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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsStop Me If You've Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokesby Jim Holt
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In the fine tradition of On Bullshit comes this outrageous, uproarious compendium of absurdity, filth, racy paradox, and mature philosophical reflection. Stop Me If You've Heard This is the first book to trace the evolution of the joke from the stand-up comics of ancient Athens to the comedy-club Seinfelds of today. Cropping up en route are such unforgettable figures as Poggio, a Renaissance papal secretary and sexual adventurer; and Gershon Legman, the FBI-hounded psychoanalyst of dirty jokes. Having explored humor's history in part one, Jim Holt then delves into philosophy in part two. Jewish jokes; Wall Street jokes; jokes about rednecks and atheists, bulimics and politicians; jokes that you missed if you didn't go to a Catholic girls' school; jokes about language and logic itself — all become fodder for the grand theories of Aristotle, Kant, Freud, and Wittgenstein. A heady mix of the high and the low, of the ribald and the profound, this handsomely illustrated volume demands to be read by anyone who has ever peered into the abyss and asked: What's so funny? Review:"A complete history of the joke and its philosophical motivations will perhaps never be written, as Holt admits that 'the joke is not an unchanging Platonic Ideal, but a historical form that evolves over time.' Holt, a contributor to the New Yorker, tries anyway, tracking the joke's evolution from the oldest surviving joke book, the surprisingly blue Greek text Philogelos, to Freud and Kant in explaining how and why we laugh at jokes. The book's second half occasionally lapses into dryness; even Holt suggests that the more interesting a subject is, the more boring the accompanying philosophy. In examining two overlooked aspects of a common joke, Holt presents some illuminating thoughts — jokes evolve more than they are created; they are an ideal way to expel pent-up aggression — and fascinating fringe figures such as Gershon Legman, the controversial and pioneering dirty-joke archivist who saw himself as 'the keeper of the deepest subcellar in the burning Alexandria Library of the age; the subcellar of our secret desires, which no one else was raising so much as a finger to preserve.' Highly readable, Holt's effort will appeal to the intellectually curious, and the jokes are pretty funny. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Well-told jokes are works of art, as Mr. Holt rightly suggests....They are short stories in miniature, with subjects and themes, often an epiphany, and occasionally a useful moral. They can be charming, offensive or sweet, and sometimes comforting in the face the world's abundant injustices. And funny — did I neglect to mention funny?" Wall Street Journal Review:"Why does humor make us laugh? The answer, as explained by Holt and supported with a Friar's Club roast's worth of jokes, is both fascinating and, yes, actually funny. " Very Short List Synopsis:In the fine tradition of On Bullshit comes this outrageous, uproarious compendium of absurdity, filth, racy paradox, and mature philosophical reflection. Synopsis:Stop Me If You've Heard This is thefirst book to trace the evolution of the jokefrom the stand-up comics of ancient Athens tothe comedy-club Seinfelds of today. Cropping upen route are such unforgettable figures asPoggio, a Renaissance papal secretary and sexual adventurer; and Gershon Legman, the FBI-houndedpsychoanalyst of dirty jokes. Having exploredhumor's history in part one, Jim Holt thendelves into philosophy in part two. Jewishjokes; Wall Street jokes; jokes about rednecksand atheists, bulimics and politicians; jokesthat you missed if you didn't go to a Catholicgirls' school; jokes about language and logicitself-all become fodder for the grand theoriesof Aristotle, Kant, Freud, and Wittgenstein. Aheady mix of the high and the low, of the ribald and the profound, this handsomely illustratedvolume demands to be read by anyone who has ever peered into the abyss and asked: What's sofunny? About the AuthorJim Holt is a longtime contributor to The New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine, specializing in science and philosophy, as well as an erstwhile gossip columnist and an inveterate collector of jokes. He lives in New York City. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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Related SubjectsHumanities » Philosophy » General
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