The importance of being funny Why we need more jokes in our lives

Comedy is a means of dealing with the problems of life; it's a weapon against anxiety and discomfort, a coping mechanism, and a release valve that removes stress and provides a distraction from our fears. Humor disarms; it confronts; it anesthetizes. It gives us the courage to endure that which we cannot understand or avoid and gives voice to the unspeakable. Radio-personality Gini breezily examines the role humor has played in society, tracing jokes back to ancient Egypt and the Bible. He discusses the fool in the time of Henry VII who had license to speak truth to power, acting as a confidante and critic, whose role eventually evolved into stand-up comedians like Bob Hope and satirists like Jon Stewart. Gini looks at what makes a joke funny and asks if tasteless jokes can be funny; and he looks at the ethics behind joke telling. As a professor, Gini uses humor in the teaching of philosophy to reach his students, comparing the role of comedy with that of philosophy, and he uses humor here, too, sharing plenty of hilarious jokes to illustrate his points in this entertaining and informative survey.--Segedin, Ben Copyright 2018 Booklist