Martin writes a lucid account of  his years in comedy from his start at a small theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm near his home in Anaheim, Calif., through the years and years of stand-up at comedy clubs to, finally, major fame as a comedian. But he stayed at the comedic pinnacle only a short time.  At the top of his comedy game, he quit.  This is impressive writing (and editing, of course).  He gives us lean literary steak: no fat and no unnecessary adverbs, adjectives, or sentences. [5/09]