Steve Martin's new autobiography is an amazing read. I am not very familiar with Steve Martin's stand-up work, beyond what I saw on The Muppet Show. But I've always liked his sense of humor (L.A. Story is one of my favorite movies). I adored 'Shopgirl' and enjoyed 'Pleasure of my Company'. So I figured I would give this book a try.

Steve Martin gave up stand-up one night after a show when he realized he wasn't having fun anymore. He walked away and never went back. Until now. This book is like sitting down with him over coffee and watching him go through an old box of memories. What could have been a self-love fest turns into a nostalgic and bittersweet look back at his childhood, young adult, and early 30s. He examines the road that led him to comedy, the people he met along the way, and how his style came about. He doesn't pretend to remember every detail of his life, its more about feelings and memories.

The book made me laugh. It made me want to hug Steve Martin. It made me want to go in search of clips of his old stand-up. It made me wish someone was doing something as wild and crazy as that today. It made me wish I could have been there.

Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com