Overview

A marvellously readable and entertaining analysis of what makes people laugh, and why. The book looks at humour from every possible angle: between the sexes, across cultures, between generations, giving lavish examples to illustrate the points raised. The author examines the elements of humour and its cultural differences and illustrates his examples with specific jokes or genres of jokes. Not only analysing humour and comedy, it places humour in its social context and outlines how it has developed over time. The author analyses the 'joker' and the 'jokee' as well as the joke-text. No one has done this since Freud and it certainly has not been done in a book that is readable and is definitely attractive to a general audience. Whether it is 'Dumb Blondes', 'Absent-minded Professors', 'Englishmen, Irishmen or Scotsmen', 'Mothers-in-law', 'Hot Redheads' or talking animals, why do we find these personas so funny? Read this fascinating analysis of the dynamics, the history and the social context of humour. What are the seven categories of dirty jokes? Who are the great Jewish comedians and comic writers? What is different about Aussie Humour? The author was educated at Westminster College, Oxford and Adelaide University and has had a lifetime's interest in all things humorous and poses the question: 'What makes us laugh?'.

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9780980556490

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