Like Ezra Pound’s notes on The Waste Land if they’d been more cutting, self-critical and in awe of Johnny Vegas, Stewart Lee here transcribes and annotates the three stand-up shows that brought him back from disillusioned retirement in 2001 to his position as one of the UK’s most revered struggling comedians. From conception through to reception, Lee traces the development of each show, (two of which were recorded at The Stand in Glasgow), acknowledges debts to comics such as Simon Munnery, Greg Fleet and his old partner Richard Herring, while guiding the reader line-by-line through the intricacies of describing to an audience the act of vomiting into the gaping anus of Christ.
Taking comedy seriously but himself rather less so (it’s subtitled ‘The Life and Deaths of a Stand-Up Comedian’), Lee’s footnotes serve as wry toppers to his original routines, their knowing, brutal honesty permitting him to settle a few scores and brazenly insult friend and foe alike. Exceptionally funny and insightful.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com