Last Words » (Abridged)

As one of America's most pre-eminent comedians, with 50 years worth of material and appearances on the international comedy circuit, George Carlin saw it all and made fun of most of it. Blending his signature acerbic humor with never before told stories from his own life, Last Words is part comedy routine, part reflection, and all original. Written with bestselling author Tony Hendra, Last Words is the story of the man behind some of the most seminal comedy and commentary of the last century.

Carlin's journey to stardom began in the rough and tumble neighborhoods of New York in the 1940s and '50s, where class and culture wars planted the seeds for some of his earliest material. Carlin describes his major influences as an up and coming comic, talking about the origins of some of his most famous stand up routines including the notorious Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television. Sparing no detail, Carlin describes his life and career, discussing his own...

The Washington Post - Jeff Nussbaum

George Carlin didn't want to write an autobiography in the classic sense. In his mind, only "pinheaded criminal business [leaders] and politicians" wrote autobiographies. The word he settled on to describe Last Words was "sortabiography." A comedian's sortabiography. But this description has it exactly backward. Last Words is indeed an autobiography—and quite a good one—by a man who, as he takes us through his life, reveals himself to be a sortacomedian. Yes, his albums were sold in record stores under the comedy heading, but what Last Words ultimately reveals is how Carlin became a political protester, slam poet, cynic, polemicist and performance artist whose messages were delivered under the veneer of humor.

Introduction Tony Hendra 9

1 The Old Man and the Sunbeam 27

2 Holy Mary, Mother of George 51

3 Curious George 65

4 The Ace of Aces and the Dude of Dudes 95

5 Air Marshal Carlin Tells You to Go Fuck Yourself 109

6 Two Guys in Their Underwear 137

7 Introducing the Very Lovely, Very Talented - Brenda! 169

8 Those Fabulous Sixties 187

9 Inside Every Silver Lining There's a Dark Cloud 219

10 The Long Epiphany 249

11 Wurds, Werds, Words 283

12 High on the Hill 315

13 Say Goodbye to George Carlin 341

14 Death and Taxes 369

15 I Get Pissed, Geddamit! 393

16 Working Rageaholic 423

17 Doors Close, Doors Open 453

18 Being, Doing, Getting 481

19 New York Boy 501