A brief lucid overview of some theories of jokes. It is somewhat more superficial than I expected (and shorter) given the amount of attention the book received when published. Those interested enough to have already delved into the subject are unlikely to find much new, though they might like the reminder. It is like a very good article in a magazine of general interest for an intelligent reader. The great virtue of the book, besides the casual and clear style and good common sense of the author, is that the the jokes are actually funny. A rare occurrence among books about the theory of humor; there is such a thing as valuing irony too highly.

What’s so funny?

This is the question that Holt aims to answer in his short, witty, and pithy book. He traces the history of jokes-when we started telling them, when they were recorded, and how they have evolved (and devolved) over time. He focuses mostly on dirty jokes-jokes about sex, bodily functions, racism, and sexism-namely because at a certain level, all jokes are dirty and tasteless, and that’s why we love them. He also examines WHY things are funny from philosophical, psychological, and physiological perspectives. Do we laugh at a joke because it is unexpected, because it allows us to acknowledge the darker sides of our psyche, or because a certain section of our brain is suddenly stimulated?

Holt is a clever writer and provides lots of sample jokes to show what he’s trying to explain. However, this book is just too darn short. He could have easily doubled the length of the book to just get into everything. This book gives a few biographies of influential people in the history and study of jokes, but doesn’t delve into the theories nearly deeply enough. I was constantly disappointed that he didn’t spend more time on each topic. But this just shows how good a read the book is-he leaves the reader wanting more. ( )