Born Standing Up by Steve Martin

Subtitled “A Comic’s Life”, this book is the autobiography of Steve Martin.  As someone born in the late 70s, I primarily knew Steve Martin as an actor and was vaguely aware that he’d been a comic.  In this book, he details his upbringing and the decisions that propelled him into comedy.  I’ve always been fascinated by the lives of musicians, comedians, pro wrestlers, etc due to the years of struggle required to “make it” and the requirement to pursue something 100% without the benefit of a safety net.  Steve Martin’s path was no different.  

His story chronicles his early years, his time on the Smothers Brothers, his reign as the top comic in the world, and eventually his transition into acting.  Two items that still stand out to me are 1) His (admittedly) naive admission that while on the Smothers Brothers he felt they’d covered everything there was to do in comedy, and 2) the let down and self-awareness he felt at his first non-sold out show towards the end of his run at the top. 

At just 225 pages or four hours, this is a quick read that is well worth your time.