When I was a kid, I loved reading Steve Martin's and Woody Allen's comedy books. Both comedians were skilled authors, as well, and they both were masters of the absurd. In high school, I wrote a one-act play loosely based on a chapter in one of the Woody books. I won a Scholastic Writing Award (well, I came in third, but it was national, and I got 50 bucks for it, so there) for that play, so it can definitely be said that comedy books were very influential in my life.
Patton Oswalt's new book took me back to those times. Surprisingly, we both had a lot in common: small town experiences, big R.E.M. fans, played Dungeons and Dragons. Even though these were his memories, I related to quite a few of them. And, like Allen and Martin, he's certainly absurd. A light, enjoyable read that took me back to a good place, even if his place was hardly enjoyable for him. Grade: B+
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