The "Late Night With David Letterman" Book of Top Ten Lists

by David Letterman

A popular late evening television host presents a collection of his most outrageous Top Ten Lists, arguing that the fourth best reason for reading his material is that the book has been made from criminal trees that deserved to die. Reprint.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy, Tv, Reference, Politics

176 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

David Michael Letterman is an Emmy Award-winning American television host and comedian. His first major success occurred on the long-running NBC television program, Late Night with David Letterman, before moving to CBS in 1993 to his current place on the Late Show.

Letterman's ironic, often absurd comedy is heavily influenced by former Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen, Johnny Carson and Jack Paar.

Reviews

[Greg]

This isn't really a five star book. My 16 year old self would have rated this a five, and since I read it a bunch of times when I was 16 and I found it endlessly funny it gets five stars for that. I'd probably rate it three stars now, but I don't think I could find myself sitting down to read it.

[Emily D.]

A couple good chuckles

[Matthew Holder]

I once was sitting in a college class where a student said something about how he/she didn't find Walt Whitman that important/good/revolutionary. The professor responded that the student needed to understand that an English major might have trouble seeing how important Whitman was, since Whitman had reshaped the world so thoroughly that the student now partly lived in the world Whitman had created.

Letterman's like Whitman, too, having reshaped a part of the world to suit himself, even though when I was a kid, Saturday Night Live meant a lot more to me.

When Johnny Carson retired, everybody fell all over themselves to say how there would never be another person like him. Weirdly, though, Letterman is just like him, in that they both as so cool that they sit in judgment of everyone and everything, and we acknowledge their right to judge. The true core of coolness is a willingness to work at something obsessively without ever taking it seriously, which both of these men perfected. This quality is often disparaged by people who hate irony, but they are wrong to fear it. Irony doesn't prevent a person from working, it ALLOWS them to work, to give themselves to a work even though it the back of their mind, they must know how silly caring about anything is.

[Scott Gillespie]

The Top Ten Reasons To Read The Book of Top Ten Lists

10. It’s a quicker read than Shōgun.
9. The 1980’s topical references you remember.
8. Keeps the hot side hot, and the cool side cool.
7. The 1980’s topical references you don’t remember.
6. Written before Dave looked like a goofy prophet.
5. Size and shape of book is perfect for swatting bugs and butts.
4. Nostalgia! Nostalgia! Nostalgia!
3. A treasure trove for short attention spans.
2. A reminder that the GOP was always awful.
1. Funnier than the World Health Organization’s “Top 10 Causes of Death.”

[Jeremy Arkes]

Fun thing to do is read the list without looking at the title and try to guess the title.

[Sheehan]

packed for NYC trip, it was entertaining for a flight, but not much more.

Enjoyed being reminded of topical 80s trivia and David Letterman show, but beyond that sort of meh

[Mike]

a funny little visit with an old friend

[Megan]

The humor did not age well.

[Lisa]

#80 of 120 books pledged to read during 2023

[DEBBIE BERESFORD]

Enjoyed the book but because it is older, and some of the topics are based around the time the book was written they didn't have the same punch.

[Melissa Mclees]

This book surely had a lot of lists in this book, but I don't see what the purpose of those lists were exactly for, I mean what do they serve a purpose for? It was humourous though. I did like to read it, but what did I learn from it, other than knowing that Mr. Letterman is a very opinionated person? nothing!

[Aaron]

Just my kind of humor. It makes me chuckle a whole bunch. I especially enjoyed the plans for an end table by Norm Abram in the back. I might make one.

[Kaethe]

Sure, it's essentially ephemera, but at the time, I was delighted. I may like it more now, knowing how much Merrill Markoe was responsible for it.

[Chris Gager]

Picked up at the town transfer station and now headed for trivia-dom.

All done now... some of the stuff was dated and I skipped those but overall I'd say it was typical Dave. Wise-ass and absurdist and a bit sophomoric. Good stuff!

[Tony]

My grade = 78% - C

I only read this one because someone with OC Disorder added 100 questions on this book to the Goodreads Neverending Book Quiz.

I originally read it when it first came out - sometime in the late 80's (?) and it has truly and obviously become dated.

[Molly]

Very odd, but good.

[Primadonna]

Would've enjoyed it more if I recognize all of the names he mentioned. :)

[Leonard Pierce]

Hey, remember the late '80s and early '90s? When David Letterman had hair? And I was not so lame that I was going to bed hours before his show came on? Yeah, he was pretty funny then.

[Craig]

Hilarious collection of classic Letterman humor. It's like watching TV in convenient book form!

[Ryan]

The original - very funny stuff.

[Kat]

Didn't think this book was as funny as I thought it was going to be. Glad it's short, didn't want to waste many hours reading it.

[Bill Shannon]

Brilliant.

[Devi]

I honestly read it just so I can say I read it. Most of the lists weren't that funny. Of course, I was a toddler when most of this stuff was relevant.

[Tim Gillen]

Fun light read. Humorous look back at topics that were current events long ago.

[pati]

A bit dated, but still it is Dave Letterman, and he is a funny guy!

[Fishface]

Ultimate bathroom reading!

[Memoree]

Ah, a classic really.

[Jdar]

Fun in a "remember the late '80's kinda way" without the cocaine.

[Matt Kelly]

I was in high school when Late Night with David Letterman was at its peak in the early to late 80s.