Book Review: Napalm & Silly Putty
Amanda Hoffer | Staff
Writer
Like a good laugh? Then you have to read George Carlin’s book “Napalm
& Silly Putty.” It is filled with edgy, witty, and biting humor from the
beginning until the end. Carlin lets you know his opinion on everything, gives
some sound advice, and takes everyday observations to a level of profound
intellect.
Carlin manages to bring much to this book. For instance, his “Short
Takes”, which are interspersed throughout the book, range from silly and
thought provoking to just down right deranged. A very wise
observation: “Whenever you see more than two men sitting in a parked car after
dark you can be sure drugs are involved.” For something a little more off the
wall and one of my personal favorites:
Here’s something no one ever wrote before. “Big bats down to one five, five
over cross, up the thingo. Nose, baseball, hieroglyphics, hopscotch, pouch.
Inevitably, two four eight, four eight, four eight, four eighth. I. I with a
two, two, two. Three. Four. Five. Down here, Mother, we’re all home now.
So long, Jill. Beep beep. Hungry, hungry. Are you? I couldn’t stand it. Not
in my house. Up yours, too, Don. He’s packin’ them in! We’ll all try it.
Fifty-fifty? Okay, but not me.” No one ever wrote that before. Not even
Shakespeare. I’m proud of that.
And that is just a fragment of his brilliance. There is the interview
with Jesus. His calculation of one quadrillion bowel movements in human
history. His “Just For Fun” suggestions, such as singing the national anthem
at baseball games half in English and half in senseless drivel. Supermarket
fun including why in certain stores why they can’t get Mallomars to the
shelves. The lovely free verse poem “A Day in the Life of Henry VIII”. A rant
on the American decline into euphemistic language. The distinct differences
between cats and dogs. And my personal favorite, a step by step guide on how
to smoke dope on an airplane, in which he goes into the physics involved in
keeping the smoke in the lavatory.
So what do you have to lose? Read the book. If you don’t learn
something, you’ll at least have a handy doorstop around the house.
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