Hi everyone, I'm probably going to buy a book on showmanship from amazon, and while I was looking around I found an entire almost genre of books that I had never tought about before: comedy books. The problem is there are so many, and most of the time people's reviews on the site have mixed opinion, but if anyone here were able to point out one or two of the best books I'd be very appreciated. Also, a book that not only teaches you to make jokes and be as funny as you can but that also teaches personality subjects and how to deliver, overcome nervousness ( sp ? ) amongst other related subjects would be perfect. Here are a few I tought to be best out of amazon.co.uk:

Zen and the Art of Stand-Up Comedy by Jay Sankey

The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny If You're Not by John Vorhaus

How to Be Funny: Discovering the Comic in You by Steve Allen and Jane Wollman

Comedy Writing Secrets by Melvin Helitzer

Writing Comedy (Writing Handbooks S.) by John Byrne

Comedy Writing Step by Step: How to Write and Sell Your Sense of Humor by Gene Perret

Thanks in advance

Several years ago I read "Stand Up Comedy: The Book" by Judy Carter and thought it was EXCELLENT ($10.63US on Amazon.com).

Carter's approach is to build a character first, and let the act evolve from that. Some terrific exercises on developing character, attitude and material. I actually gave the book away to a friend, so I can't refer to it right now, but I do recall that it dealt with issues like stage fright. Just talking about it makes me want to order another copy!

Ronin, would that be appropriate not for doing stand up comedy, but just improve presentation in magic ?

I think Carter's book would be great for BOTH potential stand-up comics and magicians--both need to develop well-defined characters, both often write their own material, and the solo nature of both forms means they share some of the same problems (stage fright, hecklers, etc).

(I should note that I 've never done stand-up, so who knows? Maybe this book is crummy for stand-up. But Carter does give a pretty thorough analysis of how and why the character based approach works, with lots of examples from the work of established comics--from Jay Leno to Rita Rudner to Emo Phillips.)

You have my two favorites on there:

The Comic Toolbox is the best. It has exercises in each chapter that will cause you to work with each subject it covers and it covers much more than just jokes: Comic Character, Comic Throughline, Sketch Comedy, Situation Comedy, the Comic Premise, etc.

Gene Perret's "Step By Step" book is my second favorite. While most of it covers joke writing, he does cover sketch and sitcom. There's a lot of value in what he tells you as a whole, for example in visualizing comic situations.

I've got the others you listed, except the John Byrne book, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The two I listed here are all I've really needed.

Oh, and I also have the Judy Carter book and some other products from her. It is built for joke writing for stand up performers. She uses a very formulaic approach. By the way, she had started out as a magician.

Mike

Mike based on your recommendations I ordered these three book

• The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny If You're Not by John Vorhaus
  
• Comedy Writing Step by Step: How to Write and Sell Your Sense of Humor by Gene Perret
  
• Stand-Up Comedy : The Book by Judy Carter
  

I have and read these below books:

• Step by Step Stand up Comedy by Greg Dean
  
• Comedy Techniques for Entertainers by Bruce "Charlie" Johnson
  
• How to be Really Funny by Mark Stolzenberg
  
• Steve Shrott's Comedy Course
  

Well, as usual with mixed opinions there's a bit of luck involved. But from what you said I think I'll get either the Judy Carter book or the Comic toolbox. Den, what do you think about the books you bought ?