Rating: 
Summary: a masterpiece of cynicism.
Review: As far as literature goes, it's not the best. But this book is _the_ most cynical thing I have ever read. Bill Maher makes Machiavelli look like Timothy Leary by comparison. Bill Maher actually manages to think that the world is a bit worse than it actually is -- and I didn't know that was possible. The most cynical thing in this book is of course then ending, where he drops the cynicism for a second in order to give it the kind of ending the reader is dying to see. Bill Maher elevates cynicism to an artform!
Rating:
Summary: Funny peek behind the scenes of early 80s US comedy.
Review: Being a working comedian for about 7 years now, I might well be biased, but I found the book not just very funny, but also interesting because it so obviously draws on personal experience gathered by Maher in the time preceding the comedy boom - hey! it IS after all a "True Story", isn't it? And the book is actually also quite poignant in places.Looking for a healthy share of laughs and a pretty good story, too? You could spend your money a lot worse than this. Read this and liked it? Might want to try "The Gobbler" by Adrian Edmonson.
Rating: 
Summary: not a liberatarian
Review: bill is not a liberatarian at all
Rating: 
Summary: Bill Maher; A man who knows comedy and can write about it!
Review: Bill Maher knew what he was talking about when he wrote this outrageously funny book! He captured the comedy scene with a scence of brilliant arrogence like no other comedian could. Read this book then read it again in a year then read it a year after that, its gets better with every read. You will feel like you've lived the comedy uprising, from the small numbers of hard working dedicated comidens to the funny guy in your group of friends who thinks he can get up on stage and make it big because you "say hes funny". I recomend this book to anyone who enjoys smart comedy and/or likes the comedy club scene and would like to understand what the "Host" for the evening is thinking.
Rating: 
Summary: People Think This Guy is Funny?????
Review: I had never heard of Bill Maher when I picked this book up about 4 years ago (I didn't get Comedy Central on my cable at the time), but I thought a book about comedy by a comedian would be, well, you know, comical. Far from it. I don't remember laughing at anything in the novel and the story didn't have a whole lot of meat to it. And the jokes were mediocre at best. It wasn't until Maher's Politically Incorrect hit the network that I saw him in action. He's a smart guy, but he can't tell a funny story or joke, either spoken or written. Sorry, Bill, but you're overrated.
Rating:
Summary: Bill Maher's "True Story" is a great novel
Review: I thought that Bill Maher's novel, "True Story" was very perceptive and gave a fascinating look at a group of characters. The world of comedy is fascinating, and he has some insights into human nature in general. I hope he writes more novels. I also thought that the focus on multiple characters instead of one central protaganist was very effective, and his style of writing was very entertaining, elegent, and literate. I especially enjoyed the excerpts of comedy acts that he worked into the narrative.
Rating:
Summary: Bill Maher's "True Story" is a great novel
Review: I thought that Bill Maher's novel, "True Story" was very perceptive and gave a fascinating look at a group of characters. The world of comedy is fascinating, and he has some insights into human nature in general. I hope he writes more novels. I also thought that the focus on multiple characters instead of one central protaganist was very effective, and his style of writing was very entertaining, elegent, and literate. I especially enjoyed the excerpts of comedy acts that he worked into the narrative.
Rating:
Summary: Don't read it if your not a comic.
Review: If you aren't a standup comic or you aren't currently trying to make it in standup comedy, DON'T READ THIS BOOK -you won't like it. It's by comics for comics. Most comedians I know have read it more than once because its a year in the life of standup comedy. If your new or old to standup, you'll love it because it talks about you, your jokes, and your friends.
Rating:
Summary: Only for those who like to laugh.
Review: If you like to laugh get this book. Otherwise, just move on, and go back to your copy of Great Irish Love Songs. "True Story: A Comedy Novel," by Bill Maher, is a tale about five young comics who are trying to make it on the stand-up circuit, back in 1979. It is also a total riot. From stories about playing ping-pong in the nude, to acid induced conversations with God, Maher keeps the reader laughing and waiting for the all important next joke. While it may never considered to be a literary masterpiece, Maher has written a book that just plain and simple fun to read, and an absolute must for those who have dreams of becoming a stand-up comic.
Rating:
Summary: Only for those who like to laugh.
Review: If you like to laugh get this book. Otherwise, just move on, and go back to your copy of Great Irish Love Songs. "True Story: A Comedy Novel," by Bill Maher, is a tale about five young comics who are trying to make it on the stand-up circuit, back in 1979. It is also a total riot. From stories about playing ping-pong in the nude, to acid induced conversations with God, Maher keeps the reader laughing and waiting for the all important next joke. While it may never considered to be a literary masterpiece, Maher has written a book that just plain and simple fun to read, and an absolute must for those who have dreams of becoming a stand-up comic.
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