Born Standing Up book club questions

1. 1.

   Martin describes spending years developing an act with no certainty it would work. At what point would you have given up, and what would that say about your own risk tolerance?

2. 2.

   His decision to abandon punchlines in favor of a 'state of comedy' was a creative bet that took years to pay off. Can you think of a comparable creative gamble you've seen someone make — or made yourself?

3. 3.

   The father-son relationship sits at the center of the memoir. How did Martin's account change how you read the rest of his story?

4. 4.

   Martin studied philosophy partly to think more rigorously about comedy. Is there a field adjacent to your own work that would give you similar analytical tools?

5. 5.

   He describes the disorientation of achieving exactly what you wanted and not recognizing yourself in it. Have you experienced that, or seen it in others?

6. 6.

   Martin gives very little credit to luck and a great deal to deliberate craft development. Do you think that's an accurate account, or does it underestimate luck?

7. 7.

   He walked away from stand-up at the peak of his fame because he'd said everything he had to say in that form. How do you know when to move on from something you're good at?

8. 8.

   The memoir is relatively free of showbiz gossip and anecdote. Is that a virtue or a limitation for a celebrity memoir?

9. 9.

   Martin describes performing to hostile audiences as essential training. What's the equivalent of a hostile audience in your own field, and are you seeking it out?

10. 10.

    The tone of the book is more melancholy than funny. Does that match your expectation of a memoir by a comedian? What does the tone itself tell you about Martin?

11. 11.

    He says the hardest part of comedy is not being funny but figuring out what kind of comedy you are. Does that apply to any non-comedic work you do?

12. 12.

    Born Standing Up was written thirty years after the events it describes. What might Martin have gotten wrong or softened in retrospect?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.