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Cover of Napalm & Silly Putty by George CarlinNapalm & Silly Putty
Modern · Nonfiction, Classics

Napalm & Silly Putty

by George Carlin
2001 · 269 pages · Nonfiction
64.7Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 7 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

George Carlin, the comedian, collects his observations, rants, lists and one-liners: about euphemisms, airline announcements, sports, politics, religion, the absurdities of everyday language, and the hypocrisies of modern America.

Why it's worth reading

It hit #1 on the New York Times list. Carlin's mix of silliness and savage social criticism works on the page.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's crude, profane and irreverent about religion. It's easy to dip into.

By the numbers

64.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)

Reads as

Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Napalm & Silly Putty worth reading?

Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,910 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Napalm & Silly Putty about?

George Carlin, the comedian, collects his observations, rants, lists and one-liners: about euphemisms, airline announcements, sports, politics, religion, the absurdities of everyday language, and the hypocrisies of modern America.

How long does it take to read Napalm & Silly Putty?

About 7 hours (269 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Napalm & Silly Putty?

If you liked it, try When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris, If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries—What Am I Doing in the Pits? by Erma Bombeck or What If? by Randall Munroe.