Often times comedians think that they cannot learn from a book. That comedy has to be tested and tried in front of an audience before they can confirm what they were told works, actually works.
I am a big believer in learning from others before me. This means mistakes, surprises, and success. With so many books available to comedians I wanted to highlight books that can teach you about the art and science of comedy as well as some books that have become income sources for comedians because they took the step of writing everyday and learning that comedy doesn’t just happen on a stage or screen.
NOTE: All of these books can be bought on Amazon and are linked throughout the article. Not all are available as Kindle but most are.
Biographies
There is always someone who blazed the path before us. If we as comedians can learn from them and study their journey it can often cut years off of our growth and help us with any missteps we might have had along the way. Here are some of the best comedy biographies I have found in my comedy journey.
Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin
If there ever was a book that gave you a full journey of a comedian it would be this book. I have read it probably fifty times since I started performing stand up. The book covers Steve Martin’s life coming from a magician and banjo player at Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland to one of the biggest comedians of all time. Martin gives you a look behind the work and mistakes he made as well as why he stepped away from stand up and went onto film. This book is one of those books that every comedian should own and read every year.
Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow
If you have ever wanted to sit down and pick the brains of some of the greatest comedians of all time this is the book for you. From Steve Allen to Jerry Seinfeld (twice) this book is the who’s who of comedy. Judd Apatow talked to and transcribed all these interviews into a book that should cost more than what it is sold for. This one book will open your eyes and mind to how comedians think and give you a window into the differences and similarities all comedians share.
Seinlanguage by Jerry Seinfeld
Seinfeld was the number one show in America for years. With the resurgence of the show on streaming services, it will be a mainstay in American pop culture for years to come. Not only do you get a look into Jerry Seinfeld’s life but you get to see the bits and jokes from the show written down which helps you break down the jokes of Jerry Seinfeld in a way you might otherwise ever be able to do before. I love reading it when I am working on a joke and get stuck because it makes me reevaluate the way I am coming at a joke and end up with a punchline that was better than I could have thought of before I was inspired by Seinlanguage.
I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart is one of the most inspirational comedians of our generation. With hit stand up specials, sold-out arenas, and stadiums as well as blockbuster movies Kevin Hart should be the level all comedians aspire to attain. This book is not only a glimpse at the road that brought Kevin Hart from unknown Philly comedian to superstar but it is a book that will motivate you when you are mad you bombed at an open mic or couldn’t connect with a crowd. Something about Kevin Hart makes me want to go out on a run, ending up on stage, and killing the room even when I feel like giving up on comedy.
It’s Not Easy Bein’ Me: A Lifetime of No Respect but Plenty of Sex and Drugs by Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield actually gave up on comedy and then came back in his 40’s to dominate the stage and screen for most of the 1980s and ’90s. Rodney (real name Jack Roy) had quit comedy and went back to a nine to five life. But once you are bitten by the comedy bug it is hard to give it up. He made a come back in the 1970s and the rest became history. As one of the best comedians with a catchphrase and jokes tied to it he was an inspiration for later comedians and helped many including Jim Carrey get their start.
How To And Guide Books
How to Write Funny: Your Serious, Step-By-Step Blueprint For Creating Incredibly, Irresistibly, Successfully Hilarious Writing (Book 1 & 2) by Scott Dikkers
If you have ever read The Onion you have probably read something by Scott Dikkers. His style of comedy has created parody, copycat, and even rip-offs of The Onion. In his two books, Scott Dikkers distills comedy and what creates comedy into lessons and skills any comedian and comedy writer could need to get better at making others laugh. If there was a college course for comedy these two books would be required reading.
Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV: How to Write Monologue Jokes, Desk Pieces, Sketches, Parodies, Audience Pieces, Remotes, and Other Short-Form Comedy by Joe Toplyn
Late Night TV is still a hotbed of comedy. With Twitter and YouTube blowing up comedians’ careers it is often on late-night TV they land. Joe Toplyn spent over fifteen years writing and creating late-night TV. This book is like a bible for late-night TV writers or those who want to write for late-night TV like Conan, Kimmel. Fallon or the like. Not only will it help you if you want to write for late-night but it will help you understand how to find the funny in the everyday.
The New Comedy Writing Step by Step: Revised and Updated with Words of Instruction, Encouragement, and Inspiration from Legends of the Comedy Profession by Gene Perret
There are a million ways to write a joke but there is one person who has mastered them all. His name is Gene Perret. As a writer for some of the most iconic comedians including Phyliss Diller and Bob Hope, Perrett had to learn to write jokes on demand every day and keep them coming no matter how tired, empty, or bad he felt. Through this one book, he teaches how to become the best joke writer and never empty the well that sometimes leads to writer’s block.
Playfully Inappropriate: The Fun Way To Write Comedy by Jared Volle
There are smart people and then there is Jared Volle. If there was a PhD in Comedy Jared Volle would have one. In his book Playfully Inappropriate, Volle takes what seems like simple concepts and blows your mind. He helps decipher what makes a joke work and how you can constantly and with great accuracy make it work with every joke you write. There is no doubt that by reading this book (several dozen times) will improve your comedy and comedy writing to the point that it becomes a superpower.
How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit: A Guide To Making Money In Stand Up Comedy by James D. Creviston
Too many comedians spend too many years hunting for more stage time and some kind of pay. Frustrated that it was taking too long to get more stage time in Los Angeles, James D. Creviston started producing his own shows. He was able to pull A level headliners like Dwayne Perkins, Jenna Kim Jones, and Don Friesen. All while paying every comedian on the lineup as well as making some money himself. Through the lessons taught in the book, you will be able to book, produce, and fund shows that will help you make money while getting as much stage time as you could ever want.
Humorous Books
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan is always known as the “food” comedian. With a book titled Dad Is Fat you can safely assume that a lot of what is in the book is about food. This book works on so many levels; as a gift, if you are a dad or if you like food. Dad Is Fat is a great way to laugh at ourselves through Gaffigan’s life and musings.
Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas by Tom Papa
Tom Papa is a 1950’s father that was teleported to the twenty-first century. His book reminds us that Dad’s were once the kings of the castle who now spend more time trying to fit in with their kindergartners than actual bing adults. I love Tom Papa so this book hits me in places I never saw coming all while having the Papa brand of humor. Sadly the book doesn’t have his famous sourdough recipe, otherwise, it’s perfect.
Riddles for the Easily Confused by Jonas Polsky
Jonas Polsky might be one of the smartest comedians you’ve never heard of. With his podcast, The Jokes For Today his wit and snarky style come through even more with Riddles For The Easily Confused. With silly stories and wild writing Jonas has something for everyone in his book. This book proves that with enough creativity and some hard work comedy can make you laugh and think.
The Amy Binegar-Kimmes-Lyle Book of Failures: A funny memoir of missteps, inadequacies and faux pas by Amy Lyle
Everyone has had a bad day. Amy Lyle has had more than her fair share and her Book Of Failures is a great read anytime you think you are failing at life. Her adventures in dating, working, mothering, and just being a person. I love this book because we all loving at someone else even when and maybe especially more when our own lives seem to be crumbling all around us.
These books should be a good start on your comedy journey. With information in every aspect of comedy from writing and performing to getting paid and becoming a great comedian. There is so much in each other these books there is sure to be something that helps you make it to the next level of your comedy career.