“Chaos in the midst of chaos isn't funny, but chaos in the midst of order is.” Thursday, May 15, 2008 |
I recently finished one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. It’s “Born Standing Up” which is the autobiography of Steve Martin. If it hadn’t been recommended to me multiple times I probably wouldn’t have picked it up but I’m so glad I did. It gives tremendous insight into his family difficulties, what it’s like to be a struggling stand up comic, and his experience with persistent panic attacks. I felt myself relating to him in ways that I would have never thought and by the end of it I was crying like a wee babe. See, a little known fact is that for the better part of ages 5 to 12 I wanted to be a stand up comic but soon figured out that I lacked the wit and confidence it takes to succeed at such a career. And, as has been chronicled in this blog, I have struggled with panic attacks. Those things coupled with my fascination and love of understanding family dynamics made this book really personal and touching. He is a phenomenal writer which adds to making his life that much more vivid. I couldn’t recommend it more highly and am considering re-reading it to have the experience all over again.