Stand-Up Comedian
         Eddie Sarfaty  
 

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Eddie's book, Mental: Funny in the Head, is available now!

Order it from Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your favorite independent bookstore.

 

 

 

 

Authors' praise for Mental

"Eddie Sarfaty’s Mental made me laugh out loud on the subway, eliciting glares from strangers.  Read it in public if you don’t mind drawing attention to yourself, read it in private if you do mind, but read it."
-- Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Hours

Eddie Sarfaty's humor is never cruel -- or only as cruel as life itself. Whereas most  humorists are so broad, so exaggerated that no chapter is as funny as a single page  and no page as funny as a sentence, Sarfaty doesn't deal in one-liners or cheap  laughs.  All his laughs are expensive -- they call on deep reserves of observation,  humanity and kindness.  This is a book you will read in one sitting all the way to the  end with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes.” 
 -- Edmund White, author of A Boy's Own Story 

"Eddie Sarfaty is a gifted stand-up comic, but his book is not just a collection of humorous sketches and clever one-liners. These are fully realized true-life stories, fresh and well-observed, expertly crafted and naturally funny. Sarfaty uses comedy not to keep his people at arm's length but to bring us closer to them. He is not afraid to move us and he is not afraid to be smart. And he writes beautifully, like an angel with a wise heart and a wonderfully foul mouth." 
-- Christopher Bram, author of God’s & Monsters 

“In this engaging and frequently hilarious collection, Eddie Sarfaty combines humor  and poignancy as skillfully as he writes about being Jewish and gay.  This book  proves that in addition to being a talented stand-up comedian, Eddie's also a  wonderful writer.” 
-- Bob Smith, author of Selfish & Perverse 

"Eddie Sarfaty 's new book, Mental initially seems to be a pleasingly accessible memoir of very funny, linked stories.  It turns out to be a searingly opinionated, totally original, blowtorch of a memoir of very funny, linked stories.  Reading Mental's sorta like reaching for a bottle of fruit punch Gatorade, and realizing mid gulp that you're downing hot paprika-spiked Hungarian moonshine."
-- Eric Orner, author of The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green

"Anyone who reads this book and doesn't fall in love with Eddie Sarfaty is an idiot."
-- Michael Thomas Ford, author of Last Summer

"In Mental: Funny in the Head, Sarfaty mixes the grotesque and the tender into a heartbreaking portrait of family, that most potent of touchstones.  Sarfaty creates a world that echoes the poignant irony of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs but is, without question, entirely his own."
-- Patrick Moore, author of Tweaked

"It's very good, but I could do without the language."
-- Sonny Sarfaty, Eddie's mom

"Hilarious!  If only he were this funny on Wednesdays at 3."
-- Dr. Ben, Eddie's shrink

 

Reviews

"The author writes with the caustic touch of Austen Burroughs, creating a funny yet poignant portrait of his world.  A droll, writerly addition to the burgeoning shelf of gay lit."
-Kirkus Reviews 

 "Gay humor? Sure. And much more. Human humor."
-The Huffington Post 

"Sarfaty proves that there is dignity and hilarity in what may seem ordinary. His short episodes individually encapsulate the range of human emotion."
-Advocate

"Mental is hilarious, which is appropriate considering Sarfaty is in the business of making people laugh, but also offers surprising insight into the human condition."
-Metrosource Magazine 

"The big difference between telling a funny joke and telling a funny story is that the latter is more difficult for the author, but more rewarding for the reader.  Sarfaty is a good comedian, but he's an even better writer."
–Instinct Magazine

"Smart and original, Sarfaty doesn’t rely on shallow shtick or contrivances. While demonstrating a command of the subtle as well as the absurd, overall his prose seems organically channeled. He writes from his heart as well as his head, courageously giving us permission to live vicariously inside his world, which although distinctive in its circumstances, is emotionally universal."
-Gay City News
 

"Sarfaty is that rare comic who knows how to write.  He has a light touch, and he's able to combine humor with poignancy without being sentimental.  Mental is the sign of a fresh new talent."
-Windy City Times 

"It’s not easy doing stand-up comedy. And it’s not easy writing an engaging book that is both funny and touching. Lucky for fans of Eddie Sarfaty, he delivers on both counts"
-Provincetown Banner 

"Every year there is a writer that the publishing industry pushes as the new David Sedaris or the new Augusten Burroughs. This year it’s Eddie Sarfaty. And, surprisingly, they’re not too far from the truth."
-Frontiers Magazine

"Eddie's comedy transcends any ethnic, sexual orientation or routine convention, and his book reveals him to be a unique and exciting storyteller."
-Echo Magazine 

"Eddie Sarfaty strikes a universal chord that's both hilarious and heartfelt."
-ModernTonic.com

"Stitches Required."
-BandofThebes.com 

"Sarfaty’s overly-dry-in-a-good-way descriptions had tears of laughter flowing from my eyes."
-Curled up with a Good Book

"Mental: Funny in the Head is a surprisingly warm, humorous collection of short stories from American stand-up Eddie Sarfaty."
-Melbourne Community Voice (Australia)

"You’re in the hands of a born storyteller."
-Xtra (Canada) 

"Mental is a collection of connected anecdotes and stories from a life that, summarized, seems to have been lived purely for the purpose of milking amusement out of it."
-Edge Magazine
 

"Sarfaty is a new literary voice and we can't wait for more."
-TLABooks.com 

"Eddie Sarfaty’s collection of short essays is so much more than funny anecdotes and cocktail chatter.  His writing is clear, direct, sexy, and full of personal emotion."
-Boston Spirit Magazine 

"Sarfaty proves that comedy isn’t necessarily cruel. It simply comes from the absurdity of living in a cruel world. And it reminds me how grateful I am that comedians like him live among us."
-ChicagoPride.com 

"His command of language is superb and he turns each episode he tackles into a fascinating anecdote with his dry wit and original observations."
-Rainbow Reviews 

"Need a shot of hilarity in your life? Shoot up with Mental."
-OutSmart Magazine 

"Eddie Sarfaty confronts potentially unbearable situations with candor and insight in his warm-hearted and touching memoir."
-Bay Area Reporter 

"Sarfaty is a master humorist; better yet, he's a gifted storyteller."
-Seattle Gay News

"Eddie is a natural as a writer. The thoroughly engaging
Mental far exceeded my expectations for a book written by a funnyman, being not only funny but solidly well-written."
-Out in Print 

 

 

 

 

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