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Description of  7 Dirty Words: The Life and Crimes of George Carlin

Mr. Sullivan's biography of George Carlin is a commendable overview of the great comedian's life but falls short of delving too deep into his troubles with drugs or his relationship with his beloved wife, Brenda. If you're expecting loads of laughs, you're in for a disappointment. The author, however, does well in covering the comedian's New York City childhood, his brief stints in radio as well as his quick rise and struggles once he headed to California. He also does a fine job explaining how The-7-Dirty-Words bit eventually wound up in front of the Supreme Court and how the nine old men voted. Such autobiographies as Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up" and Carlin's own "Last Words" are more gritty and graphic in describing the life of a stand-up comic than Mr. Sullivan's biography. Maybe, some day, another author will make a more in-depth effort on this highly influential comedian. But for now, if you are an admirer of Mr. Carlin's body of work, you'll probably enjoy the author's epitaph.