Noted American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker Woody Allen, originally Allen Stewart Konigsberg explored the neuroses of the urban middle class in comedies of manners, such as Annie Hall (1977) and Deconstructing Harry (1997).
This director, jazz musician, and playwright thrice won Academy Award. His large body of work mixes satire, wit and humor in the most respected and prolific cerebral style in the modern era. Allen directs also in the majority of his movies. For inspiration, Allen draws heavily on literature, philosophy, psychology, Judaism, European cinema, and city of New York, where he lives.
UPDATE: Okay, I just had to edit this review and add some amazing quotes. So yeah. Here are some of the best lines, although nearly every page was laugh-out-loud funny so it's hard to choose which are the "best" quotes.
This is from the Whore of Mensa. It is about "intellectual" prostitutes - men pay to discuss great works of literature with women: "It wasn't just intellectual experiences - they were peddling emotional ones, too. For fifty bucks, I learned, you could 'relate without getting close.' For a hundred, a girl would lend you her Bartok records, have dinner, and then let you watch while she had an anxiety attack. For one-fifty, you could listen to FM radio with twins. For three bills, you got the works: A thin Jewish brunette would pretend to pick you up at the Museum of Modern Art, let you read her master's, get you involved in a screaming quarrel at Elaine's over Freud's conception of women, and then fake a suicide of your choosing - the perfect evening, for some guys. Nice racket. Great town, New York."
This is Woody Allen's interpretation of the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac: "And so he took Isaac to a certain place and prepared to sacrifice him but at the last minute the Lord stayed Abraham's hand and said, 'How could thou doest such a thing?' And Abraham said, 'But thou said - ' 'Never mind what I said,' the Lord spake. 'Doth thou listen to every crazy idea that comes thy way?' And Abraham grew ashamed. 'Er - not really... no.' 'I jokingly suggest thou sacrifice Isaac and thou immediately runs out to do it.' And Abraham fell to his knees, 'See, I never know when you're kidding.' And the Lord thundered, 'No sense of humor. I cant believe it.' 'But doth this not prove I love thee, that I was willing to donate mine only son on thy whim?' And the Lord said, 'It proves that some men will follow any order no matter how asinine as long as it comes from a resonant, well-modulated voice.'"
A chapter on history: "The Russian revolution simmered for years and suddenly erupted when the serfs finally realized that the Czar and the Tsar were the same person."
Lastly, this excerpt is from "Hassidic Tales, with a Guide to Their Interpretation by the Noted Scholar." Woody Allen himself is Jewish so throughout the book he often gives his own interpretation of the scriptures: "A man journeyed to Chelm in order to seek the advice of Rabbi Ben Kaddish, the holiest of all ninth-century rabbis and perhaps the greatest noodge of the medieval era. 'Rabbi, the man asked, 'where can I find peace?' The Hassid surveyed him and said, 'Quick, look behind you!' The man turned around, and rabbi Ben Kaddish smashed him in the back of the head with a candlestick. 'Is that peaceful enough for you?' he chuckled, adjusting his yarmulke."
WELLLL actually I'm getting carried away here and here's another quote from Hassidic Tales: "Rabbi Raditz of Poland was a very short rabbi with a long beard, who was said to have inspired many pogroms with his sense of humor. One of his disciples asked, 'Who did God like better - Moses or Abraham?' 'Abraham,' the Zaddik said. 'But Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land,' said the disciple. 'All right, so Moses,' the Zaddik answered. 'I understand, Rabbi. It was a stupid question.' 'Not only that, but you're stupid, your wife's a meeskeit, and if you don't get off my foot you're excommunicated.'"
ORIGINAL REVIEW: AWESOME!!!! Woody Allen you are my idol. Ughhh every page made me laugh out loud. Everyone around me kept giving me weird looks because I was cracking up so much. But I don't care because Woody Allen is amazing! The best stories were "Hassidic Tales" and "The Whore of Mensa." ("For a hundred dollars, you could listen to FM radio with twins.")
The whole book is a collection of little stories, plays, and essays. Woody's preoccupation with death predominated throughout the book. It's such intelligent humor. It reminds me of Lemony Snicket, but Woody Allen came first and I think he's even funnier. I'll update later with quotes but now I have to go to class...
Either I am stupid or the translation sucks, so far I have not been able to find it a witty and funny book as people would expect form a director like Woody Allan. Anyway, I will still carry on.