This is a must read for anyone who fancies themselves a comedy writer, or is just intrigued by the notion and process of creating comedy. Mike Sacks interviews such luminaries as Buck Henry, Stephen Merchant, Harold Ramis, Merrill Markoe, Marshall Brickman, George Meyer, David Sedaris, Robert Smigel, Dick Cavett, Dave Barry, Jack Handy, and Larry Gelbart.

If some of those names don't ring a bell, trust me, you likely know their work. These are men and women who have written Carson, Letterman, The Simpsons, SNL, Conan, The Office, the New Yorker, M*A*S*H, Jack Paar, Woody Allen, Second City, and such films as The Graduate, Ghostbusters, and others.

I read this on concurrent plane rides, and longed for a highlighter so I could mark up passages. Harold Ramis shares the story of how "Groundhog Day" was originally conceived, Merrill Markoe reels off a long list of the things she hates most in comedy (it's a must for any writer), David Sedaris explains the difference between exaggeration and 'making shit up', and Dick Cavett reveals what it was like to write for Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. The Simpsons writers and SNL writers give peeks into their approaches and the way their respective writers' bullpens work. Buck Henry tells us where his classic line in "The Graduate" about plastics came from, and Marshall Brickman talks about collaborating on "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan".

You'll find out what Carson, Letterman, Conan, Belushi, Murray, and others are like to work with, and sadly, how miserable so many comedy writers and comedians seem to be in their everyday lives.

Really, if you love comedy, or comedy writing, this book is indispensable. Honestly, you could read a dozen "How to Write Comedy" books and not glean nearly as much as you could just soaking in the experiences of these pioneers and warriors. ( )

An excellent source of material for anyone interested in writing comedy or comedy in general. Great interviews, great insight into the world of a comedy writer. ( )

I loved this book. Every interview was fascinating. It's impossible to pick a favorite, but Merrill Markoe's rant about what she doesn't find funny is particularly memorable. ( )

This book is ridiculously full of useful nuggets of info.

Marshall Brickman on Annie Hall:
After watching [the rough cut], we thought, "Where's the relationship?" When people come to me with ideas, sometimes they say, "I want to do a story about a war," or "I want to do a story about a hospital." And I'll always say, "Tell me the story in terms of a relationship." So with Annie Hall, we knew what was missing. It didn't focus on a relationship.

And Harold Ramis:

I always tell students to identify the most talented person in the room, and go stand next to him. That's what I did with Bill [Murray]. And George Meyer:You can't keep bitch-slapping your creativity, or it'll run away and find a new pimp.Buy it. Read it. ( )

If you're a comic or a comedy writer or performer, there's some great material and perspective on the craft in this book, from a diverse group of people. My one complaint would be the lack of conversation about new media formats - many of the folks interviewed here write/have written newspaper humor columns - not sure how that advice translates for an up and coming comedy writer. ( )