- Published: 15 August 2012
- ISBN: 9780099558279
- Imprint: Arrow
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 304
- RRP: $32.99
Beyond a Joke
Inside the Dark World of Stand-up Comedy
- Published: 15 August 2012
- ISBN: 9780099558279
- Imprint: Arrow
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 304
- RRP: $32.99
An intriguing history of humour's bad boys claims that almost every great comedian is a damaged soul ... Delightful nuggets for the new wave of comedy enthusiasts
Sunday Times
Dessau shows us that comedians tend to be weird, or compulsive, or obsessive; they veer easily towards depression; and they mostly find themselves, at least for a period, desperately out of fashion. Beyond this, he doesn't overanalyse. He simply lines them up, one after the other, and recounts their strange lives
Evening Standard
Entertaining insight and audacity - Dessau has been reviewing comedy for more than 30 years, and knows his stuff ... A fascinating look at the dark side of stand-up
Time Out, 4 stars
Many intriguing tales of dark and outrageous dysfunction
ShortList
Its sporadic vulgarity leavened by wit and insight, the book mirrors the mood of a late-night gig.
Independent