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leg59's review against another edition
5.0
An incredible read, does an amazing job discussing the context around the evolution of comedy and the impact of its excess. All that while being massively entertaining in its own right. Loved this book.
kmg365's review against another edition
4.0
This book left me with the impression that Ken Jennings' favorite topic is Ken Jennings. I can't help but wonder if Will Rogers would have been included in the book at all if there hadn't been a dandy Jennings family anecdote about him. See also the long list of things that Ken finds vaguely amusing, which includes harpsichords.
When he actually turns his attention outward, it's an interesting and informative book. I still don't completely buy the premise. If he thinks viewing everything through the lens of humor can be damaging, he should study up on the swaths of destruction that the somber literal-minded have left in their wakes.
I think my favorite factoid from the book is that the ancient Greeks thought the seat of humor in the body was the diaphragm muscle (you know, because that's where the ha ha comes from), and that's why the nearby armpits are particularly ticklish. It's tough to argue with logic like that.
I awarded an extra star for his mention of Tom Lehrer in the last chapter, just when I'd given up hope.
kavinay's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't immediately sold on Jennings' premise but his case for humour proliferation had me be the end. The Chinese Room argument applied to Twitter was particularly stunning. Come for the jokes, get Searle's logic applied to emergent phenomena in social media for free.
karibaumann's review against another edition
3.0
I like Ken Jennings and he is very funny and appealing but I wasn’t engaged in this book overall.
maiakobabe's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
3.75
This is a conversational, light, easy to read nonfiction that traces the way comedy and humor have spread their roots into almost every aspect of American life. Advertisements are now expected to be funny, as are politicians, the news, the modern art world and some types of avant-garde fashion and food. Also, social media, particularly twitter, which (even in its crumbling perhaps final days) is a near constant stream of jokes and jibes at every current happening, large or small, including very horrific tragedies that probably shouldn't be made light of. And things that were already funny, like sitcoms, have nearly doubled their joke density in the past 50 years. The author explores the historical development of comedy in these different fields, and also wonders what it is doing to our brains to be fed such a constant stream of jokes. I missed a lot of the references by virtue of having seen almost none of the TV shows or comedy specials the author was referring to, yet still found this a quick and lively read.
laurag19's review against another edition
1.0
I mostly skimmed this book. As it turns out, reading about comedy ruins it for me. I didn’t get much out of it.
miharekar's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting overview of the comedy and humor in general. How it once was and how overwhelmingly everywhere it is today. Some interesting observations on what this is doing to us already and what awaits us in the future. Can recommend if the topic of comedy is close to your heart.
gusreads's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A surprisingly good book about how humor became the dominant voice in modern American society. The book is both funny and informative and it’s a deep dive that remains very readable and enjoyable.
kmk182's review against another edition
4.0
Who knew that Jeopardy guy was so fun? A good fun study of comedy. If you're a comedy fan there's too many other good books that have covered a lot of this though.