Reflections

by Steve Allen

Book Overview

"Steve Allen does so many things, he's the only man I know who's listed on every one of the Yellow Pages." That's how protege Andy Williams once described Steve Allen. Noel Coward called him "the most talented man in America." Apt descriptions, indeed, for Allen is not only a comedian, but a prolific writer, composer, pianist, actor, and a serious thinker as well. Those who are familiar with Steve Allen only in his capacity as a comedian may find it surprising that he has produced a collection of thought-provoking observations on a variety of serious topics in his new book, Reflections. But anyone familiar with his two-volume study of the Scriptures - Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality - or his incisive critique of America's declining intellectual standards - "Dumbth" And 81 Ways to Make Americans Smarter - will realize that Allen's serious side is at least as creative and interesting as his flights of comedic fancy.Steve Allen is, for the most part, a self-taught intellectual. Perhaps this is the reason that he is able to write in a casual but clear, non-academic style, which makes even his weightiest ideas accessible to the average reader. And as befits a professional humorist, Allen displays his considerable wit from time to time in these pages. But by and large, his comments on assorted philosophical, political, and social questions are not only serious but challenging. No matter what issue he addresses - aging, happiness, heroes, justice, love, psychology, religion, sex, or TV - the popular humorist-and-philosopher-in-one always finds something fresh and insightful to say.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879759046
• ISBN13: 9780879759049
• Release Date: September 1994
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

If you miss Steve Allen, get this book!

I always admired Steve Allen . . . his protege, Andy Williams,once described him as follows: "Steve Allen does so many things, he's the only man I know who's listed on every oneof the Yellow Pages." . . . not just a comedian, he was also a prolific writer (having written well over 50 books),composer, pianist, actor, and a serious thinker . . . inaddition, he created NBC's TONIGHT show and PBS's award-winning MEETING OF MINDS . . . ever since hedied, I have tried to find either a good biography or autobiography about him; alas, the closest I could find was his own REFLECTIONS--written back in 1994 . . . so I got aholdof it, anxious to read Allen's comments on assortedphilosophical, political and social questions . . . I enjoyedthese . . . they reminded me of the type of observationsmade by George Carlin with the key exception beingthat they're all clean!There were many memorable passages; among them:As one who enjoys biographical reports of others' lives, I am much more interested in what a man thinks than in the fact that he was born in Seattle, played football for several years,or sleeps in pajama bottoms.People today--especially if they're under forty--often have background, soft-rock music going in their homes or offices,sometimes during important discussions. They say itcalms them. Should international arms negotiations be conducted with a background of such music?There are some people who seem to enjoy talking aboutfood more than they enjoy eating. There are those who have a similar attitude toward sex.