there are some wickedly funny bits, and is self-described as a spiritual work, outlining what Black believes (including some real surprises) as well as what he doesn't believe (which is a vastly larger territory), in terms that are both sophisticated and accessible.
As long as you're willing to give him a break, that is; as long as you're one of those saintly bonobo-like individuals who's willing to let those benighted folks with whom you disagree just go ahead and wallow in their own iniquity, rather than getting angry at 'em. Black is very careful to warn off, repeatedly and starting as early as page 3, anyone whose goal is to be offended. Basically: if you're a true believer in the One True Faith (whatever that faith may be!), don't read this book. Seriously. He's not kidding around about that. He's kicking ass and taking names in vain, and if the very thought of that phrase bugs you, pick a different book, maybe even a different shelf altogether.
As for myself, I kinda liked it. My jaw even dropped a little when Black dropped a reference on p. 23 to Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, the book I'd just read, and started talking about granfalloons! That's the kind of coincidence that impresses people, and Black himself has had more than his share of them. He is an observant Jew—at least, he is keenly observant, and he describes and considers himself as a Jew (in much the same sense, apparently, as I'm a Methodist: he has childhood memories that shape his present reactions, even if he no longer practices the faith in which he was raised).
Some of the book is sophomoric in tone, and it definitely isn't very coherent—it's more a collection of mini-essays than a consistent thesis—but, well, here's one bit that made me laugh (ruefully, 'tis true, but I did laugh) and if it gives you a chuckle too, perhaps you'd like to read the rest. This is from a list of 21 "Reasons I Believe in God" (p. 123, followed immediately by 22 reasons he doesn't believe):
Heh...
It's not all like that; some of Me of Little Faith is actually downright reverent. But enough of it's like that that I like this.
As long as you're willing to give him a break, that is; as long as you're one of those saintly bonobo-like individuals who's willing to let those benighted folks with whom you disagree just go ahead and wallow in their own iniquity, rather than getting angry at 'em. Black is very careful to warn off, repeatedly and starting as early as page 3, anyone whose goal is to be offended. Basically: if you're a true believer in the One True Faith (whatever that faith may be!), don't read this book. Seriously. He's not kidding around about that. He's kicking ass and taking names in vain, and if the very thought of that phrase bugs you, pick a different book, maybe even a different shelf altogether.
As for myself, I kinda liked it. My jaw even dropped a little when Black dropped a reference on p. 23 to Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, the book I'd just read, and started talking about granfalloons! That's the kind of coincidence that impresses people, and Black himself has had more than his share of them. He is an observant Jew—at least, he is keenly observant, and he describes and considers himself as a Jew (in much the same sense, apparently, as I'm a Methodist: he has childhood memories that shape his present reactions, even if he no longer practices the faith in which he was raised).
Some of the book is sophomoric in tone, and it definitely isn't very coherent—it's more a collection of mini-essays than a consistent thesis—but, well, here's one bit that made me laugh (ruefully, 'tis true, but I did laugh) and if it gives you a chuckle too, perhaps you'd like to read the rest. This is from a list of 21 "Reasons I Believe in God" (p. 123, followed immediately by 22 reasons he doesn't believe):
20. The female breast, of any size or shape. They are not only all perfect, they are also a milk delivery system. (Now, if they used this argument when discussing "intelligent design," I might just listen to those idiots.)
Heh...
It's not all like that; some of Me of Little Faith is actually downright reverent. But enough of it's like that that I like this.
April 22, 2016
I like Lewis Black. A lot. I don't always agree with him, but his acerbic wit and anger at stupidity in the world resonates with me. It's how I'm often feeling inside--even if I'm not showing it on the outside. So I was looking forward to his thoughtful examination of faith and religion. Unfortunately, this is just a mess.
First off, I didn't give this one star because he blasts religion. Or because he's irreverent throughout the book. Or because he doesn't come to a conclusion I was wishing on him. I figured it would include all of that, so I knew it going in. And since offense is taken and not given, I didn't take offense at all.
The problem is that it's just not thoughtful. I know he's a comedian, but often he says ridiculous and absurd things just to make a joke. But then other times he seems to be deadly serious. It's like he was trying to balance serious and funny, and failed on both fronts. Was he trying to write a serious book with some funny parts, or a funny book with some serious parts? I dunno.
Some of it might be that I just didn't get where he was coming from. He tells us he's an atheist who doesn't believe in God. Fine. But then he says later that he believes angels have watched over him. What does that even mean? What angels? Whose angels? Why were they watching over him? I'm not sure how can you be positive there's no God, but then be willing to believe there are angels.
Another time he said he doesn't believe in any kind of afterlife, but later shares that he believes his career took off because his recently deceased brother was somehow helping him from beyond the grave. Sure there's a lot of mystery involved in faith and belief, but he doesn't even acknowledge that those things don't really line up.
Yet another time he says he had a genuine and mind-blowingly transcendent experience with a new-age guru. And then he said he was so overwhelmed by it that he's never done anything like that again. You have a real, genuine experience of something seemingly supernatural, and you don't explore that in any way ever again? How is that any less a case of sticking your head in the sand than the people of faith you rail against?
These incongruous (to me) beliefs kept piling up throughout the book, and just made me sure that he hadn't taken an honest and objective look at his own views.
Finally, let's be honest: Chapters devoted to showing what jackholes Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Jimmy Swaggart are? That's just shooting fish in a barrel. Spotlighting screwed-up people who claim to follow the same Jesus I do doesn't invalidate Jesus and his claims.
I'm still a Lewis Black fan. I just think he bit off more than he could chew here.
First off, I didn't give this one star because he blasts religion. Or because he's irreverent throughout the book. Or because he doesn't come to a conclusion I was wishing on him. I figured it would include all of that, so I knew it going in. And since offense is taken and not given, I didn't take offense at all.
The problem is that it's just not thoughtful. I know he's a comedian, but often he says ridiculous and absurd things just to make a joke. But then other times he seems to be deadly serious. It's like he was trying to balance serious and funny, and failed on both fronts. Was he trying to write a serious book with some funny parts, or a funny book with some serious parts? I dunno.
Some of it might be that I just didn't get where he was coming from. He tells us he's an atheist who doesn't believe in God. Fine. But then he says later that he believes angels have watched over him. What does that even mean? What angels? Whose angels? Why were they watching over him? I'm not sure how can you be positive there's no God, but then be willing to believe there are angels.
Another time he said he doesn't believe in any kind of afterlife, but later shares that he believes his career took off because his recently deceased brother was somehow helping him from beyond the grave. Sure there's a lot of mystery involved in faith and belief, but he doesn't even acknowledge that those things don't really line up.
Yet another time he says he had a genuine and mind-blowingly transcendent experience with a new-age guru. And then he said he was so overwhelmed by it that he's never done anything like that again. You have a real, genuine experience of something seemingly supernatural, and you don't explore that in any way ever again? How is that any less a case of sticking your head in the sand than the people of faith you rail against?
These incongruous (to me) beliefs kept piling up throughout the book, and just made me sure that he hadn't taken an honest and objective look at his own views.
Finally, let's be honest: Chapters devoted to showing what jackholes Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Jimmy Swaggart are? That's just shooting fish in a barrel. Spotlighting screwed-up people who claim to follow the same Jesus I do doesn't invalidate Jesus and his claims.
I'm still a Lewis Black fan. I just think he bit off more than he could chew here.
December 9, 2014
Overall, the book is a quick read. He sort of lost me at the end with the transcription of the show he did decades ago, and that seemed to crush the momentum of the previous 200 pages. The last chapter was a clever idea stated with much too little enthusiasm.
I liked it, though. The man really can yell in print; and while reading this, I went to see "Religulous," which made me think the two personalities should get together and answer a few of each other's questions and have a laugh. Neither would walk away any more inclined to believe or be religious, but at least it would be more fun than trying to get answers from Mormons or any of the fundamentalists.
I'm also reading Eat, Pray, Love One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, as a strange juxtaposition, and I recently visited with my guru for the first time in at least five years. Even the most faithful side of my nature appreciated Me of Little Faith at the same time. Well done.
Four stars, and a happy recommendation.
~~copied from my Book Lust Journal, written Oct. '08~~
I liked it, though. The man really can yell in print; and while reading this, I went to see "Religulous," which made me think the two personalities should get together and answer a few of each other's questions and have a laugh. Neither would walk away any more inclined to believe or be religious, but at least it would be more fun than trying to get answers from Mormons or any of the fundamentalists.
I'm also reading Eat, Pray, Love One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, as a strange juxtaposition, and I recently visited with my guru for the first time in at least five years. Even the most faithful side of my nature appreciated Me of Little Faith at the same time. Well done.
Four stars, and a happy recommendation.
~~copied from my Book Lust Journal, written Oct. '08~~
July 8, 2013
While the title suggests Black has little faith and though he lays out his gripes against various organized religions he does reveal his own brand of faith, which merely has little to do with dogma. I know plenty of very theologically conservative people who would react as he describes a former classmate's reaction (a letter seeking to lay out the evangelical Christian road to heaven). I'd like instead to see them actually read this book and consider some of what Black says because whether one agrees with his conclusion or not it provokes thought and gives some good laughs in the process. Though I do adhere to more orthodox belief than Black does I fully agree with him when he says we all need more thought and more laughter in our lives. Furthermore, I contend that being angered or threatened by mere differing viewpoints is indication that one actually lacks faith in whatever point of views they are most rabidly "defending."
January 14, 2016
Entertaining.
If you like Lewis Black's standup it's certainly worth a read. Quite funny in places and even on occasion a little melancholy. Never really profound in any way but it is a comical piece after all (not that comedy can't be profound, but this isn't that kind of comedy).
Don't expect any considered rebuttals to the multitude of religious idiocies in the world. However, Black is very good at holding up a mirror to those idiocies and that's where the most enjoyable aspects of this book come from.
Perfect if you want to kill a few hours chuckling at Black's typically angry, ascerbic wit.
If you like Lewis Black's standup it's certainly worth a read. Quite funny in places and even on occasion a little melancholy. Never really profound in any way but it is a comical piece after all (not that comedy can't be profound, but this isn't that kind of comedy).
Don't expect any considered rebuttals to the multitude of religious idiocies in the world. However, Black is very good at holding up a mirror to those idiocies and that's where the most enjoyable aspects of this book come from.
Perfect if you want to kill a few hours chuckling at Black's typically angry, ascerbic wit.
March 8, 2011
A little more than half way through and I'm giving up. I love his comedy, but this is non-fiction and he believes in psychics, out of body experiences, ghosts, angels, astrology, and auras. As a set of anecdotes and commentary it's entertaining and even funny at times, but his views are that of someone who is not a critical thinker. It falls over that line to where it's blather. Too bad. I adore his standup.
February 20, 2019
Black runs the gamut on his lifetime of evaluating just about every religion on the shopping list, but with more sincerity than you might imagine from such a famous curmudgeon. From Judaism to Christianity to a very fragile tip-toeing across Islam, as well as thoughts on the Amish, spiritual enlightenment, psychics, and even those who claim to see Jesus's face on inanimate objects, he's thoughtful and respectful to each, even if he does think it's mostly a bunch of hogwash.
What was more surprising, though, were moments like when he met a spiritual figure and swears he saw an aura of light around his head--without hallucinogens! These unexpected twists stun him even more, perhaps because he walks into them with even more skepticism only to find a sliver of legitimacy. In the end, though, you land where you expected: with a man born Jewish, turned atheist, but almost hoping he had something real to believe in. By the end, he compares comedy and religion in an honest way, as they both are mysterious, help people heal, offer hope and comfort, and turn out great crowds on the weekends.
As a reader, I was hoping for the culmination of something more, though I don't know what. This felt more like a hefty coffee book or a light comedy book than anything else. Fans, such as myself who've watched him for decades, will pick this up for the comedy and/or for a better understanding of Lewis as a person--his stand-up is very dramatic, to where he feels like a caricature, but not quite--and you want to know more about how he became "Lewis Black." It definitely does that, though it did leave me wanting more. Maybe it's my own skepticism of religion that made his thoughts feel so distant from mine, but in the end, it was a good book. Not great, and far from bad, but I think the very definition of "good."
What was more surprising, though, were moments like when he met a spiritual figure and swears he saw an aura of light around his head--without hallucinogens! These unexpected twists stun him even more, perhaps because he walks into them with even more skepticism only to find a sliver of legitimacy. In the end, though, you land where you expected: with a man born Jewish, turned atheist, but almost hoping he had something real to believe in. By the end, he compares comedy and religion in an honest way, as they both are mysterious, help people heal, offer hope and comfort, and turn out great crowds on the weekends.
As a reader, I was hoping for the culmination of something more, though I don't know what. This felt more like a hefty coffee book or a light comedy book than anything else. Fans, such as myself who've watched him for decades, will pick this up for the comedy and/or for a better understanding of Lewis as a person--his stand-up is very dramatic, to where he feels like a caricature, but not quite--and you want to know more about how he became "Lewis Black." It definitely does that, though it did leave me wanting more. Maybe it's my own skepticism of religion that made his thoughts feel so distant from mine, but in the end, it was a good book. Not great, and far from bad, but I think the very definition of "good."
December 3, 2017
I like Lewis Black, but he doesn't apply his skepticism and criticism equally in this book. He will harshly criticize conservative Christianity (and rightly so) on the one hand, but then he says he found great comfort in what a psychic had to say (for bad reasons, honestly) and even worse, he is really easy on reincarnation simply because he likes the idea of it. Worst of all, he lends credence to horoscopes and astrology, which is pretty obviously bullshit. I found myself asking how he could not see it, or even ask good questions about it. That was really disappointing. And I know he anticipated criticism for this, but it's still worth mentioning that he doesn't even touch Islam. He literally has a chapter (for less than a page) that says he won't touch the subject. Come on. If you're going to bash other religions, don't shy away from addressing them all, especially one as popular as Islam. It just seemed lazy and, at the risk of sounding too harsh, cowardly.
So to be clear, my issue with the book isn't that he agrees with things I don't agree with; my issue is that he doesn't apply the same level of skepticism and questioning to everything equally. To me, that's a big no-no if you're just going to shit on certain beliefs (in a funny way) that you think are stupid. The book ultimately just felt like a waste of time, minus getting some insights into Lewis Black's beliefs and a few laughs here and there.
So to be clear, my issue with the book isn't that he agrees with things I don't agree with; my issue is that he doesn't apply the same level of skepticism and questioning to everything equally. To me, that's a big no-no if you're just going to shit on certain beliefs (in a funny way) that you think are stupid. The book ultimately just felt like a waste of time, minus getting some insights into Lewis Black's beliefs and a few laughs here and there.
May 12, 2020
I absolutely think Lewis Black is one of the finest comedians of the modern day. However, his brand of comedy doesn't translate well to print. The book has its moments and he is at his best when he tells stories from his life, but a great deal of it is rants that really only work with his voice and the inflections he does to illustrate his points on stage. In written form, many of these fall flat or the meaning is convoluted. I also agree with another reviewer that you should skip the play that he includes that he did with Mark Linn-Baker of "Perfect Strangers" fame. I think both men are talented, but this is a play that hasn't aged well (done in 1981) and is not really all that great to begin with. Good for a laugh or two, but not the strongest book.
February 23, 2018
So this was everything I expected, and at the same time threw some curveballs. Lewis Black either does or does not believe in a higher power but he sure has a lot of fun exploring all the religions and religious figures along with his own beliefs. Catholics, Jews, psychics, wuwu, Hindus (yet he omits Muslims in the most hilarious way) all get the Lewis Black treatment. I have this on audiobook, which is a great way to "read" it because his simmering-anger inflection enhances the whole experience but I could only take it in short bursts. Coincidentally, I listened to the chapter on Billy Graham the day after Graham died.
April 21, 2019
Being of Jewish decent I laughed so hard at the description of chanukah gifts I could barely breath. Then when I got to the chapter about astrology, I was pretty much freaked out. Like Lewis, I am a virgo and like Lewis I was married to a Leo born on July 23rd and it was a nightmare. I hate to admit that I also skipped the play, I tried reading it, but I just did not enjoy that part. Otherwise, a great great book.
May 12, 2021
I found this book in my son's room after he died last year. I wanted to read something that was his that he had once read. I found it entertaining . I laughed out loud more then once while reading. I personally find religions fascinating, and other cultures. The only part I'd say I didn't enjoy was his 2 man act/ play . Reading that was not funny at all in my opinion. But overall an interesting & sometimes funny read.
June 12, 2017
I was attracted to the title and wanted to know more about the book and the author. It is a humor book but for a different audience than would include me. It is always a difficulty to judge a book that may be wonderful for someone else but leaves me cold. I like religious humor but not profane humor. Perhaps I am stogy and the author is hip. So be it.
December 24, 2017
Well, I really, really wanted to love this. I adore Lewis Black. I'm more than a little skeptical about organized religion, and I love to finish my year out with a comedic book that makes me laugh repeatedly. Unfortunately, there wasn't much LOLing for me on this one. There was plenty for me to like, and maybe even chuckle now and again, but much of it just didn't connect with me, not sure why.
March 31, 2021
I was aware of Lewis Black as a comedian who always seemed cynical and angry when he was doing his act. I discovered from this book there is more depth to this man than I would have thought. His best kept secret is that he is a kind and hopeful man. I still like his comedy, as he hits on things that many people find annoying, but when he leaves the stage he's one of the good guys
June 3, 2017
Even though I don't care for his anti-religion rants, I do find Lewis Black funny. The book is good for a few laughs. However, one of the longest chapters in the book, near the end, entitled "The Laundry Hour" is a total waste. It is bland and worthless. It's filler. That aside, it was a good read.
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