I’m a huge Seinfeld fan. I love the show, the writing, the bits, the start and end of every episode with stand-up. It is old, but there’s a reason it was #1 on TV (yes, above the comparatively weak sitcom, Friends). The show is just immensely funny, and I love putting on episodes for my family and friends and seeing them laugh hysterically at a show that came out over thirty years ago. Here’s an excerpt from the introduction talking about the meaning behind the title:
Reading this book is similar to reading a book of poems, except they usually don’t rhyme. It’s a terribly easy read that will make you chuckle under your breath many times as you go through the sections. I think the book is a great example of a connection to the codex origins because Is This Anything? is based in the categories of decades.
Jerry Seinfeld wrote thousands and thousands of bits and put them all in chronological order more or less. It makes it really nice to get the feel of his comedy, since each decade feels different from the rest. In the seventies for example, there are more quick-witted observations, while in the nineties his bits are longer and more in-depth. Here’s an example of a bit from the book:
