Rating: 
Summary: Definitely laughing with you!
Review: This book should be required reading for anyone interested in seeing "Man on the Moon." This is THE book on Andy, providing valuable insights into childhood that the movie does not reveal. I've seen reviewers say that Carrey's portrayal of Andy was one-dimensional. The point that Zemhe makes in this book is that Kauffman was a very complicated man, with some of his actions contradicting his own standards. There were so many faces to the man. Therefore, Carrey had a tough role to play, and did a great job, considering this. I'm sure Andy took a lot of his best secrets with him to the grave. If you want to read about Kaufman's hijinks, buy Zmuda's book. If you the full picture, buy this one.
Rating:
Summary: GENIUS! PURE GENIUS!
Review: Most people my age (13) have never even heard of Mr. Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman. Then again, Andy was not "most people". Mr. Zehme has done a wonderful job of putting Andy's life into perspective. I admire Mr. Kaufman so much, and I think many people can't see that. However, the people who don't "get it" are the ones who make everything Andy did so brilliant. I spent all of my allowence on this book, and IT WAS SO WORTH IT!
Rating:
Summary: Lovely, touching book- perfect for fans and the curious
Review: This book was an easy read- so fascinating that you don't want to put it down. The author's smooth writing style mixed with Andy's amazing life story makes this book hilarious, moving, informative and inspiring. I read it once and then read it again just to make sure I didn't miss anything. With Mr. Kaufman gone and only his words and images to hold onto, this book brings him back to life and lets us see inside (as much as anyone can) the mind of this comic genius. A recommended read for any true fan or anyone wanting to know more...
Rating: 
Summary: A major letdown
Review: This is a major letdown -- I generally like Zehme's writing, but boy did he blow it here. So overwritten and not terribly illuminating.
Rating:
Summary: The Real Story - No Fooling!
Review: Forget Jim Carrey and Bob Zm-hwatisname. This is the authoritative and true story of Andy Kaufman's strange life and mind, written with the grace, humor -- even poetry! -- that are Zehme's style. I knew Kaufman only from Taxi and had zero interest in reading about him, but this book drew me in and made me want to know more about him, even to seek out video evidence of his genius. It also persuaded me that he wasn't just some self-indulgent nut but a true visionary, of the comedic variety, and way ahead of his time. Zehme, a comedic expert himself with a uniquely funny way with words, has interviewed hundreds of people for this bio, including those closest to Andy. He doesn't sugarcoat Andy's dark side, but neither does turn him into the one-dimensional wack-job Carrey makes him in Man on the Moon. Read this book, or Andy will come back from wherever he is and put you in a headlock. Bill Zehme: Thank you very much!
Rating:
Summary: As Close As We're Going to Get
Review: Those who are curious about Kaufman should skip "Man in the Moon" and Zmuda's book and go straight to this one. You'll get the man, what he did, and what it all meant. I find the recent mythologizing of Kaufman ("comic genius") to be as bizarre as his comedy. Forget the fact that most people who saw him, frankly, did not find him funny (he was a has been by the time he died) or that many who knew him couldn't stand him (including the cast of "Taxi"). Who can read this book and not conclude that Kaufman was an unhappy man with serious emotional problems who nonetheless pulled his neuroses together into an interesting career? There would be no myth of Kaufman's "comic genius" without his early death, far more likely he'd be a guest on the new Hollywood Squares. The truth hurts. Comedians like Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Steve Martin, etc., did much more to push the boundaries of comedy during the 1970s, they were funnier, but they lived, moved on, it we find it hard to praise the living. Kaufman's life was a train wreck, entertaining to read about, and yet was it ever more? There's a long list of dead celebrities whose lives were interesting but they weren't exactly significant (eg. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Princess Diana). Kaufman was one of these icons, not a genius. Funny how some people can't tell the difference.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I read this book, and I was mezmorized. I thought that it was fantastic. I think that it was a great biography of him and was true and accurate about his life.
Rating:
Summary: The North Star
Review: I've read this book and it is a gem. Having kept the flame of Andy's legacy alive on the World Wide Web for the past four years, I must say that I read this book with a little more of a critical eye than your average Andy Kaufman fan. Bill Zehme did not let me down and I am happy to have a copy of this fine book in my possession. Bill's biography is fascinating and sheer poetry. I know that Andy's family loves the book because I've spoken to them and they've told me so. I don't think a writer can receive higher praise than to receive it from the immediate family of the subject. This biography will stand the test of time and years from now will surely serve as the only comprehensive biography of Andy Kaufman. Zehme is the guiding light, the North Star when it comes to the life and times of Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman. Thanks Bill, I wish the movie "Man on the Moon" would have had half the content, spirit and meaning of your fine tome.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read!
Review: Simply put... this is a really good book written by an excellent author about one funny man. Zahme succeds in getting you inside Kaufman's mind. His prior book about Sinatra was good but this one is better.
Rating:
Summary: Great Circles of Truth
Review: I'm a huge Andy-phile and I just love this book. I love it so much, I've read it twice. I love it so much, I came onto this site to buy more as gifts to my friends. Along the way I stopped to read some of the reviews expecting to find that other people loved it as much as I did. Some of them, frankly, caught me off guard. This book is loving, insightful, and an attempt to interpret and understand one of the most original yet complex comics/performers of our time. There are some terrific hilarious moments too. My favorite is the one about the handcuffed Andy at the college dorm party. It's priceless. The writing here is excellent...This book is a must-have for Andy-heads who want to know more about their hero, and the best introduction for the uninitiated who want to learn more about this brilliant yet complex man.
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