Read this: Comedy at the Edge

I've always enjoyed stand-up comedy so Richard Zoglin's Comedy at the Edge stood out amongst the other new books on library shelf.
The subtitle of the book is How Stand-up in the 1970s Changed America and Zoglin makes a strong argument that comedians like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor and even The Smother's Brothers changed comedy and changed America, giving us permission to laugh at formerly taboo subjects.
The book is also a peek off-stage into the world of comedy, from trying to get a slot at The Improv to getting a shot (and appearing) on the World Series of stand-up, The Tonight Show.
Zoglin tells the stories of stand-up through profiles of comics that he considers influential. In addition to those named above, he talks of Albert Brooks, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman, Joan Rivers, Elaine Boosler, Sam Kinison and Jay Leno. Credit to the stand-up evolution is also given to those who never made it big and lived a life of sitting in the perimeter of Hollywood Squares. It really is a Who's Who of comedy, stand-up, comedic actors and writers. Some of the stories are fantastic while other stories are tragic, talking about labor issues, suicide and of course, bombing on stage when agents are in the audience.
The book is a fun read and even the notes in the bibliography are entertaining. If you like stand up and grew up in the 1970's, this book will be hard for you to put down.