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.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter