Braindroppings

When a stand-up comedian writes a book, the audio version enjoys a clear advantage over the printed word. Timing, delivery and vocal expression are as important to humor as the actual joke itself. So it is with this very funny collection of essays, monologues, observations and jokes by 30-year comic veteran Carlin. A one-liner like ""I put a dollar in a change machine. Nothing changed,"" moderately amusing in print, is hilarious in Carlin's bewildered tone. This audio contains ""unabridged excerpts,"" which means that though it does not include everything from the book, the pieces that appear are performed in their entirety. The audio is paced nicely, alternating between long pieces (Carlin as a bureaucratic caveman calling a ""staff meeting"" to announce a new policy on human sacrifices), short observations and one-liners. Some of Carlin's older routines are included, such as his classic comparison of warlike football and friendly baseball. One note: this audio, like most of Carlin's humor, includes plenty of profanity, so parents may want to be cautious around the kiddies. Based on the 1997 Hyperion hardcover.(May)