Synopses & Reviews
Ever wondered who makes a very funny person laugh? Wonder no more. Brought together in this Library of America collection are America's fifty funniest writers-according to acclaimed writer and comedian Andy Borowitz. Reaching back to Mark Twain and forward to contemporary masters such as David Sedaris, Nora Ephron, Roy Blount Jr., Ian Frazier, Bernie Mac, Wanda Sykes, and George Saunders, The 50 Funniest American Writers* is an exclusive Who's Who of the very best American comic writing. Here are Thurber and Perelman, Lenny Bruce and Bruce Jay Friedman, Garrison Keillor, Dave Barry, and Veronica Geng, plus hilarious lesser-known pieces from The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic, National Lampoon, and The Onion. Who does one of the funniest people in America (CBS Sunday Morning) read when he needs a laugh?
Contributions by:
Mark Twain, George Ade, O. Henry Sinclair Lewis, Anita Loos, Ring Lardner, H. L. Mencken, James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, S. J. Perelman, Langston Hughes, Frank Sullivan, E. B. White, Peter De Vries, Terry Southern, Lenny Bruce, Tom Wolfe, Jean Shepherd, Hunter S. Thompson, Woody Allen, Bruce Jay Friedman, Philip Roth, Nora Ephron, Henry Beard, Michael O'Donoghue, George W. S. Trow, Fran Lebowitz, Charles Portis, Donald Barthelme, Veronica Geng, John Hughes, Mark O'Donnell, Garrison Keillor, Bruce McCall, Molly Ivins, Calvin Trillin, Dave Barry, The Onion, Susan Orlean, Roy Blount Jr., George Carlin, Ian Frazier, David Rakoff, Bernie Mac, David Sedaris, Wanda Sykes, Jack Handey, David Owen, George Saunders, Jenny Allen, Sloane Crosley, Larry Wilmore
Review
“A series of rich, intimate conversations about the ins and outs of turning funny ideas into real-world art….[Sacks] dives deep with everyone from
Saturday Night Live lifer James Downey to
Cheers creator Glen Charles to Mel Brooks, and every interview is refreshingly candid. Sacks asks the right questions…to inspire lively conversations….As a sort of expert witness to comedys history, hes reverent, though his subjects are also clearly chosen because they understand the absurdity of their own vocation. He pokes and prods just enough to reveal some guts, and most of the time theyre just as fascinating as whats on the surface.”
—A.V. Club, The Onion
“A fascinating look into the ways stand-up comedians, directors, and even short stories authors write funny….An absolute must.”
—Flavorwire
“A greater look into the craft and business of comedy writing than you can find anywhere else….A comedy nerd bible.”
—Splitsider
“Filled with intelligent conversations… Even if you're not interested in a comedy writing career, at least you'll get great suggestions for your Netflix queue.”
—NPR, 2014s “Great Reads”
“[A] pleasingly thick work, born to be well thumbed.”
—Los Angeles Times
“[Mike Sacks] conversations with humorists poke at some fundamental concepts of comedy without chloroforming any frogs. More revealingly, the book examines what kind of person comes to make a living putting funny words on paper.”
—Wall Street Journal
“Short chapters offering ‘Ultraspecific Comedic Knowledge…should be of particular interest to anyone thinking about pursuing a career in comedy. The longer interviews should be of interest to pretty much anybody.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“The true usefulness of Poking a Dead Frog to an aspiring comedy writer is in its clear-eyed picture of the gritty inner workings of the comedy industry….Reading about how a joke goes from the mind of a writer to an episode of Community is like watching a magician reveal his secrets: Sure, it dispels some of the magic, but it inspires new reverence for the real skill that went into producing the effect.”
—Slate
“An effort to understand what elicits the guffaw [and] an investigation of the comedic mind and how it works…. Poking a Dead Frog also surprises as a how-to-get-in-the-business kind of book, a thread that holds valid entertainment value….Amid these [stories of] wild successes, we get insights into what is funny, why it is funny, and just how hard it is to write the perfect joke….If you have members of your family who dream of being a comedy writer, give them this book.”
—Paste
“Unusually insightful…Sacks teases deep wisdom from comedy titans.”
—Departures
“[These] intimate discussions of comedy in all its forms are engaging, and Sacks's obvious passion is contagious. Whether writers themselves or just fans of funny, humor-loving readers will relish Poking a Dead Frog.”
—ShelfAwareness
“Fascinating interviews with some comedic heavy hitters…full of great moments that are funny, thought provoking, and poignant. If a casual humor enthusiast can appreciate the work this much, the book is going to be snapped up by comedy writers and aficionados.”
—Library Journal, starred review
“[An] excellent book…[Sacks] once again displays his ability to get fascinating and honest interviews from comic luminaries.”
—Publishers Weekly
“If youre a fan of funny — and who isnt? — youre sure to find something of interest in Sacks follow-up to And Heres the Kicker.”
—New York Post
“No one generates more interesting, revealing, entertaining interviews than Mike Sacks. His love and knowledge of comedy are apparent, and, as a result, the fascinating and sometimes tight-lipped comedy greats open up to him in ways they rarely do. Poking a Dead Frog is a classic.”
—Bob Odenkirk, co-creator of Mr. Show and former writer, Saturday Night Live
“This book is what I really look forward to in a book about humor: rich with words and humor, and funny stories with words. Thank you for your time.”
—Will Ferrell
“These interviews go to dark depths and offer useful, applicable insight into how excellent comedy is written. If you read it, you're going to be better at writing comedy and may even wind up in a position where you can take jobs away from the younger interviewees. I specify the younger interview subjects because some of the older ones will die soon.”
—Rob Delaney
“I wish I'd had a book like this when I was trying to break in. Also, a book on personal hygiene.”
—Jack Handey, author of Deep Thoughts and The Stench of Honolulu
“There are few better interviewers than Mike Sacks. Poking a Dead Frog is a must-read for any comedy nerd or fan of pop culture history.”
—Dana Brown, Vanity Fair
Synopsis
Ever wondered who makes a very funny person laugh? Wonder no more. Brought together in this Library of America collection are America’s fifty funniest writers—according to acclaimed writer and comedian Andy Borowitz. Reaching back to Mark Twain and forward to contemporary masters such as David Sedaris, Nora Ephron, Roy Blount Jr., Ian Frazier, Bernie Mac, Wanda Sykes, and George Saunders, The 50 Funniest American Writers* is an exclusive Who’s Who of the very best American comic writing. Here are Thurber and Perelman, Lenny Bruce and Bruce Jay Friedman, Garrison Keillor, Dave Barry, and Veronica Geng, plus hilarious lesser-known pieces from The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic, National Lampoon, and The Onion. Who does “one of the funniest people in America” (CBS Sunday Morning) read when he needs a laugh?
Synopsis
The creator of The New Yorker's long running satirical column "The Borowitz Report", and "one of the funniest people in America" (CBS Sunday Morning) gives you The 50 Funniest American Writers* Library of America's collection of hilarious stories, essays, and articles is an exclusive Who's Who of the very best American comic writing. Classic pieces of American humor appear here, such as "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry and a selection from Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Contemporary writing is well represented, with entries from comedic geniuses like David Sedaris, Larry Willmore, Roy Blount Jr., Sloane Crosby, Bernie Mac, Wanda Sykes, and George Saunders plus laugh-out-loud lesser-known pieces from The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic, National Lampoon, and The Onion.
*according to Andy Borowitz
Full List of Contributors
Mark Twain
George Ade
O. Henry
Sinclair Lewis
Anita Loos
Ring Lardner
H. L. Mencken
James Thurber
Dorothy Parker
S. J. Perelman
Langston Hughes
Frank Sullivan
E. B. White
Peter De Vries
Terry Southern
Lenny Bruce
Tom Wolfe
Jean Shepherd
Hunter S. Thompson
Douglas Kenney
Henry Beard
Bruce Jay Friedman
Philip Roth
Nora Ephron
Michael O'Donoghue
George W. S. Trow
Fran Lebowitz
Charles Portis
Donald Barthelme
Veronica Geng
John Hughes
Mark O'Donnell
Garrison Keillor
Bruce McCall
Molly Ivins
Calvin Trillin
Dave Barry
The Onion writers
Susan Orlean
Roy Blount Jr
George Carlin
Ian Frazier
David Rakoff
Bernie Mac
David Sedaris
Wanda Sykes
Jack Handey
David Owen
George Saunders
Jenny Allen
Sloane Crosby
Larry Wilmore
Synopsis
New York Times Bestseller The creator of The New Yorker's long running satirical column and "one of the funniest people in America" pays tribute to comedic geniuses both past and present, including Mark Twain, George Saunders, Nora Ephron, and more (CBS Sunday Morning)
Library of America's collection of hilarious stories, essays, and articles is an exclusive Who's Who of the very best American comic writing. Classic pieces of American humor appear here, such as "The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry and a selection from Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Contemporary writing is well represented, with entries from comedic geniuses like David Sedaris, Larry Willmore, Roy Blount Jr., Sloane Crosby, Bernie Mac, Wanda Sykes, and George Saunders plus laugh-out-loud lesser-known pieces from The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic, National Lampoon, and The Onion.
Full List of Contributors
Mark Twain
George Ade
O. Henry
Sinclair Lewis
Anita Loos
Ring Lardner
H. L. Mencken
James Thurber
Dorothy Parker
S. J. Perelman
Langston Hughes
Frank Sullivan
E. B. White
Peter De Vries
Terry Southern
Lenny Bruce
Tom Wolfe
Jean Shepherd
Hunter S. Thompson
Douglas Kenney
Henry Beard
Bruce Jay Friedman
Philip Roth
Nora Ephron
Michael O'Donoghue
George W. S. Trow
Fran Lebowitz
Charles Portis
Donald Barthelme
Veronica Geng
John Hughes
Mark O'Donnell
Garrison Keillor
Bruce McCall
Molly Ivins
Calvin Trillin
Dave Barry
The Onion writers
Susan Orlean
Roy Blount Jr
George Carlin
Ian Frazier
David Rakoff
Bernie Mac
David Sedaris
Wanda Sykes
Jack Handey
David Owen
George Saunders
Jenny Allen
Sloane Crosley
Larry Wilmore
Synopsis
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR
Amy Poehler, Mel Brooks, Adam McKay, George Saunders, Bill Hader, Patton Oswalt, and many more take us deep inside the mysterious world of comedy in this fascinating, laugh-out-loud-funny book. Packed with behind-the-scenes storiesfrom a day in the writers room at The Onion to why a sketch does or doesnt make it onto Saturday Night Live to how the BBC nearly erased the entire first season of Monty Pythons Flying CircusPoking a Dead Frog is a must-read for comedy buffs, writers and pop culture junkies alike.
About the Author
Andy Borowitz is a writer and a comedian whose work appears in
The New Yorker and at his satirical website, BorowitzReport.com, which has millions of readers around the world. The author of six books, he is the first-ever winner of the National Press Club's humor award and a two-time finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He has been called a "Swiftian satirist" (
The Wall Street Journal), and "America's satire king" (
The Daily Beast).
Contributions by:
Mark Twain, George Ade, O. Henry Sinclair Lewis, Anita Loos, Ring Lardner, H. L. Mencken, James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, S. J. Perelman, Langston Hughes, Frank Sullivan, E. B. White, Peter De Vries, Terry Southern, Lenny Bruce, Tom Wolfe, Jean Shepherd, Hunter S. Thompson, Woody Allen, Bruce Jay Friedman, Philip Roth, Nora Ephron, Henry Beard, Michael O’Donoghue, George W. S. Trow, Fran Lebowitz, Charles Portis, Donald Barthelme, Veronica Geng, John Hughes, Mark O’Donnell, Garrison Keillor, Bruce McCall, Molly Ivins, Calvin Trillin, Dave Barry, The Onion, Susan Orlean, Roy Blount Jr., George Carlin, Ian Frazier, David Rakoff, Bernie Mac, David Sedaris, Wanda Sykes, Jack Handey, David Owen, George Saunders, Jenny Allen, Sloane Crosley, Larry Wilmore