Pure Drivel

No, I'm not talking about this blog, although I'm sure it qualifies a lot of the time. I'm talking about the book of that title by Steve Martin, a collection of short humor pieces published by Hyperion in 1998. I've always liked Steve Martin, ever since he was a writer and occasional performer on the Smothers Brothers TV show almost forty years ago. Most of his work seems to be smart without being smug, and he's never afraid to indulge in some sheer silliness when he needs to. I ran across a copy of PURE DRIVEL not long ago and have been been reading it in bits and pieces, finished it earlier today. Most of the essays first appeared in THE NEW YORKER, and while I don't think of myself as a New Yorker kind of guy (although I did once, when I was in college), I really enjoyed them, especially one called "Writing is Easy!" If I can get away with one short quote: "A Word to Avoid: 'Dagnabbit' will never get you anywhere with the Booker Prize people. Lose it." If that strikes you as funny as it does me, I highly recommend PURE DRIVEL.