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SeinLanguage
Seinfeld. For more than 33 million viewers, the Emmy Award-winning television show has become a Thursday night ritual. Even though the show has ended, Jerry Seinfeld's distinct brand of humor can still be yours.
In his #1 New York Times bestselling book, SeinLanguage, Jerry Seinfeld has captured on the page his views on topics ranging from Raisinettes to relationships, from childhood to cop shows, and from parents to power suits. This must-have book for all fans--and who isn't a fan?--remains available in both paperback and hardcover.
In his #1 New York Times bestselling book, SeinLanguage, Jerry Seinfeld has captured on the page his views on topics ranging from Raisinettes to relationships, from childhood to cop shows, and from parents to power suits. This must-have book for all fans--and who isn't a fan?--remains available in both paperback and hardcover.
180 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
About the author
Jerry Seinfeld
32 books542 followersJerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld (born April 29, 1954) is an American comedian, actor and writer, whose style is often described as observational comedy. He is best known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy, Seinfeld, (1989-1998), which he co-created, helped write and, in the show's final two seasons, executive produced. In his first major foray back into the media since the finale of Seinfeld, he co-wrote and co-produced the film Bee Movie, also dubbing the title role of Barry B. Benson. In February 2009, it was announced that Jerry Seinfeld will be participating in a reality TV series tentatively called Marriage Ref on NBC. Jerry is rumored to work behind the scenes, mainly operating as creator and executive producer, but may also make cameo appearances. Jerry is also going to be on an episode of the Starz Original series, Head Case. In March 2009, it was announced that Jerry and the entire cast of Seinfeld will be appearing on Larry David's HBO original series Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Seinfeld is known for his incredibly dedicated and devoted work ethic. He was ranked #12 in Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
Seinfeld is also a bestselling author, most notably for his book Seinlanguage. Released in 1993, the book went on to become a number one New York Times bestseller. The book, written as his television show was first rising in popularity, is primarily an adaptation of the comedian's standup material. The title comes from an article in Entertainment Weekly listing the numerous catch-phrases the show was responsible for.
In 2003, he wrote a children's book titled Halloween. The book was illustrated by James Bennett. There are also several books about both the sitcom and Seinfeld himself, though many of them are not written by Seinfeld.
Seinfeld wrote the forewords to Ted L. Nancy's Letters from a Nut series of books and Ed Broth's Stories from a Moron. Both authors were rumored to be pseudonyms for Seinfeld or a friend of his. Neither Nancy nor Broth have been seen publicly, although Seinfeld is heavily involved in pitching their books for television.
In promoting Broth's book, Seinfeld hosted a toast in the author's honor. Broth did not attend.
Seinfeld also wrote the foreword to the Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, from his favorite sandwich shop in New York City.
Seinfeld is known for his incredibly dedicated and devoted work ethic. He was ranked #12 in Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
Seinfeld is also a bestselling author, most notably for his book Seinlanguage. Released in 1993, the book went on to become a number one New York Times bestseller. The book, written as his television show was first rising in popularity, is primarily an adaptation of the comedian's standup material. The title comes from an article in Entertainment Weekly listing the numerous catch-phrases the show was responsible for.
In 2003, he wrote a children's book titled Halloween. The book was illustrated by James Bennett. There are also several books about both the sitcom and Seinfeld himself, though many of them are not written by Seinfeld.
Seinfeld wrote the forewords to Ted L. Nancy's Letters from a Nut series of books and Ed Broth's Stories from a Moron. Both authors were rumored to be pseudonyms for Seinfeld or a friend of his. Neither Nancy nor Broth have been seen publicly, although Seinfeld is heavily involved in pitching their books for television.
In promoting Broth's book, Seinfeld hosted a toast in the author's honor. Broth did not attend.
Seinfeld also wrote the foreword to the Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, from his favorite sandwich shop in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 683 reviews
December 6, 2020
This book may be dated from the 1990s but Jerry Seinfeld has provided classic Jewish humor at a time when I needed it the most. In the Jewish Book Club here on goodreads, our upcoming genre for January is humor. This is the choice I nominated and even though it didn’t win the poll, this is Seinfeld, so I went ahead and picked up this book anyway. I am glad that I did because I laughed more than I have in awhile.
Like many, I watched Seinfeld most Thursday nights. This was in the days before Thursday night football so there was no question of what was the best television option. My mom worked late on Thursday so my dad and I watched sitcoms waiting for her to come home. Cheers and Cosby turned into Seinfeld and Frasier, and that was our Thursday routine for years. Even though I didn’t fully appreciate the humor at the time, Seinfeld was by far my favorite of these shows. I married someone who will watch reruns whenever they are on so at this point I have watched the series many times over, grasping the depth of its humor. The show about nothing really isn’t about nothing, it’s about day to day life. Seinfeld and his cast allowed us to laugh about these moments that would otherwise be colorless and boring, poking fun at the vagaries of real life.
SeinLanguage appears to come straight from the television show. Yes, the jokes are funnier on tv. Yes, they are hysterical when George is complaining, Elaine is frustrated, and Kramer is just being himself. But having watched the show and reading the jokes, I can pinpoint where they appear. The handicapped spot. Visiting a friend’s baby. Not grasping the storyline of a movie. The parents’ Cadillac in Florida. No early bird special or an in pain Elaine complaining about a pullout couch but the Cadillac makes an appearance. Anyone who has ever visited elderly relatives in Florida can appreciate these. And, Jerry grasps here what his viewers do as well, that his funny show and now book about nothing is really about the journey of life and making the best of it.
As we near the finish of this challenging year, the words of Jerry Seinfeld might have been the most needed ones that I have read all year. Not literary prose or timeless poetry, but laughter to light up my life at a time when I needed it the most. And after nearly thirty years, Seinfeld has a second book out. I look forward to reading it next year. Thank you, Jerry.
4+ stars 🎭 😆 📺
Like many, I watched Seinfeld most Thursday nights. This was in the days before Thursday night football so there was no question of what was the best television option. My mom worked late on Thursday so my dad and I watched sitcoms waiting for her to come home. Cheers and Cosby turned into Seinfeld and Frasier, and that was our Thursday routine for years. Even though I didn’t fully appreciate the humor at the time, Seinfeld was by far my favorite of these shows. I married someone who will watch reruns whenever they are on so at this point I have watched the series many times over, grasping the depth of its humor. The show about nothing really isn’t about nothing, it’s about day to day life. Seinfeld and his cast allowed us to laugh about these moments that would otherwise be colorless and boring, poking fun at the vagaries of real life.
SeinLanguage appears to come straight from the television show. Yes, the jokes are funnier on tv. Yes, they are hysterical when George is complaining, Elaine is frustrated, and Kramer is just being himself. But having watched the show and reading the jokes, I can pinpoint where they appear. The handicapped spot. Visiting a friend’s baby. Not grasping the storyline of a movie. The parents’ Cadillac in Florida. No early bird special or an in pain Elaine complaining about a pullout couch but the Cadillac makes an appearance. Anyone who has ever visited elderly relatives in Florida can appreciate these. And, Jerry grasps here what his viewers do as well, that his funny show and now book about nothing is really about the journey of life and making the best of it.
As we near the finish of this challenging year, the words of Jerry Seinfeld might have been the most needed ones that I have read all year. Not literary prose or timeless poetry, but laughter to light up my life at a time when I needed it the most. And after nearly thirty years, Seinfeld has a second book out. I look forward to reading it next year. Thank you, Jerry.
4+ stars 🎭 😆 📺
October 29, 2009
Let me preface this review by saying that I think Jerry Seinfeld is hilarious. I have watched Seinfeld episodes by the gallon and never seem to tire of them. And I always watch the comedy segment at the end, because he is so clever and everyone seems to be having such a good time.
However, something about his humor style translates very poorly to a book. I don't know what it is. But I read the entire thing, front to back, and counted one quiet chuckle and two smirks.
Seinfeld acknowledges this shortcoming himself in the introduction, reminding the reader that he has "done his part" to make the comedy and "the rest is up to you." Jerry! Seriously? You put your comedy sketches in a book, word-for-word, and you expect us to expend actual effort to make them funny? That's absurd. I don't read comedy for mental excercise. I read it because it's funny. There are lots of authors who can make me laugh by reading. Scott Adams and John Hodgman come to mind.
The book gets two stars. Jerry gets one star. But I'm not going to quit watching him on TV.
However, something about his humor style translates very poorly to a book. I don't know what it is. But I read the entire thing, front to back, and counted one quiet chuckle and two smirks.
Seinfeld acknowledges this shortcoming himself in the introduction, reminding the reader that he has "done his part" to make the comedy and "the rest is up to you." Jerry! Seriously? You put your comedy sketches in a book, word-for-word, and you expect us to expend actual effort to make them funny? That's absurd. I don't read comedy for mental excercise. I read it because it's funny. There are lots of authors who can make me laugh by reading. Scott Adams and John Hodgman come to mind.
The book gets two stars. Jerry gets one star. But I'm not going to quit watching him on TV.
February 13, 2017
3.5 stars
I love Jerry Seinfeld's comedy, and of course I loved 'Seinfeld' the show. I know there are some people out there who have no chemistry with the show's humor, but I'm one of those it fits perfectly. I went into this book wondering if it was a musing on life or a mini bio, but found it was none of this. It's 'SeinLanguage' - pieces of Seinfeld's comedy, written on page rather than acted on stage.
The humor is good, it works, he writes well - but it'd be better to sit and watch him perform. It's identical in format to his stand-up comedy pieces. These are funnier to see him state and pause and motion his hands and face expressions rather than read. Humor in text can be hard stuff to get across.
Divided into: Freeway of Love (funny stuff on relationships); Personal Maintenance (as he points out, women aren't afraid to pour hot wax on our legs and rip our hair out but we freak over spiders); Paldom; Shut up and drive; Job Security; The thing is the thing; Out and back; The Ride of your life.
I'm happy to say he mentions Superman in a short skit. He's a big Superman fan and I always like watching the show and seeing the little tributes and homages he pays to the hero. Despite rumor, I've checked and it's not true there's a rule that a small tribute is in every episode, but it's in a large majority. That's yet another cool thing about Jerry Seinfeld. Here's an indepth article about the Supe references in the show
Overall it's a cute book. There's some humor in here that works better on stage but is okay written down. It's a lot of his comedy delivered in book form for leisurely pursual. Seinfeld fans should enjoy it well enough.
August 30, 2007
This is simply a collection of several bits from Jerry Seinfeld's comic notebook. Most fans of the TV show Seinfeld or of Seinfeld's stand up act will recognize these bits. That doesn't make them any less funny. This is one of the only books I have ever laughed at while reading it. In my mind, I could hear Jerry's voice saying these bits and it was like my own personal Jerry Seinfeld stand up act.
May 28, 2017
I loved Seinfeld's show so much, I love his sense of humor, the way it's sassy and offensive and hilarious, and while I appreciated his funny bits in the show, I don't think it worked as well in this book.
I think it would've been better if this book was a collection of his essays or something like that, because these quick shots, even if they were grouped together because they addressed the same topic, seemed chaotic. OR I think this is one of those that would've worked PERFECTLY as an audiobook.
His jokes have a lot of stereotypes in them, which I noticed in the show as well. It's also written in 1993, but most of it still applies to relationships today, Seinfeld's main topic, and you can see how he inspired a lot of the current stand-up comedians.
He has a way of delivering the jokes that add to its hilarity, that when you just read it in a book, it loses some of that impact and meaning.
I think it would've been better if this book was a collection of his essays or something like that, because these quick shots, even if they were grouped together because they addressed the same topic, seemed chaotic. OR I think this is one of those that would've worked PERFECTLY as an audiobook.
His jokes have a lot of stereotypes in them, which I noticed in the show as well. It's also written in 1993, but most of it still applies to relationships today, Seinfeld's main topic, and you can see how he inspired a lot of the current stand-up comedians.
He has a way of delivering the jokes that add to its hilarity, that when you just read it in a book, it loses some of that impact and meaning.
January 4, 2020
I had some good laughs but not as I could have had if Seinfeld itself would read it.
I like it, it was funny and easy. It can mske somebody's day. Of course is better to watch him. But if you are travelling and you want to pass a good time, this is a good reading.
I like it, it was funny and easy. It can mske somebody's day. Of course is better to watch him. But if you are travelling and you want to pass a good time, this is a good reading.
July 8, 2020
Jerry Seinfeld popularized and innovated on the American observational comedy performance that people have emulated all over the world. Even when you go to a comedy club in Iraq in 2018, the comedian has a suit jacket and a brick wall facade behind him (as seen in Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy, a documentary by "Seinfeld" writer Larry Charles).
This book is a collection of Jerry Seinfeld's standup material, and I was surprised how most of these I already knew from the opening/interstitial segments in "Seinfeld." This book gives you the opportunity to perform these at home with your spouse, and you can decide whether you want to do the Seinfeld impression or your own delivery.
This book is a collection of Jerry Seinfeld's standup material, and I was surprised how most of these I already knew from the opening/interstitial segments in "Seinfeld." This book gives you the opportunity to perform these at home with your spouse, and you can decide whether you want to do the Seinfeld impression or your own delivery.
April 19, 2012
For me, this book was an ‘inbetweener’. It helped lighten the load between Hawking’s A Brief History Of Time and an anthology of existentialist thought titled Existentialism. And lighten the load it did. I read just a couple pages each time I came to it, and put it down with a more cheerful and ‘breathable’ outlook.
Everyone knows Seinfeld’s humor (if you don’t, I don’t want to know you anymore…simple as that…just leave). He cracks jokes about everyday things that we take for granted, and helps us see the absurdity of what we accept as normality and common sense. A running joke on his sitcom Seinfeld is that it is a show about ‘nothing’, the irony being that it is about everything little that happens in our lives, and not any one big happening. His plots never go anywhere in the strict sense of narrative progress, but they explore the everywhere and find in it the irony and wonder of being.
I truly believe we all need this sense of the hilarious mundane. Reading his jokes helps me, even if for a moment, not to be so consumed with restlessly prodding along the cosmic epic of my life, and to embrace the moment-by-moment joy and laughter that I can experience if I just open up my eyes. Not that Seinfeld’s humor always celebrates beauty and love, it also rejoices in the madness and destruction of the idiot, and that is funny too, no? Who doesn’t, at least inwardly, jump at a chance to call someone stupid, especially when that someone is us, and I think this urge helps us better define the boundaries of what we consider practical/impractical, or wise/unwise. The margins of our sanity can be a frightening zone to explore, but cognitively scoping out these borders can keep us from wondering too close in deed. Thus, comedy is a safety valve of sorts, allowing us to test the waters of danger in theory, not reality. That’s why I like to say, humor is soft danger, or soft fear. Humor is fear on weed. And that statement is weed on weed.
And now for a few examples from the book that had me rolling:
“I couldn’t be a maid. I wouldn’t have a good attitude. If I was a maid at someone’s house, I’d find them, wherever they were in the house. ‘Oh, I suppose you couldn’t do this…No, no, don’t get up, let me clean up your filth…No, you couldn’t dust, that’s just too tough, isn’t it? Don’t even try to help me. You rest. Save your energy so you can turn this place back into a filthy, stinking hole when I leave.’”
“Of course we all try and save time. Cutting corners, little short cuts. But no matter how much time you save, at the end of your life, there’s no extra time saved up. You’ll be going, ‘What do you mean there’s no time? I had a microwave oven, Velcro sneakers, a clip-on tie. Where is that time?’ But there isn’t any.”
“So I was on this plane where it was this flight attendant’s first day on the job, but they didn’t have a uniform for her yet. And that really makes a big difference. I mean, now it’s just some regular person coming over to you going, ‘Would you mind bringing your seatback all the way up?’ I turned around, ‘Who the hell are you?’ And then she goes, ‘Well, I’m the flight attendant.’ ‘Oh yeah? Then I’m the pilot. Why don’t you sit down, I’m about to bring her in.’”
Everyone knows Seinfeld’s humor (if you don’t, I don’t want to know you anymore…simple as that…just leave). He cracks jokes about everyday things that we take for granted, and helps us see the absurdity of what we accept as normality and common sense. A running joke on his sitcom Seinfeld is that it is a show about ‘nothing’, the irony being that it is about everything little that happens in our lives, and not any one big happening. His plots never go anywhere in the strict sense of narrative progress, but they explore the everywhere and find in it the irony and wonder of being.
I truly believe we all need this sense of the hilarious mundane. Reading his jokes helps me, even if for a moment, not to be so consumed with restlessly prodding along the cosmic epic of my life, and to embrace the moment-by-moment joy and laughter that I can experience if I just open up my eyes. Not that Seinfeld’s humor always celebrates beauty and love, it also rejoices in the madness and destruction of the idiot, and that is funny too, no? Who doesn’t, at least inwardly, jump at a chance to call someone stupid, especially when that someone is us, and I think this urge helps us better define the boundaries of what we consider practical/impractical, or wise/unwise. The margins of our sanity can be a frightening zone to explore, but cognitively scoping out these borders can keep us from wondering too close in deed. Thus, comedy is a safety valve of sorts, allowing us to test the waters of danger in theory, not reality. That’s why I like to say, humor is soft danger, or soft fear. Humor is fear on weed. And that statement is weed on weed.
And now for a few examples from the book that had me rolling:
“I couldn’t be a maid. I wouldn’t have a good attitude. If I was a maid at someone’s house, I’d find them, wherever they were in the house. ‘Oh, I suppose you couldn’t do this…No, no, don’t get up, let me clean up your filth…No, you couldn’t dust, that’s just too tough, isn’t it? Don’t even try to help me. You rest. Save your energy so you can turn this place back into a filthy, stinking hole when I leave.’”
“Of course we all try and save time. Cutting corners, little short cuts. But no matter how much time you save, at the end of your life, there’s no extra time saved up. You’ll be going, ‘What do you mean there’s no time? I had a microwave oven, Velcro sneakers, a clip-on tie. Where is that time?’ But there isn’t any.”
“So I was on this plane where it was this flight attendant’s first day on the job, but they didn’t have a uniform for her yet. And that really makes a big difference. I mean, now it’s just some regular person coming over to you going, ‘Would you mind bringing your seatback all the way up?’ I turned around, ‘Who the hell are you?’ And then she goes, ‘Well, I’m the flight attendant.’ ‘Oh yeah? Then I’m the pilot. Why don’t you sit down, I’m about to bring her in.’”
March 26, 2010
There's a reason why it's called 'stand-up comedy' - because when you sit down and try to read it, it's not as funny as when you hear it.
(BTW, I'm a huge fan of Seinfeld and Jerry himself so my review's just 'OK' not because I don't get his sense of humour. I do but I'm not buying it wrapped in a book form.)
(BTW, I'm a huge fan of Seinfeld and Jerry himself so my review's just 'OK' not because I don't get his sense of humour. I do but I'm not buying it wrapped in a book form.)
August 22, 2020
This is so dated, and kind of terrible because of it. I received it as a joke Christmas present over a decade ago and figured I'd knock it out. As Zack pointed out, it's a unique kind of book that he doesn't see much of anymore : slim, light content, if published today might just be a series of blogs, belongs in a bathroom at best.
January 12, 2013
I understand that this book was a big hit in 1995, when the show was still airing. But in 2013, I find it a little too dull.
I watched the entire Seinfeld sitcom and I mostly liked it. I hated the end though, and I disliked how Jerry would always go, "and what's the deal with cars anyway? Right? I mean...".
Seinfeld has a unique style, except that you grow tired of it at some point. A sitcom and several comedy gigs were enough; a book compiling the material that was already used and re-used over so many years, seems a bit too much.
I watched the entire Seinfeld sitcom and I mostly liked it. I hated the end though, and I disliked how Jerry would always go, "and what's the deal with cars anyway? Right? I mean...".
Seinfeld has a unique style, except that you grow tired of it at some point. A sitcom and several comedy gigs were enough; a book compiling the material that was already used and re-used over so many years, seems a bit too much.
December 23, 2008
It's hard to describe this one as a book. You know those few minutes at the beginning and at the end of the Seinfeld Sitcom shows, when Jerry gives some Stand Up Comedy sketches. This book is just a collection of those sketches.
People who like the show - like me - may find it nice to read those sketches, and keep the book on their shelves and treat it as a some kind of written video tape where they can play the sketches back in their minds whenever they want to watch them again.
People who like the show - like me - may find it nice to read those sketches, and keep the book on their shelves and treat it as a some kind of written video tape where they can play the sketches back in their minds whenever they want to watch them again.
August 8, 2009
So, yeah. My reading tastes are varied. I just finished reading a book about astrophysics and then went right into reading this collection of Jerry Seinfeld anecdotes. It only took me two hours to read the whole book, but it was time well spent.
First of all, I ♥ Jerry Seinfeld. He never fails to make me laugh. There is no one on this planet who, for me, can make the mundane more hilarious than he can.
This book is basically a collection of the stand-up excerpts that used to appear in his sitcom. And while the delivery a lot of the time is what makes it funny, this book still made me laugh until my sides hurt, because I could hear him saying it inside my head. And a few of the jokes were ones he performed at his show I went to back in February 2009. Still funny 16 years later (the book was published in 1993).
What Jerry does best is point out the absurdity of everyday things. That's why it's so easy to laugh; because we say to ourselves, "Oh, my God! I've done that!" or "That's it exactly!" Not to mention, he always uses examples of his own life, so he's not just making fun of us, he's making fun of himself, too. And we feel like we're all in this silly game of life together.
Here's one of my favorite jokes in the book:
TV has so much power. I know it does. Because I bought the Ginsu knife. I did. The Ginsu 2000, actually. I can't believe I did it.
I can't believe I wrote the number down.
I can't believe I called it.
I can't believe I gave them my credit card number.
It was late at night, I was watching the commercial and it started making sense to me. The guy cuts through the can, cuts through the shoe. I'm thinking, "That looks pretty good."
I don't think I can cut through a shoe with any of my knives. What if I get a knot in the laces and I can't get out of my shoe?
How am I going to get out?
I'll have to cut my way out.
I need that knife.
So I called up and incredible as it may seem, I actually spoke these words. I said, "I would like to order the Ginsu knife." Yes, I said it. And the lady on the phone just went, "Really?"
Even the Ginsu people can't believe anybody would actually want this thing.
So now I have it, my shoes are all cut in half and I don't watch TV late at night anymore.
Love it. And this book is full of gems like that. No, this book won't change your life. It's not profound or enlightening. But it may just lighten your mood.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go saw a few bricks. With my Ginsu knife. While re-attaching a limb with my Mighty Putty. And cleaning up the blood with my tub of OxiClean.
First of all, I ♥ Jerry Seinfeld. He never fails to make me laugh. There is no one on this planet who, for me, can make the mundane more hilarious than he can.
This book is basically a collection of the stand-up excerpts that used to appear in his sitcom. And while the delivery a lot of the time is what makes it funny, this book still made me laugh until my sides hurt, because I could hear him saying it inside my head. And a few of the jokes were ones he performed at his show I went to back in February 2009. Still funny 16 years later (the book was published in 1993).
What Jerry does best is point out the absurdity of everyday things. That's why it's so easy to laugh; because we say to ourselves, "Oh, my God! I've done that!" or "That's it exactly!" Not to mention, he always uses examples of his own life, so he's not just making fun of us, he's making fun of himself, too. And we feel like we're all in this silly game of life together.
Here's one of my favorite jokes in the book:
TV has so much power. I know it does. Because I bought the Ginsu knife. I did. The Ginsu 2000, actually. I can't believe I did it.
I can't believe I wrote the number down.
I can't believe I called it.
I can't believe I gave them my credit card number.
It was late at night, I was watching the commercial and it started making sense to me. The guy cuts through the can, cuts through the shoe. I'm thinking, "That looks pretty good."
I don't think I can cut through a shoe with any of my knives. What if I get a knot in the laces and I can't get out of my shoe?
How am I going to get out?
I'll have to cut my way out.
I need that knife.
So I called up and incredible as it may seem, I actually spoke these words. I said, "I would like to order the Ginsu knife." Yes, I said it. And the lady on the phone just went, "Really?"
Even the Ginsu people can't believe anybody would actually want this thing.
So now I have it, my shoes are all cut in half and I don't watch TV late at night anymore.
Love it. And this book is full of gems like that. No, this book won't change your life. It's not profound or enlightening. But it may just lighten your mood.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go saw a few bricks. With my Ginsu knife. While re-attaching a limb with my Mighty Putty. And cleaning up the blood with my tub of OxiClean.
April 25, 2011
There's no doubt that as a stand-up comedian, Jerry Seinfeld is hilarious. His material is fantastic, and his television show is one of the best of all time. This book is meant to capture his stand-up in writing in the form of what is essentially a collection of short jokes. Because of this, the book is a very fast read and is easy to pick back up on after being set down.
I love Seinfeld. However, without his signature delivery style, his material (however hilarious it may be) just doesn't feel right. In the introduction, Seinfeld encourages readers to imagine the inflection and pauses as though he was performing it right in front of them. Although this is fun to do, in the end the reader does not forget that they are reading a book rather than attending a stand-up show. Don't get me wrong, the jokes are extremely clever. His observations are easy to relate to and read. I chuckled in quite a few spots, and I would still recommend this book to any one of my friends. Just don't expect the full "Seinfeld experience", because without him telling you the jokes himself, they just aren't complete.
I love Seinfeld. However, without his signature delivery style, his material (however hilarious it may be) just doesn't feel right. In the introduction, Seinfeld encourages readers to imagine the inflection and pauses as though he was performing it right in front of them. Although this is fun to do, in the end the reader does not forget that they are reading a book rather than attending a stand-up show. Don't get me wrong, the jokes are extremely clever. His observations are easy to relate to and read. I chuckled in quite a few spots, and I would still recommend this book to any one of my friends. Just don't expect the full "Seinfeld experience", because without him telling you the jokes himself, they just aren't complete.
March 20, 2014
The book “Seinlanguage” is an autobiography about Jerry Seinfeld and his everyday life, and thoughts. He covers relationships, transportation, and life as a kid. The thing that I liked most about the book was that most of the jokes made a lot of sense. I read the whole book in his voice. I then imagined him talking to Elaine and George inside of his apartment.
Seinfeld puts some good life lessons in his book but adds a little humor to it. I like reading autobiographies more than normal books. It gives you a chance to see what they think about their lives.
This book was written in the early 90’s, so you could say the setting is during a place in that time as well. Even though there is no actual setting he talks about things in his early life that he doesn’t get to see anymore.
The message in this book is don’t take life too seriously, and find joy in everyday things. Jerry makes bad things that has happen to him seem funny, which makes them easier to look at them a different way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to laugh. There are some mature things he talks about, but he makes them funny. It is a fun read and keeps you wanting more.
Seinfeld puts some good life lessons in his book but adds a little humor to it. I like reading autobiographies more than normal books. It gives you a chance to see what they think about their lives.
This book was written in the early 90’s, so you could say the setting is during a place in that time as well. Even though there is no actual setting he talks about things in his early life that he doesn’t get to see anymore.
The message in this book is don’t take life too seriously, and find joy in everyday things. Jerry makes bad things that has happen to him seem funny, which makes them easier to look at them a different way.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to laugh. There are some mature things he talks about, but he makes them funny. It is a fun read and keeps you wanting more.
July 11, 2013
It's nice to hear Jerry's voice coming through on the page but the delivery simply isn't there. That, and a lot of the jokes have aged extremely poorly.
Though I don't often read humour pieces in print (McSweeney's and Deadspin make me laugh on the daily, online), in the past year I've read a couple of books by each of David Sedaris and Simon Rich. Sedaris is doing his own thing which he is amazing at so it's not super fair to compare him. But Rich's jokes often come through a little better on paper than Seinfeld's, though part of that may be topicality.
Though I don't often read humour pieces in print (McSweeney's and Deadspin make me laugh on the daily, online), in the past year I've read a couple of books by each of David Sedaris and Simon Rich. Sedaris is doing his own thing which he is amazing at so it's not super fair to compare him. But Rich's jokes often come through a little better on paper than Seinfeld's, though part of that may be topicality.
July 11, 2008
DO NOT READ THIS BOOK! Unless you have watched enough Seinfeld lately to properly duplicate Jerry's comedic timing as you read the book aloud. The common element of all of Jerry's jokes is that they are painfully unfunny...until you have Jerry telling them. So do yourself a favor. Binge on a few DVDs of Seinfeld and then read the book outloud in Jerry's voice. Then it will earn two more stars.
January 7, 2020
Si eres fan de Seinfeld, te va a gustar MUCHO. Si te cae mal Seinfeld, te va a CAGAR.
Es un libro lleno de escritos cortos de Jerry, de verdad una joya para la comedia, en sus mejores tiempos haciendo lo que mejor sabe hacer.
Yo, como fan, encantado con el libro con todo y que muchos de los chistes ya los conocía ya sea por sus standups o por los intros de Seinfeld, pero otra graaan parte son "inéditos", y son comentarios de la vida diaria -como toda su comedia- que me parecen muy interesantes.
Recomendable para cualquier fan de Seinfeld o incluso gente que ni lo conozca. Solo no es recomendable para gente que le caiga mal Jerry, porque de cerdad que este libro es MUY él, y si no te gusta él, pues vas a odiar este libro. Imposible no leerlo con su voz.
Es un libro lleno de escritos cortos de Jerry, de verdad una joya para la comedia, en sus mejores tiempos haciendo lo que mejor sabe hacer.
Yo, como fan, encantado con el libro con todo y que muchos de los chistes ya los conocía ya sea por sus standups o por los intros de Seinfeld, pero otra graaan parte son "inéditos", y son comentarios de la vida diaria -como toda su comedia- que me parecen muy interesantes.
Recomendable para cualquier fan de Seinfeld o incluso gente que ni lo conozca. Solo no es recomendable para gente que le caiga mal Jerry, porque de cerdad que este libro es MUY él, y si no te gusta él, pues vas a odiar este libro. Imposible no leerlo con su voz.
June 28, 2023
I must admit that the reason I picked this book up was for the cover. Jerry Seinfeld, in his prime, a star on Seinfeld. However, the book just seemed to be composed of recycled material from the show. Those bits in the beginning, where Jerry is standing in a comedy club, delivering a line of stand up. The contents of the book are mostly, that opening line in the show. I could pinpoint some of the bits to certain episodes. I guess I was just expecting more. Slightly dated, didn’t get some of the jokes because of that.
August 19, 2022
This is less of a memoir and more of a book of bits, many of which are featured in episodes of Seinfeld. The bits are well-crafted, there are some laughs to be had, but of course, they work better when delivered in a spoken manner. This would be a great coffee table book though, as you can pretty much turn to any page and begin reading.
December 3, 2023
I would literally do anything for Jerry Seinfeld
Read
February 8, 2022my apologies to gus mchue for reading this and making him aware that i did
June 18, 2022
Enjoyed the Seinfeld-isms again that are prevalent bits from his sitcom in the 90's. As a die-hard 'Seinfeld' fan, it was fun to revisit but also can become redundant if you've had multiple views of the series. This can take away from it's humor of course and some may find it tedious because of the repetition from the show. Despite this, highly recommended for it's humorous anecdotes and quirky observations.
February 10, 2020
Jerry Seinfeld is a genius. The purest observational comic of all time. This 1993 book contains most (all?) of his bits up to that point. Really fun reading.
December 12, 2020
Best way to get through Lock-down.
October 9, 2020
What's the deal with SeinLanguage?
October 25, 2013
The book “Seinlanguage” is an autobiography about Jerry Seinfeld and his everyday life, and thoughts. This book is divided into different sections. Each section has it’s own topic. He covers relationships, transportation, life as a kid, money, and more. The book was basically a big comedy act. After a joke a new paragraph starts. The thing that I liked most about the book was that most of the jokes I could relate to, and they made a lot of sense. I like Jerry Seinfeld’s sense of humor. He never left me hanging, and transitioned into his other jokes really well. For some of his jokes I envisioned him in his apartment. I read the whole book in his voice. There wasn’t a single time in the book when he mentioned his show, which is perfectly fine. He talked more about his life and everyday things.
Seinfeld is talking about himself, as an adult and when he was younger. He puts some good life lessons in his book but adds a little humor to it. This is my first time reading an actual novel autobiography. I think it’s a lot different when people talk about themselves. It gives you a chance to see what they think about their lives.
This book was written in the early 90’s, so I guess you could say the setting takes place in that time. Even though there is no actual setting he talks about things in his early life that I don’t see anymore.
The message in this book is one that most comedians would agree with. Don’t take life too seriously, and find joy in everyday things. Seinfeld makes bad things seem funny, which
makes them easier to deal with and let’s you look at them a different way.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone. It does contain some mature content, but nothing too bad. The fact that it was funny made me want to finish the book. This was an easy read and it kept me entertained.
Seinfeld is talking about himself, as an adult and when he was younger. He puts some good life lessons in his book but adds a little humor to it. This is my first time reading an actual novel autobiography. I think it’s a lot different when people talk about themselves. It gives you a chance to see what they think about their lives.
This book was written in the early 90’s, so I guess you could say the setting takes place in that time. Even though there is no actual setting he talks about things in his early life that I don’t see anymore.
The message in this book is one that most comedians would agree with. Don’t take life too seriously, and find joy in everyday things. Seinfeld makes bad things seem funny, which
makes them easier to deal with and let’s you look at them a different way.
I would recommend this book to just about anyone. It does contain some mature content, but nothing too bad. The fact that it was funny made me want to finish the book. This was an easy read and it kept me entertained.
March 24, 2008
I loved the show! And I love this book! Hilarious funny.
I read some passages in my "American Accent Training"-exam at uni, and it worked. The teacher (comes from New York) loves Jerry and my reading, and I passed.
Here are three passages from the book:
The fact of life is that people will try and take your possessions. People are going to steal from you. Everybody has their own little personal security things. Things that they think will foil the crooks. You go to the beach, go into the water, put your wallet in the sneaker... Who’s going to know? What criminal mind could penetrate this fortress of security? I tied a bow. They can’t get through that. I put it down by the toe. They never look there. They check the heels, they move on. Or, you ever move a TV set in the back of your car? Then you’ve got to leave the car in the street for a few minutes, you put a sweater over the TV. „It’s a couple of sweaters, that’s all. One of them happens to be square with an antenna coming out of it. It’s an RCA sweater.“
My parents took me to the Amish country, which to a kid, to see a bunch of people that have no cars, no TV, no phone, you go “So what? Neither do I.” Who wants to see a whole community that’s been grounded? That’s the way they should punish the kids after they’ve seen Amish country. “All right son, get up to your room. That’s it, you are Amish, young man. For the rest of the weekend. Did you hear me? Amish! And don’t come down till you’ve made some noodles and raised a barn.”
Whenever a friend refers a doctor they say „Make sure that you tell him that you know me.“ Why? What’s the difference? He’s a doctor. „Oh, you know Bob? Oh, okay, I’ll give you the REAL medicine. Everybody else I’m giving Tic Tacs.“
I read some passages in my "American Accent Training"-exam at uni, and it worked. The teacher (comes from New York) loves Jerry and my reading, and I passed.
Here are three passages from the book:
The fact of life is that people will try and take your possessions. People are going to steal from you. Everybody has their own little personal security things. Things that they think will foil the crooks. You go to the beach, go into the water, put your wallet in the sneaker... Who’s going to know? What criminal mind could penetrate this fortress of security? I tied a bow. They can’t get through that. I put it down by the toe. They never look there. They check the heels, they move on. Or, you ever move a TV set in the back of your car? Then you’ve got to leave the car in the street for a few minutes, you put a sweater over the TV. „It’s a couple of sweaters, that’s all. One of them happens to be square with an antenna coming out of it. It’s an RCA sweater.“
My parents took me to the Amish country, which to a kid, to see a bunch of people that have no cars, no TV, no phone, you go “So what? Neither do I.” Who wants to see a whole community that’s been grounded? That’s the way they should punish the kids after they’ve seen Amish country. “All right son, get up to your room. That’s it, you are Amish, young man. For the rest of the weekend. Did you hear me? Amish! And don’t come down till you’ve made some noodles and raised a barn.”
Whenever a friend refers a doctor they say „Make sure that you tell him that you know me.“ Why? What’s the difference? He’s a doctor. „Oh, you know Bob? Oh, okay, I’ll give you the REAL medicine. Everybody else I’m giving Tic Tacs.“
September 20, 2009
Gak ada bosen2nya baca buku ini. I am silly, like him. In the book, Jerry describes few situation that happened to me also. Hilarious !!Banyak keresahan2 Jerry yang gak pernah terpikirkan sebelumnya, tapi Jerry ngemas itu dengan situasi komedi. Kalo bener-bener kejadian di cerita ini hampir sama dengan kehidupan kita sehari-hari, coba deh baca … bikin kamu ngetawain diri sendiri…
I think, he is quite feminine…
“ The tuxedo is a wedding safety device. Because they know that men are undependable. So, in case the grooms chickens out, everybody just takes one step over (the next guy). That’s why the wedding vow : “do you take this man?” (pg 22)
he makes an interesting comparison …
“ …Smoke and fire is literally coming right out of my mouth and it’s very intimidating to the nonsmoker because it’s like talking to someone. ( pg 35-6)
Listen to this…
“ Have you ever called someone up and you’re disappointed when they answer the phone? You wanted the machine. And you’re always kind of thrown off. You go, “ oh I uh, I didn’t know you were there, I just wanted to leave a message saying, ‘ sorry I missed you.” (pg 56)
Yes, I have been in that situation in may 2003. And I laugh myself when I read it.
I think, he is quite feminine…
“ The tuxedo is a wedding safety device. Because they know that men are undependable. So, in case the grooms chickens out, everybody just takes one step over (the next guy). That’s why the wedding vow : “do you take this man?” (pg 22)
he makes an interesting comparison …
“ …Smoke and fire is literally coming right out of my mouth and it’s very intimidating to the nonsmoker because it’s like talking to someone. ( pg 35-6)
Listen to this…
“ Have you ever called someone up and you’re disappointed when they answer the phone? You wanted the machine. And you’re always kind of thrown off. You go, “ oh I uh, I didn’t know you were there, I just wanted to leave a message saying, ‘ sorry I missed you.” (pg 56)
Yes, I have been in that situation in may 2003. And I laugh myself when I read it.
January 22, 2018
On my block, a lot of people walk their dogs and I always see them walking along with their little poop bags. This, to me, is the lowest activity in human life. Following a dog with a little scooper. Waiting for him to go so you can walk down the street with it in your bag. If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they're going to think the dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge? I say, if this is where we're at after 50,000 years of civilization, let's just give up. I'm serious, let's pack it in. It's not worth it. Let's just say the human race as an idea didn't quite work. It seemed good at first, we worked on it for a long time, but it just didn't pan out. We went to the moon but still somehow wound up carrying little bags of dog doody around with us. We just got mixed up somewhere. Let's just give it over to the insects or whoever else is next in line.
Jan 20, 18
Do you really think I'd be embarrassed by this choice and avoid reviewing this book? Please.
Review to come.
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