I Killed: True Stories of the Road from America’s Top Comics

Two working comedians, Rich Shydner and Mark Schiff, collected these stories from their colleagues. The results teeter between funny and tragic, are sometimes poignant, and nearly always offer unique insight into the life of a comic. Stand-up comedy is a strange craft, existing in dark nightclubs and seedy bars. Only the lucky few wind up in Hollywood, and usually only after long years spent driving for hours to make gigs that barely cover gas money. For most, it’s not the kind of job that will ever lead to fortune or glory. It does, however, provide some great stories.