13 Books That Changed Comedian, Author, and Drag King Murray Hill’s Life

Rage to Survive by Etta James and David Ritz

Etta James had one of the greatest voices in music and one helluva life. Addiction, heartbreak, chaos, and that voice…raw, powerful, and breathtaking. I connected with the struggle behind the spotlight. Etta’s story reminded me that surviving is an accomplishment in itself, even before the curtain goes up.

Actress of a Certain Age by Jeff Hiller

Jeff Hiller is one of my dearest friends, and one of the funniest people I know. He can make me laugh at a drop of a hat (whatever that means). We both spent decades in show business waiting for the phone to ring. Jeff’s story is proof that there’s no expiration date on making it. Especially for us middle-aged guys who love to improv! And let me tell you, nobody deserves a standing ovation more than this guy.

Finding Me by Viola Davis

Viola Davis tells her story with such raw honesty, it practically jumps off the page and grabs you by the collar. Growing up with trauma, feeling invisible, and then fighting to be seen…I know a little something about that. She didn’t just find herself, she fought like hell to become herself. And now the world gets to revel in her talent and strength.

Yes I Can by Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy could sing, dance, act, do impressions, tell jokes—the ultimate entertainer. But what stayed with me was everything he had to overcome just to stand on that stage. He faced racism and rejection and still managed to dazzle the world. Sammy taught me that showbiz magic is making it look easy when nothing about it is and that talent always transcends.

Any and all books by David Sedaris

I love Sedaris’s ability to find the absurdity in everyday life, especially the humiliating parts. He writes about family, being an outsider, and all the ridiculous things people do to one another. He reminds me that sometimes you don’t need to make anything up. Just tell people what happened, because just as life is absurd, it is funny, too.

Becoming Richard Pryor by Scott Saul

Richard Pryor was a genius, a revolutionary, and such a truthful entertainer. He is by far my favorite comedian of all time. He took his pain, his childhood, his addictions, and everything society told him to keep quiet about and turned it into comedy. He wasn’t just telling jokes. He was telling the truth, and sometimes the truth was ugly as hell. Pryor taught me that comedy can be dangerous, uncomfortable, and still bring down the house.

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin

Steve Martin spent years developing an act nobody understood. Sound familiar? He worked every lousy gig imaginable, refined every little detail, and kept going until the audience finally caught up. This book captures the loneliness, obsession, and sheer stubbornness it takes to be a comedian. Nobody sees the thousands of nights you bomb before they call you an overnight success.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey is smart, hilarious, and knows how to run the show. That’s a dangerous combination in a business where people love telling you to sit down and shut up. I love her honesty about ambition, insecurity, and the absurdity of show business. She’s living proof that you can be the boss, get the laugh, and still have absolutely no idea what you’re doing half the time.

Never Mind the Happy by Marc Shaiman

Marc Shaiman is a walking, talking, piano-playing encyclopedia of show business. This guy has worked with everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY…even me! What I love is that underneath all the Broadway glamour and Hollywood success is a kid who just wanted to put on a show. I know that kid. I am that kid, too.

The Comedians by Kliph Nesteroff

This is my kind of history book! Give me the drunks, the nightclub comics, the vaudevillians, the hustlers, and the people doing three shows a night for 20 bucks and a sandwich. Comedy has always been filled with outsiders and oddballs trying to make a living getting laughs. Reading this felt like discovering my family tree.

Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby did something extraordinary. She questioned the very thing that saved my life: comedy. For years, I turned my pain into punchlines because making people laugh was easier than telling them what really happened. Hannah challenged the idea that we always have to make our suffering entertaining. Sometimes the bravest thing a comedian can do is tell a story without giving the audience a way out.

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

Leslie Jones is a force of nature. She’s loud, fearless, outrageous, and doesn’t give a flying f*ck what anybody thinks. She spent years grinding away in comedy clubs before getting her big break. I love anybody who’s been told they’re too much and responds by turning up the volume. Leslie didn’t change herself to fit into show business. She made show business make room for Leslie F*cking Jones!