‘Pure Drivel’ Is Purely Hilarious on Tape

Not many people can make fun of Marcel Proust. OK, that is not exactly true. Anybody can make fun of Proust, but Steve Martin does it with finesse. Successful finesse.

He also has enough confidence in his Valley Guy sense of irony that he named this intellectually stimulating collection of essays “Pure Drivel” (Simon & Schuster Audio; unabridged fiction; two cassettes; 2 hours and 10 minutes; $18; read by the author. Also available on two CDs; $20). Martin has always been the thinking person’s comedian. This collection of his essays, some of which appeared in the New Yorker, reinforce that role. He pokes fun at Mensa in one story, slips in sly references to topical subjects in another and activates our personal laugh tracks by going after universal topics.

His writing is sometimes striking and his descriptions robust, such as in “Side Effects,” a witty little bombshell parodying those endless warnings handed out at pharmacies. In another story about a New York writer who must travel to Tinseltown, he manages to defend Los Angeles while making fun of it.

Don’t even bother trying to read the printed version of this book; you could never do it justice. Martin, with his finely honed, understated delivery, will have you laughing so hard that tears will flow down your face, your stomach will hurt, stitches will burst. In fact, give this to an enemy.

*

If outre is OK, the outrageous and hysterically funny audio “Gates of Eden,” is for you. (Simon & Schuster Audio; unabridged selections; 5 hours and 30 minutes; $25; read by a cast of eight actors.)

Author Ethan Coen, half of that famous filmmaking duo with his brother, Joel, is best known for such films as “Fargo” and “Barton Fink.” He put together a dream cast of actors, many from his movies, to read these mischievous flights of imagination. Lending much flavor to the production are Bain Boehlke, Steve Buscemi, Matt Dillon, John Goodman, William H. Macy, Liev Schreiber, Ben Stiller and John Turturro.

Coen should soon gain notoriety for his short stories, which are astute, revealing and naughty. His writing is sharp and the humor inky black, but these are not intended for those easily offended or politically correct. They are, though, so wildly comic you should not listen while operating heavy machinery.

The stories include one about a pathetic private investigator (read by Buscemi) trying to correct his psychological hearing loss by visiting a shrink--a shrink he cannot hear! Then there is the weights-and-measures man who investigates the true size of hamburgers and sacks of oranges in a story read by Macy.

Unfortunately, he thinks he’s living the life of a hard-boiled investigator from a 1950s film noir.

The stories are unabridged and each is read by an actor well paired to the selection. There isn’t a misstep in the production.

Rochelle O’Gorman reviews audio books every other week. Next week: Dick Lochte on mystery books.