The best books about comedy ever (part 1)

Sam Tallent’s 2021 book, Running The Light, has become a topic of conversation on the comedy circuit here in Blighty as several comedians have recommended it of late. And no wonder: it is utterly brilliant. It’s a beautifully written book about the heart-swelling highs and soul-sapping lows of live comedy and what happens during the 23+ hours you’re not on stage. Tallent's Billy Ray Schafer is a troubled-yet-talented veteran comedian who performs across some of the less salubrious gigs across the US, while, frankly, off his chops on booze, cocaine, and anything else he can get hold of to numb both the pain and the past.

Some say it’s the best book about comedy ever written, which got us at ABC thinking: Is it really? Well, it’s certainly in the conversation. And so here is part 1 of the greatest books about comedy ever written (in our humble opinion). Part 2 will follow next week. Until then, there really is only one book with which to start:

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin

We’re of the generation who best remembers Martin as a Hollywood star: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Roxanne, the underrated Parenthood, and so on (you can hear Tim Lewis flagging that he’s much younger). This book, however, focuses purely on Martin’s complicated relationship with both comedy and his father, and how the two are intertwined. Believe the hype: this book, like Steve, is as good as it gets. It's beautifully written, candid, and heart-swelling and heartbreaking in equal measure. And as the great Terry Alderton has pointed out, this book contains key tenets for stand-up (El Tel recommends the audiobook version, and we agree).

How I Escaped My Certain Fate by Stewart Lee

Reading this is akin to watching a cinematic masterpiece while listening to the director’s commentary, such are the meticulous footnotes throughout Stew’s opus. Lee dissects his own material with the precision of JP Mateta when one-on-one with a goalkeeper, offering a fascinating look at the art of deconstruction and the philosophical underpinnings of his work. It’s for the comedy nerd who wants to know exactly why a joke works (or doesn't). It’s proof that Lee isn’t just one of the best comedians; he’s also one of the best writers.

Becoming Johnny Vegas by Johnny Vegas

We’d put this one on the podium alongside Martin and Lee. Every comedian and comedy fan simply has to read this searingly honest account of Johnny Vegas (the character) and Michael Pennington (the affable bloke off-stage). Did you know that Vegas and Peter Kay were once a double act? You do now! Pennington explains why it could never pan out for the pair. As any football fan will tell you, you need an engine room; two Morecambes simply wouldn't work.

Live From New York: An Uncensored History Of Saturday Night Live by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales

If you’re also rubbing your hands together at the very thought of the UK Saturday Night Live (hitting screens in 2026!), then this oral history on that venerable US comedy institution (although the godfather of SNL, Lorne Michaels, is very much Canadian) is the book for you. This also contains helpful tidbits—as one writer explains, if you write something that makes you laugh out loud, back yourself: it's funny. If you love this, you’ll adore the Fly On The Wall podcast (hosted by Dana Carvey and the wonderfully self-deprecating David Spade).

Running The Light by Sam Tallent

While we introduced Sam Tallent's brilliant novel at the start, it's worth diving deeper. This book plunges you into the gritty, often lonely reality of life on the road for a touring stand-up comedian. It's a raw, unflinching look at the inner life of a comic—the doubts, the compromises, and the endless pursuit of the perfect bit. We won’t spoil it, but there’s a lovely, James Ellroy-esque inclusion of a real-life beloved comedian who ends up playing a pivotal role. If you miss this person as much as we at ABC do, your heart will surely swell.

Jokes Jokes Jokes by Jenny Eclair

This is a treasure trove of stories, observations (her take on women on TV and in arenas is, frankly, inarguable), and, as the title promises, jokes from a comedy trailblazer. Jenny Eclair gives us an honest, funny, and sometimes bleak (one anecdote about a promoter is particularly grim) look at her life and career. Jenny is a gifted writer and you can hear the maestro’s voice as you read. I hope Jenny knows how beloved she is.

Diaries 1969–1979: The Python Years by Michael Palin

For fans of Monty Python, this is the Holy Grail (bud-dum tsch!). Michael Palin's diaries offer a day-by-day look at the creation of surely the most influential comedy troupe of all time. You'll get to see the squabbles, the breakthroughs, and the sheer graft that went into creating some of the very best comedy. Also, comedy people—check out how much easier it was to get something commissioned in the 1970s! This book is packed with delicious details, including the time Palin tried to have a normal conversation with Eric Morecambe at a BBC function...

Join us for Part Two next week - same time, same Bat-channel, and so on. And please do let us know which ones we missed or need to check out.