So very good.

I saw Russell Kane perform a piece he wrote called "Smokescreens and Castles" on TV one night and was literally breathless by the end of it. I say "piece he wrote" rather than 'stand-up comedy' because after seeing it, with mixed tears on my cheeks, I thought "stand up" just didn't cut it as a description. Well, this book is like that. He even mentions the phenomina towards the end, where the narrator says "comedy" is not the right word and comes up with "direct theatre" instead, explaining that 'laughs were not necessary' more that insight is primary, laughs secondary.

This is wonderfully dark and funny and philosophical, with allusions to such masterpieces as Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange World" and Dostoevsky's "The Underground Man" whilst remaining powerfully and usefully 'current'. The exploration of the invisible, metaphysical line between laughter and joy and despair and death is so thoughtfully, cleverly and thoroughly done that you get the sense of great artistry and intelligence.

It is not for the fainthearted though, and I warn you, there is (appropriately) no happy ending.

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