From Kirkus Reviews
Abounding yuks, chuckles, guffaws, rip-snorts--though few side-splitters--in this free-form compendium of Carlin's comedy stylings. A growing number of modern comics, from Bill Cosby to Tim Allen, have enjoyed a profitable sideline in adapting their shtick (with varying degrees of success) to the exigencies of the written word. Now veteran stand-up comic Carlin takes his own shot at authorship. Unlike many niche comics, who focus on a limited range of subjects built around an easily typecast persona, Carlin has a protean talent, and his book is a kind of mini-encyclopedia of humor, ranging from wretched puns (``The lazy composer still has several scores to settle''), to Steven Wrightstyle one-liners (``I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed''), to classically structured jokes (``I got a chest x-ray last month, and they found a spot on my lung. Fortunately, it was barbecue sauce''). He also offers a number of longer comic meditations on subjects as diverse as sports and grief, while avoiding such stale stand-up staples as airline food and 7-11s. Carlin has an unusual concern with language, combining a grammarian's precision with a sharp eye for the absurd: ``Favorite oxymorons: nondairy creamer, death benefits, holy war.'' He is less successful when he examines things he deeply cares about, like politics and justice. His anger is too close to the surface, his otherwise latent didacticism too blatant. Many of the jokes, taken straight from Carlin's act, suffer from being reduced to the printed page. With the right timing, the right droll delivery, they would be hilarious, but here, without help, they fall flat. Carlin succeeds admirably, though not without qualification. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
... few funnymen are better suited for the page than Carlin. -- Entertainment Weekly
From the Back Cover
The thinking person's comic who uses words as weapons, George Carlin shares all-new, cutting-edge opinion and observational humor in Brain Droppings. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiosities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other verbal ordeals, Brain Droppings is infectiously funny. Carlin unleashes his opinions on "People Who Should Be Phased Out" (guys with creases in their jeans, people who know a lot of prayers by heart) and "Seven Things I'm Tired Of" (geeks with Walkmans, clothing with writing on it, having to read cloud descriptions in a book). He even offers the never-before-revealed "Guide to Dining Out" (order unusual things: a chopped corn sandwich with diced peas and rye potato chips). From nonsense such as "Eventually there will come a time when everyone is in a band" to the ultimately profound "It is impossible to dry one hand", you'll get a look inside Carlin's mind, and you won't be disappointed. Carlin demolishes everyday values and yet leaves you laughing out loud. You'll learn what he thinks of sports fans, how he would improve the TV networks, his suggestions for Legal Murder Once a Month, and his plan for World Peace Through Constant Dancing. Also included are two classic Carlin monologues - "A Place for My Stuff" and "Baseball and Football".
About the Author
George Carlin (1937-2008), a celebrated stand-up comedian, actor, social critic and author, was best known for his irreverent, dark comedy and reflections on American society. Carlin was once dubbed “the dean of counterculture comedians” and has been regarded as one of the most influential stand-up comics of his time. He filmed his first HBO special in 1977 and appeared on The Tonight Show over 130 times.
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