Rating: 
Summary: A marvelous book
Review: This book goes into the group mind ideas related to improv... you know how you can transcend your seperated mind and experience a larger awareness... see with more than your limited sight? I'm convinced that the development of this awareness is integral to our progress as sentient beings. If you want to get further into the present moment, and challenge your ability to respond spontaneously to Life, and have a blast doing it, this is a great place to look.
Rating: 
Summary: Chemical Engineering 403; Prereqs - none;
Review: This book has one major gaff. It tries to squeeeeeeze in the improv basics, while it teaches the advanced "Harold". I mean, improv basics are scaterred throughout this book like debris in an O'Hare downdraft. For example, environment, objects and emotion aren't covered until the end of the book. What's a new improviser to think? I wish the progression of this book was more logical: Improv basics, short scenes, long form. Long form improv is made up of short scenes, despite the mantra of disgruntled long formers who blast short form as "jokey". Long form is an advanced skill, with a foundation in the basics of short scenes, like it or not. (Long form proponents who pooh-pooh short form are a lot like haute chefs who scorn vegetables and meat.) Likewise, the authors here become so carried away with the magic of associations between long form scenes, that most of their confused neophyte readers would barely be able label who they are in a single scene.
Rating:
Summary: A great book for any improver
Review: This book is an excellent way of learning the basic skills of improv, which are more important than any one game or form. As for the 'Harold' my improv group uses it as our signature game, and, over the last 15 years, have found it to be a rewarding and challenging improv expierence. This book is the best of its kind because it avoids all of the flaky theater stuff and gets to the point.
Rating: 
Summary: Very bitter book
Review: This book is so bitter. It repremands a learning improvisor on the very thing they should be trying, experimentation. It trys to enforce it's view of an artform that is often open to interpretation. I used to love this book until I realized it's just another name dropping text trying to masqerade as an authority on improv. I recommend trying Mick Napier's Improvise or Keith Johnstone's Impro instead. They realize that there is very little room for the term 'don't' in improvosation. Truth in Comedy is just another example of the politic laden ImprovOlympic machine that makes Charna Halpern money and doesn't pass on any of the profit to the performers working for her. To buy this book is to contribute to a corrupt system. Don't get suckered in like myself and many others.
Rating:
Summary: Good overview, but you can't learn improv this way
Review: This book provides a good overview of the skills needed to perform improv commedy, but you can't learn improv this way. You can only do that by taking improv classes and practicing. It's an old book, so it references several people who are dead now. It focusses way too much on one particular improv style, the Harold, and ignores the many other styles that have developed over the years.
Rating:
Summary: A guide to joining a cult and to throwing away your identity
Review: This book seemed a little to "fly by night" when reading it. When I took a class with Charna Halpern she couldn't stop quoting it. It made me sick. It seems that Truth in Comedy preps you to join her cult of young actors that think they will be discovered at her ImprovOlympic, which seems to actually be losing money by the year. How can one make brave moves in improv if they're constantly talked down to, in print and in person?
Rating:
Summary: A good place to start and stop
Review: This is THE book. If you'll only listen to its ideas about support and listening, this is the only text instruction you'll ever need. Then if you really want to test the waters go to Improv Olympic in Chicago or LA and take a class. If that's not possible, find a group of those like you who is willing to dare and find yourselves a coach who has been trained in long form. Learning methods of long form improv can change how you live and interact with others in a positive way. Challenge yourself to get over the fears involved with improvising. This is THE book.
Rating: 
Summary: Yes, and . . .
Review: To be honest, I don't know why I wanted this book. I had been spending a lot of time at ImprovOlympic and was even thinking about taking classes there, but I feared my wit wasn't up to snuff. Maybe I thought the book was a surrogate method of learning. What I discovered is the book was a wonderful manual not only to 'how to improvise' but 'how to brainstorm', 'how to work in groups', and 'how to lead.' Little things like, never deny the reality being created and always add something, the 'Yes, and...' of the book, could be applied to many crisis management situations. Never debate what has been stated, always move forward. Where is the comedy? That was something I was amazed to learn from this book. Don't worry about it. Sometimes people won't laugh, what is important is what is being created right there at that moment on the stage with the other actors.
Rating:
Summary: A manual for a new American artform!
Review: Truth in Comedy is, in someways, a companion piece to the Chicago-based school operated by two of the book's authors. The book conveys the sense of joy and wonder that comes from creating comic genius and order from audience chaos. Charna Halpern and Del Close both still teach "The Harold" at the ImprovOlympic school/theater and the book (if you're planning to read the book while taking a "Harold" class, add TWO more stars!) Instead of quick comedic games designed for one-liners and "jokey" schtick, Truth In Comedy teaches a form that strives for art. Based on a single audience suggestion a team of improvisers follows the outline of The Harold to create a play with interweaving plotlines and characters for intelligent and hilarious comedy (think of a completely improvised Seinfeld epsidoe, or Pulp Fiction.) Just one more thing: The photos in the book picture some veterans of the ImprovOlympic who are now somewhat famous in Comedy. Keep a look out for Andy Ricter (Late Night With Conan O'Brien), Adam McKay (Head Writer for Saturday Night Live), Miles Stroh (creator of 'Miles to Go'), and lots of others!
Rating:
Summary: Great tool for improv and acting
Review: Truth in Comedy starts off with a rather immodest amount of name dropping and self congratulating, but after those first few chapters, things take off.
The book is intended to be a rough guide to teaching and performing "Harold," the signature improvisation form of the Improv Olympic theater in Chicago. While the text focuses heavily on the structure of the form, it also holds page after page of advice and tools for any improviser or actor. The lessons in agreement, trust (in yourself and others), and teamwork can be used in any improv form (shortform or longform). And it definitely can teach us actors a thing or two about performing a scripted show.
One of my few complaints about the book is it lacks concreteness. The author alludes to the phenomenon of group mind, the beauty of connections, and the wonder of "finding Harold." Despite giving examples, the reader is left with a "you had to be there" feeling, which, unfortunately, I don't think there's a way around. Harold is very much a "you had to be there" experience for both audience and performer. It's difficult to capture in words and in print the joy of seeing a spontaneous occurrence that takes both the performer and audience by complete surprise. I've found myself frequently recounting shows I've seen to uninterested or confused expressions, while the night before I was doubled over in laughter.
So, to sum it all up, if you're interested in learning Harold (especially if you're a student at the Improv Olympic) or picking up some very useful improv tools, give this book a gander. And if you have an old copy lying around, take another look. It's rare that I open this without finding something to inspire me or pull me out of an improv rut.
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