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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 814.54
EAN num: 9780786885053
ISBN number: 078688505X
Label: Hyperion
Manufacturer: Hyperion
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 128
Printing Date: October 06, 1999
Publishing house: Hyperion
Release Date: October 06, 1999
Sale Popularity Level: 250902
Studio: Hyperion
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Steve Martins talent has always defied definition: a seasoned actor, a razor-sharp screenwriter, an acclaimed playwright, and, of course, the ingenious comedian who turned King Tut into a national craze. In this widely praised collection of humourous riffs, Martin shows he is also a master of the written word. From a wildly imaginative meditation on who Lolita would be at age fifty to a send-up of the warning labels on medicine bottles, these pieces, many of which very first appeared in The New Yorker, hilariously and intelligently skewer the topic at hand. Pure Drivel will have readers crying with laughterand marveling that in addition to all of his many talents, Steve Martin is also a superb writer. Like the fuzzy little puff of marabou on the instep of a coquettes satin bedroom slipper... Martins book of diminutive, often hilarious essays [is]... effortless and silly even as its subtly erudite. ~ Salon Martin is a gorgeous writer capable of being at once melancholy and tart, achingly innocent and astonishingly ironic. He is a master at revealing the surreal poetry in pure drivel. ~ Elle
Amazon.com Review:
Don't listen to Steve Martin read this hysterical compilation of his most absurdly funny writings if you're recovering from abdominal surgery or have taken a vow of silence. Martin's brilliant, juxtaposed wordplay, sly commentary, and hilarious observations are delivered with such a droll wit that only a dead person will avoid unabashed laughter. Genius is in the ear of the beholder and Martin's metronomic timing allows each sentence to unravel perfectly. His deadpan delivery is often clever enough to make you laugh twice at the same line and makes it clear why he has enjoyed such remarkable sucess as an actor, screenwriter, playwright, and author. (Running time: two hours, two cassettes) --George Laney
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I have read Steve Martins other books and throughly enjoyed them. In looking for a new book I came across this. After reading the reviews I was a bit hesitant about getting the book, but his others were good so this one can't be bad (right?). Well, I read about 3 of the stories and then skimmed over the rest. It is not that it was bad, just not entertaining. Nothing held my attention, I fouond my thoughts wandering midway thru his sentences. So, if you enjoyed his other books I would head to the library for this one.
Rated by buyers 
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i discovered this book while working at a public library. i found it on the audiobook aisle and gave it a listen. and believe me, if you haven't listened to the audiobook i encourage it. it's completely different hearing martin's voice. i can't imagine not listening to the audiobook and enjoying the written one, in fact.
the book is a series of dry-humoured short stories, all sure to make one smirk. "times new roman announces shortage of fonts" is surely the best one, though "taping my friends" runs a close second.
in my opinion, this is by far the best of martin's books. it's good for airplanes, car rides, or any time you want a short read. give it a read (and a listen!)
Rated by buyers -
Great stuff that'll get a laugh even out of the painfully serious. The 50-year-old Lolita even thinks it's funny. A few quotes. "But this guy was no ordinary guy, he was a blue guy." "Think what you think, and stultify what you perambulate." "48. Windows for Dummies. 49. Windows for Idiots. 50. Windows for the Subhuman." This is hilarious stuff that just about everyone will get a kick out of...er, this? Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.
Rated by buyers 
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D. Heard a taped version of PURE DRIVEL, written and read by Steve Martin,
and I liked parts of it very much . . . the book is a collection of his short stories,
many of which very first appeared in THE NEW YORKER.
If you're going to get hold of it, I strongly suggest that this is one
time where the audio version far succeeds the written copy . . . by
listening to it, you'll almost feel like you are getting to hear Steve
Martin in a private performance--given just for you.
One piece, in particular, had me laughing out loud . . . it described
the breakup of a couple who had been dating for only a few
months . . . yet the guy kept writing after the relationship
was over and each time he did, his letters became increasingly
stupider . . . the amazing thing about this tale is that it is sooooo
true; i.e., I've actually seen both men and women do something similar.
I also liked this passage from a piece that announced a shortage
of periods in the Times Roman font:
Most vulnerable are writers who work in short, choppy sentences,"
said a spokesperson for Times Roman, who continued, "We are trying
to remedy the situation and have suggested alternatives, like umlauts,
since we have plenty of umlauts--and, in fact, have more umlauts than
we could possibly use in a lifetime! Don't forget, umlauts can really
spice up a page with their delicate symmetry--resting often midway
in a word, letters spilling on either side--and not only indicate the
pronunciation of a word but also contribute to a writer's greater glory
because they're fancy, not to mention that they even look like periods,
indeed, are indistinguishable from periods, and will lead casual readers
to believe that the article actually contains periods!
PURE DRIVEL does have a few clinkers, though fortunately, there aren't
many of them.
Rated by buyers -
This is truly one of the most delightful books I have ever read. In a very uncharacteristic move, I have made a mental note to hang on to this book so I can go back to it periodically. Martin's writing is just plain funny. I am a tough customer when it comes to humor, but this book had me laughing out loud. Not that it was ever in question, but in this book you begin to see just how intelligent Steve Martin is. Some of the comedy I am sure was over my head, but there was plenty that was not. (Sometimes such intelligent writing may be a pitfall when it might make the book funny to a smaller number of people.)
Steve Martin writes with witty prose in a manner that is comfortable to read and easy to understand. Like many avid readers, I too have that hope in the back of my mind that one day I will be a published author so that I may tease the emotions of readers similar to how I like mine teased. I have read books before which I have visualized myself emulating in my own writing, but before this book I had never felt so strongly an appreciation for the author. This, for the most part, is how I wish I could write.
Pure Drivel is a series of short stories, which I normally avoid because I have had a few bad experiences. I had no problems and I have nothing bad to say about this book. I loved it and have had multiple conversations about it with a friend to whom I lent it. She loved it, too. The book is very light reading when you are in the mood for something quick and minimally involved. The writing is complex and the ideas are abstract, but that should not contradict the previous sentence. I am not ashamed to admit how embarrassingly out loud I laughed at this book.
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