A Modern Man: The Best of George Carlin

by George Carlin

A new collection of greatest hits from one of the greatest comedians of our time, George Carlin, now the subject of the HBO documentary G eorge Carlin’s American Dream , directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio

George Carlin  “a true, true artist” (Chris Rock)…”the master” (Jon Stewart)…“one of the Mount Rushmore guys in our profession” (Jerry Seinfeld)…“the comedian’s comedian” (Jay Leno)…“an icon for comedy” (Margaret Cho)…”a deep thinker and a very, very funny man” (Lily Tomlin)…“one of my heroes” (Stephen Colbert)…“brilliant” (Joan Rivers)… You can’t talk about comedy legends without talking George Carlin. Named the greatest standup of all time by XM Radio’s “All Time Comedy Greats” (and #2 by both Comedy Central and Rolling Stone), Carlin garnered multiple gold records, 4 Grammys, 6 Emmy nominations, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was the first host of SNL, appeared on the  Tonight Show  some 130 times, and acted in beloved films like  Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure  and  Dogma . Dubbed “the dean of counterculture comedians,” there was no one like George Carlin. 
 
Featuring a foreword by Lewis Black and an introduction by Carlin's longtime best friend and manager,  A Modern Man  is a perfect introduction for new fans and a must-have for longtime fans, showcasing the longevity, range, and—above all—hilarity of the master. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiosities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other delicious verbal ordeals, it is drop-dead funny tour through Carlin’s singular mind. More than ten years after his death, Carlin’s characteristically ironic takes on life's annoying universal truths remain thoughtful, fearless, and somehow more relevant than ever.

 

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy

336 pages, Paperback

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

George Denis Patrick Carlin was a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, author and philosopher.

Carlin was especially noted for his political and black humor and his observations on language, psychology, and religion along with many taboo subjects. Carlin and his "Seven Dirty Words" comedy routine were central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's right to regulate Carlin's act on the public airwaves.

Carlin's mid-2000s stand-up routines focused on the flaws in modern-day America. He often took on contemporary political issues in the United States and satirized the excesses of American culture.

A disciple of Lenny Bruce, he placed second on the Comedy Central cable television network list of the 10 greatest stand-up comedians, ahead of Bruce and behind Richard Pryor. He was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era, and was also the first person to host Saturday Night Live.

Reviews

[Peter J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this a bit more than three stars, but couldn't really justify giving more for its drawbacks. The material itself is great and largely holds up (some of it frighteningly so). Lewis Black gives a great explanation for Carlin's greatness - that he will offend you, but in doing so make you examine what you believe to see how truly you believe it (I'm paraphrasing) - that I think serves the modern reader well as they go through the book. This leads me to the two major disappointments of the book. Based on the subtitle "The Best of George Carlin" and the presence of photos from throughout George's career I expected a true career retrospective, which this isn't. This is comprised of selections from his three late 90s to early 2000s books (Brain Droppings, Napalm & Silly Putty, and When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops are listed on the copyright page. I suspect reprinting / repurposing material the publisher already had was the path of least resistance. The second problem - also caused by using just three titles from Carlin's extensive career - is that every so often a bit (not a whole bit, but a joke or two typically a brain dropping appearing in a larger essay or thought) gets repeated. This may not a have mattered much when books were years apart, but here it feels cheap. The material is five star, but the package drags it down. Carlin deserves a more thorough and well considered best of.

[Don Siegrist · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some really funny stuff in here. Thats no surprise of course, because its George Carlin, but some of his bits go on a little too long. His fixation on euphemisms, for instance. I was also surprised how angry the man is. I know its just his act, but he seems to have a visceral hatred for almost everyone and gleefully dreams of the awful misfortunes that he hopes will befall them. Often funny but borderline demented. Last but not least, he professes to believe we as a species are all doomed. He has such a low opinion of humanity that he holds out absolutely no hope we will survive for much longer. And as far as he is is concerned the sooner we all die the better. Again, I know its an act but after awhile it gets depressing. But I guess I am a bit demented because I did laugh quite a bit. Worth reading for the chuckles.

[Kyriakos Sorokkou]

George Carlin died on this day, 22 June. My grandmother died yesterday on this same day. Silly association but that’s how my brain works.

She was my favourite person and he my favourite stand up comedian.
She was always positive and optimistic, he was the other way round.

I don’t remember when I first met him. Certainly on YouTube, videos on religion. Probably 10 years ago.

A few years ago I found that there’s an omnibus 900 pages long containing all his 3 books including material from his stand up acts. But as always with books I want the end up out of print.

So this one was the most accessible. A kind of abridged 3 x Carlin. Certainly I’ll buy the full version a few years later.

Some people found it repetitive but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed every part of it. And in certain parts I was laughing out loud.
Maybe for the uninitiated he might sound a misanthrope and a cynic. But there’s a lot of truths about the absurdies of life. Religion - Politics - Media - Pop Culture and America in general.

[Stuart Brynien · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That signpost up ahead! Your next stop: The Carlin Zone." That's the advisory that SHOULD be plastered across the cover of this often pitch-black compilation of the late comedian's writings (there are corners of the Carlin Zone that are very dark and shadowy, indeed), culled largely from his stand-up appearances, concerts, and recordings. He was so much more than the Hippy-Dippy Weatherman (a spaced-out character he played, sometimes on the old Ed Sullivan show, early in his career); he was also much more than the counterculture icon gleefully putting together lists of words they wouldn't him say over the air. He had strong political views, and a skewed, deeply ironic perspective on virtually everything. "A Modern Man" will make you laugh--a lot--as it barrels along from beautifully crafted one-liners (he was a fabulous writer) to thought-provoking essay-length observations, and more. (One favorite: according to Carlin, the last thing you want to hear from your new girlfriend is that she'd like you to meet her father. What you REALLY want to hear from her is that dear old Dad is dead. Less aggravation that way!) You may not agree with all of it--heck, after a while you'll start to wonder if even the man himself agreed with it all, or if he's just putting us on--and some of it may even make you cringe. But you'll be having such a grand old time that you won't even care. And it's never a bad thing to discover new ways of looking at life--or, yes, even death--is it? Read it with a box of Kleenex nearby. You'll be shedding grateful tears of joy on every page.

[Andy Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this hoping that it was going to be funnier- I was disappointed.

While the introduction from Lewis Black was very accurate- about Carlin challenging how you view things- it just wasn't as funny. Perhaps it's because you don't get to hear him deliver it. Perhaps it didn't age well- even though there are several good points.

I think from my perspective- I expected this book to be funnier- and it wasn't. Don't get me wrong- I got some smiles, a few chuckles- but it wasn't as hilarious as I was expecting. And perhaps that is my fault, when I have high expectations going into a book like this- if it's not hilarious, then I'm let down.

Don't get me wrong, Carlin is a great stand up comic- but a lot of these jokes are meant to be heard- not read.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best to ever do it.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read George Carlin in 15 years. He's been dead for about as long, so when this book came out, I bought this on impulse, thinking that a book released so many years post-mortem had to be a biography. (Spoiler: it's not.)

There isn't a lot of content here that wasn't already covered in his other books. It felt like a remix of those--maybe the Bush-era content was new? Not sure. It's definitely not worth buying if you already own George Carlin's other books.

I enjoyed the intro by Lewis Black and Carlin's manager. Although short, that provided an interesting perspective into the man that George Carlin was. It made me wish all the more it had been a biography, because he didn't sound like a very happy person at all.

As for the content of the book, my feelings were mixed. As already mentioned, most of the content was regurgitated from his other books. Some of the content I really enjoyed, e.g., strategizing how to maximize TV ratings for the All-Suicide Channel, or his blistering take on the euphemism treadmill. However, other bits just felt mean, like a crotchety old man complaining for the sake of complaining. I cringed at those. There is social commentary that is caustic but funny, and then there's just complaining... the latter just made me cringe. It's been so long since I've read George Carlin that I can't remember if the more negative content is in fact new, or if I have read those bits before and they just didn't bother me as much when I was a teen.

[Daisy Jou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five Stars and more for George Carlin. Four stars for The book. There are some writings that are not shown in some video clips we currently can watch on youtube. I just love him so much personally. He is not only a comedian but a great philosopher of our times. I also love his little memoir written by Jerry Hamza. George didn't grow up in a healthy family. It reminds me that people who grow up without a good father figure have problems connecting with society or have much potential to disrespect the authority or be a sociopath. All in all, He is a Great Artist. There is laugher and bitterness in his work that implies all of our more lives...He is the Modern Shakespeare to me!!!

[Ivy Soener · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Carlin and I generally like his stand-up, but whatever editor cobbled together these bits did a poor job. So much of it felt like the same information or the same jokes just told slightly differently. I honestly felt like I could read the first 100 pages and it would have been the same as reading all 300. Wonderful insights because George is philosophical in a way, but poor editing.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rehash of When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, Napalm & Silly Putty, and Brain Droppings

I realize he's been dead for 15 years and the material can't exactly be new, but there's more to George Carlin's material than four rehashings of the same euphemism bit - ya know, expiring like a magazine subscription, terminal episodes, therapeutic misadventures...

I did enjoy the intros from Lewis Black and his agent Jerry Hamza. I feel like the content of the book itself could have been better arranged though. Next time I get a hankering for a dose of George, I'll just pick up 3 x Carlin: An Orgy of George including Brain Droppings, Napalm and Silly Putty, and When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? off my shelf, which is all three of his above mentioned books in one.

[Ann Herrold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this might have been a mistake. I've loved Carlin's comedy for a long time but after watching the HBO special on his life and reading this it is hard to know how committed he was to nihilism. I know that there is a huge debate over how much comics can say but this was honestly depression at times. It showed a man succumbing to his own mental things and while that is understandable, especially considering the state of things, but it is also irresponsible to say that you enjoy people dying. I think that hope is a responsibility and a discipline. Carlin clearly had such a bright mind and was so talented, it's just sad where he ended up.

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rather give it a 3.5
I like George Carlin quite a lot, but this book, being a collection of previous published texts, was not quite what I wanted to read.
First it has a huge amount of complaining about euphemisms; in various form(at)s. I think they were too many, despite many of them are quite OK to complain about.
Some bits were plain not interesting enough for me (the ones about sports in USA).
And some pieces are , indeed, better being spoken by Carlin, then reading them on yourself from the book; because Carlin's voice and his stand-up style makes them much enjoyable than simply reading them from a book.
A few are even too ... misanthropic; even for George Carlin :D

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carlin, for my money, is the best stand-up comic ever. Hence, it is no surprise that I enjoyed this collection of his writings and some of his best lines. Lewis Black, appropriately, has written the forward. Carlin is magical with the use of language and some of his best material in this book revolves around euphemisms. The book also has a selection of pictures of Carlin from childhood until right before his death - providing some perspective on the length of his career. Highly recommend - even for non-Carlin fans.

[Kenneth Goldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlin is as politically incorrect as ever, and that's why his fans love him so much. It's impossible to read his routines without hearing his voice in all its sarcasm. Using his own chapter of Things You'll Never Hear Anyone Say --- George Carlin is such a pussy cat. Well, maybe he is --- one that has never been declawed. This book is laugh out loud funny, but in the middle of your guffaws you just may stop and think.

[Jason Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, but of course it’s George Carlin. This is a biased review and I don’t care because I am a huge Carlin fan. He’s one of the GOATs in stand up, and even though this was a “best of” book, I still laughed at every page. Carlin makes you laugh, he makes you think, and he makes you wonder what would George say… I would have loved to hear what he said about Trump, Covid, and everything else since his death.
Check this book out, you won’t be disappointed.

[John Schorg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The master at his best. Since it's a collection of greatest hits from earlier books, it's not essential, but it's helpful to have one volume on hand for reading when you're engaged in sedentary activity like sitting on the can. Wish it had the glorious work on the seven words, and the incomplete list of impolite words...

[Angie Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foreword by Lewis Black who clearly admired George Carlin.

"Interview with Jesus" still makes me laugh. Some of the material was rough & raw and may not sit well these days. Other bits still brilliant. Definitely, not the same as watching Carlin perform.

[Ashiish V Patil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Carlin. You will laugh and you will think. And/ or you will think and you will laugh. Wish her were around to share his unfiltered view in his wicked pull no punches style about the world, politics, social media, life, and more.

[Robert Sparrenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excerpts from George. Some of it is quite amusing and true and some of this material I wasn’t too fond of. It’s funnier when you can hear his voice and the inflections that he uses. Still a fun read of a lot of his material over the years.

[Rayfes Mondal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great comedian who spanned many decades. Loved his wit and insight along with his commentary on linguistics. Many of his observations (on religion and war) continue to be relevant today

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the foreword of the book promised. This book made you think. And I enjoyed parts of it. But other parts just felt like incoherent ramblings.

[Paul Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some wit and wisdom. Some things that are really funny. Some ranting of a troubled and bitter man.

[Gina G · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither interesting nor funny

[Kat Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love Carlin wish they chose fewer stories. They became very repetitive.

[Harry Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not every ejaculation deserves a name

[William Brandley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlin tells the truth.

[Federico Kereki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, but I wish the book made it clear that this was just a selection from Carlin's books.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love george carlin but a lot that was in this doesn’t transfer from spoken to written and the short take sections were way too long, could have been at the very end

[AleXander Hirka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carlin's amazing insight and wit survive in fragments amidst a very poorly put together book.

[Tam Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

great man not afraid to tell it like it is