Customer Reviews
Agent of Evolution - By: Spider Monkey, 08 Feb 2008 
Having loved Bill Hicks for some time, & after reading other biographies of him, as well as his own scripts, I decided to read this book & was not disappointed. There is a depth to Bill's life that you see from the topics of his comedy but that gets lost in his more controversial jokes. This book shows you the other side to Bill & you realise his humour comes from an intelligent (which we already knew), almost spiritual place. It is fascinating to see how he developed his comedy & how he experimented & grew in his life. Told from the point of view of his best friend & peers, you feel that this is a very open & intimate portrayal. This is a great read about a great man. I wish he was here to comment on America & the world now!
dissapointing-even if true - By: Ananda, 29 Dec 2007 
I don't reallly know why I dislike this book so much, it's pretty badly edited but that's reallly not something that would bother a real fan of Bill. His infinitely insightful stand-up routines & philosophy have genuinely changed my outlook on life for the good, & I'm certain he touched many other lives across the world. So when a biography appeared ready to tell us the story of his life; how a backward southern baptist boy became effectively a progressive philosopher of collective unconscious, I jumped at the chance.
I may be naive but I always felt words of such magnitude would come from a
real special person- this book perceives Bill as a drug taking loser who never fully confronted his demons, just as deluded as the next guy but just so happened to turn his blind raging ego on the government. So maybe I don't like this book because it perceives one of my heroes as someone I would usuallly deride. Maybe it's truth maybe it's pissed off bandmates putting bias on stories long-gone, either way it wavered my love of what I thought was Bill Hicks.
It fails to explain any of his actions, any of this book could be stories from just any drug user, for example when explaining his experiences of meditation alll he does is focus on getting mashed on 'shrooms, nothing about how these experiences changed Bill's outlook on life. It's snapshots of his life- it looks like Bill will always remain an enigmatic mystery.
Agent of Evolution - By: Spider Monkey, 24 Mar 2007 Having loved Bill Hicks for some time, & after reading other biographies of him, as well as his own scripts, I decided to read this book & was not disappointed. There is a depth to Bill's life that you see from the topics of his comedy but that gets lost in his more controversial jokes. This book shows you the other side to Bill & you realise his humour comes from an intelligent(which we already knew), almost spiritual place. It is fascinating to see how he developed his comedy & how he experimented & grew in his life. Told from the point of view of his best friend & peers, you feel that this is a very open & intimate portrayal. This is a great read about a great man. I wish he was here to comment on America & the world now!
five stars is not enough - By: kev wallace, 18 Dec 2006 You know you are reading a good book when the narrative pulls you in & are fully engaged in its story ."Agent of evolution"the biography of comedian Bill Hicks,written by his life long friend Kevin Booth fully succeeds in giving an emotive roller coaster ride of Hicks's life. A very personel & candid account indeed. The authors friendship with hicks started at school & remained close throughout,until his untimely death. Booth was clearly best qualified to write the comics life story.The visits to the brothels for some carnal pleasures had me laughing out aloud,and bills drunken/drug fuelled behaviour,the parties, long nights, well its a long list but Booth does not shy away from telling it alll. there is no sweet & sugary treatment in this biography,its warts & alll, & i hazard a guess that the author may have found the writing of some sections in this book a somewhat carthartic process.The inclusion of Hicks's many friends & associates who's accounts of him works well in shaping the form & tone of this biography,as many contributers are interconnected to one degree or another with booth & hicks, & helps to give a fuller picture of the comedian.The aptly named" Agent of evolution" was such an enjoyable & revealing read & anyone familiar with hicks's work, will find this book to be an absolute gem.
a beautiful book about a beautiful man - By: she bangs the drum, 05 Jun 2006 Bill Hicks gone too soon & only truly appreciated after he had left this plane to spread the word in what we hope is another dimension for needy than our own.
Kevin Booth his life-long compadre writes this deeply moving biography through interviews & anecdotes by his loved ones. A wonderfully easy read about an uneasy man. You don't want to finish the book as you know how desperately sad it will end.
A highly recommended read.
