Comedian Steve Martin is not only a talented performer on stage and screen but also a highly prolific writer.

His collection of short comedic essays has graced the pages of renowned publications like the New Yorker and many others.

What makes his written work truly unique is that his brand of humor in writing differs significantly from the slapstick movie style that he is also known for.

His pieces, such as "Schrodinger's Cat," are sly, thought-provoking, and sophisticated. They have the remarkable ability to simultaneously amuse the reader and boggle the mind.

Martin's writing takes the reader on a journey through his witty and creative mind, presenting ideas and concepts in a way that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating.

Whether you are a fan of his comedic performances or simply appreciate well-written humor, his collection of essays is sure to delight and engage.

It offers a fresh perspective on the world of comedy and showcases Martin's versatility as an artist.

Overall, his written work is a testament to his talent and creativity, and it continues to charm and entertain readers around the world.

Some reviewers seem to be annoyed by the fact that this book is not simply the King Tut skit. Instead, it is, as you know, really clever writing.

I, on the other hand, liked it very much. In fact, I definitely chuckled out loud on many occasions. And, as is often the case with Steve Martin's writing, I was struck by the surprising tenderness of "Bad Dog".

The book offers a unique blend of humor and depth. It goes beyond the surface-level entertainment of a simple skit and delves into more profound emotions and themes.

Steve Martin's writing style is engaging and witty, making it a pleasure to read. His ability to create characters and situations that are both relatable and entertaining is truly remarkable.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clever writing, humor, and a touch of tenderness. It is a book that will make you laugh out loud and also leave you with something to think about.

I am not a fan of comedy books written by comedians. They often seem tired and are poorly written. However, "The Pure Drivel" was an exception. It was absolutely hilarious. I truly loved this book. Sadly, I loaned it to a friend who also adored it and then moved away with it.

There isn't a great deal to say about the book other than it is a stream of consciousness by Steve Martin. That fact alone should be enough to sell the book. But if you require more incentive to read it, let's pretend I'm holding your loved one hostage until you do. Of course, I'd never actually do that, but it's a fun pretence. Every day that you don't read the book, I'll only provide your loved one with 3 meals and no desserts. Just think about the suffering you would be subjecting them to.

This book is not new.

It has been in existence for a while, yet I just managed to get around to reading it.

I am glad that I waited because I believe it was the perfect moment for me to read a bit of what some might consider drivel.

Surprisingly, this drivel turned out to be a sort of tonic during the last few depressing days.

As I read each essay, I could vividly hear Steve's delivery in my mind.

Admittedly, not all of the essays are absolute winners, but that didn't matter to me at all.

He manages to amuse me a whopping 99% of the time.

Thank goodness for that!

It's truly a blessing to have such a source of entertainment and light-heartedness in the midst of the gloom.

His words have the power to lift my spirits and make me forget about the troubles for a while.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else this book has in store for me.

Maybe there are more hidden gems of humor and wit waiting to be discovered.

Who knows? But one thing is for sure, I'm enjoying this reading experience immensely.

The first few essays (or perhaps they could be called articles of drivel?) were truly hilarious. I couldn't help but read them aloud, in their entirety, to my partner. All the while, I was trying my hardest not to burst out laughing.

However, the remainder of the essays did not amuse me to quite the same extent, although they were still rather entertaining. Some of them read like the account of a dream. For instance, Sharon crossing her legs in the middle of having sex with Steve, and then suddenly her publicist is there as well, chiming into a completely tangential conversation.

I am a big fan of Martin's unique brand of silly-but-sharp comedy. I understand that this style of writing will not appeal to everyone's taste. But for me, it provides a welcome escape from the mundane and a chance to have a good laugh.

Overall, I found this collection of essays to be an enjoyable read, despite the fact that not every single one of them was a knockout. It's always refreshing to come across writing that is unafraid to be a little bit absurd and push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable or normal.

Meh.

This particular work is not nearly as funny as Steve Martin's other stuff.

Steve Martin is widely known for his comedic genius and has produced many hilarious works throughout his career.

However, this one seems to fall short in comparison.

It lacks the wit, charm, and unique humor that is characteristic of his other creations.

Perhaps it's because of the subject matter or the way it's presented.

Whatever the reason, it just doesn't have the same impact as his previous works.

Nonetheless, Steve Martin's body of work is still highly regarded, and this one should not overshadow his many other comedic achievements.

Hopefully, he will continue to produce more hilarious content in the future.

Witty, dry, and full of ridiculousness, the talented Steve Martin is truly one of a kind!

His unique perspective on the banal aspects of life shines through in all of his works. With a sharp wit and a keen eye for the absurd, he manages to find humor and meaning in the most ordinary of situations.

What sets Martin apart is his ability to deliver a last-second intelligent uppercut, driving home his point with a clever twist or a unexpected punchline. Whether it's through his stand-up comedy, his writing, or his acting, he always manages to leave his audience in stitches and with a newfound appreciation for the world around them.

Steve Martin is definitely an original, and his contributions to the world of entertainment will be remembered for years to come. His work is a testament to the power of humor and the ability to find joy in the simplest of things.

Pure genius.

Pure funny.

Pure… indeed, it's a word that begins to seem rather strange when repeated numerous times in succession. Pure Pure Pure Pure Pure Pure Pure Pure. It sounds as if you're engaged in playing with a toy spaceship and creating the sounds of a laser gun.

Anyway, this is a truly remarkable book penned by a genuine comic genius.

The author's ability to infuse humor and wit into every page is simply outstanding.

The storylines are engaging, the characters are vivid, and the dialogue is both clever and hilarious.

It's a book that will have you laughing out loud from start to finish.

Whether you're a fan of comedy or simply looking for an entertaining read, this book is definitely worth checking out.

You won't be disappointed.

This is my very first attempt at reading anything penned by Steve Martin. And I have to confess that I am now eagerly seeking out more of his fiction because this book was truly amazing.

Overall, this is a hilarious book consisting of 23 short stories. Some of these pieces are so brief that they could easily be regarded as flash fiction. Without a doubt, all of them can be considered literature of the absurd. For instance, "The Sledgehammer: How It Works" is precisely what the title implies, and yet there is so much more to it. Another favorite of mine was the closing piece, "A Word From the Words," in which the words, letters, and even the question mark have the final say, so to speak. Most of the tales are so absurd that they can truly be regarded as sublime.

If you are a fan of Steve Martin's stand-up routines, then you should grab this book without delay. It exists on the same plane as the best of his stand-up comedy and loses nothing when presented on the page. The genius of Steve Martin truly knows no limits, as this book repeatedly demonstrates (at least 23 times).

"Pure Drivel" has been an amazing companion in my current adventure of reading funny things.

If I were to give a name to these snippets, I would classify them as flash comedy, borrowing the term from flash fiction. They are short bursts of semi stand-up comedy, just as one would expect from Steve Martin.

The lower rating of 2 stars is because of the hit or miss nature of these few-page riffs.

However, there were some sections that made me laugh out loud. I highly recommend "Mars Probe Finds Kittens" for both its ridiculous premise and the way it's executed. When scientists studied these kittens in a test chamber, it was truly hilarious.

P.23...

6am: Kitten appears to sleep.

7:02am: Kitten wakes, darts from one end of the cage to another for no apparent reason.

7:14am: Kitten runs up the wall of the cage, leaps onto another kitten for no apparent reason.

7:22am: Kitten lies on its back and punches another kitten for no apparent reason.

7:30am: Kitten leaps, stops, days left, stops abruptly, climbs the wall, clings for 2 seconds, falls on its head, darts right for no apparent reason.

7:51am: Kitten parses the first sentence of the lead editorial in the daily newspaper, which is at the bottom of the chamber.

The last behavior turns out to be an anomaly. YA THINK?

As I mentioned in my progress update, the following tidbit also tickled my funny bone and wouldn't let go. "Times Roman Font Announces Shortage of Periods" It's a punctuation nerd's dream come true when Martin writes an entire piece without periods until the end!

First paragraph for your enjoyment... Then read the rest for yourself!

P.30 "Representatives of the popular Times Roman font, who recently announced a shortage of periods, have offered other substitutes - inverted commas, exclamation marks, and semi-colons until the period crisis is able to be overcome by people such as yourself, who, through creative management of surplus punctuation, can perhaps allay the constant demand for periods, whose heavy usage in the last ten years, not only in English but in virtually every language in the world, is creating a burden on writers everywhere, thus generating a litany of comments such as: What the hell am I supposed to do without my periods? How am I going to write? Isn't this a terrible disaster? Are they crazy? Won't this just create misuse of other, less interesting punctuation???"

I'm reminded of my recent noble attempt to culturally enrich myself by reading "Swann's Way" by Marcel Proust. Unfortunately, I didn't have the perseverance to keep digging for diamonds hidden within page-long passages, no matter how beautiful and poetic the prose was. Perhaps there was a shortage of periods back then as well??? I have a lot of admiration for those who can make it through Proust's entire "Remembrance of Time Past".

I hear that Steve Martin has a new book out, so I'll do my best to get my hands on a copy!

When I was at University, which was quite a while ago sadly, they would hold a little book sale now and then in one of the buildings. There were just a few tables with boxes full of second-hand books to peruse. I saw this and had a flick through it. At first, I was surprised as I only knew of Steve Martin as an actor. So, I immediately decided I'd buy it, as I was intrigued to find out what his writing was like. I quickly caught a bus back to my hall of residence and began reading.

It only took a few pages to know that I'd really enjoy this little collection of humorous essays. I was immediately drawn to his irreverent light tone and breezy style. Each little piece is pretty short and totally varied in subject matter. I think they were first published as separate pieces in some American newspaper, but they work as a collection very nicely and flow from one to the next seamlessly. Some of the essays brought a smile to my face and a few even made me chuckle. He does have his own peculiar little brand of humour that I really felt a connection to in some way. It's quite wry and a little dry maybe, and sometimes slightly surreal as well in places. It just feels very Steve Martin, which is what you essentially want of course.

I think this would be a great reading choice if you're feeling a bit blue and need a cheer up. It has that great comfort factor to it, as well as being amusing. It almost has a sunny, warm, Los Angeles glow emanating from the pages. Lovely stuff!

Its poignancy can easily surprise you when it peeks out between laughs. This unexpected contrast is what makes certain experiences or moments truly memorable. One might be engaged in a lighthearted conversation, filled with jokes and laughter, when suddenly a hint of sadness or a profound thought emerges. It's like a brief shadow that crosses the otherwise sunny landscape of the moment. This poignancy can add depth and complexity to our emotions, making us realize that life is not always just about the laughter. It can also make us more empathetic, as we catch a glimpse of the underlying feelings that others may be experiencing. Whether it's a shared memory that brings a tear to the eye or a realization that makes us pause and reflect, the poignancy that peeks out between laughs has the power to touch our hearts and leave a lasting impression.