Kategoria BISAC: Humor >> General

The Mirth of Nations is a social and historical study of jokes told in the principal English-speaking countries. It is based on use of archives and other primary sources, including old and rare joke books. Davies makes detailed comparisons between the humor of specific pairs of nations and ethnic and regional groups. In this way, he achieves an appreciation of the unique characteristics of the humor of each nation or group.

A tightly argued book, The Mirth of Nations uses the comparative method to undermine existing theories of humor, which are rooted in notions of...

"When I am not rolling on the floor I am asking myself where Safian found all those insults to compile." --(Wes Lawrence, Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"Ought to come in handy, sooner or later, for anybody." --(Chicago Daily News)

"Too many bright sayings occur to us the day after they've needed. With this book you'll be fortified with a whole...

Why is the sky blue?

Why is a left-handed pitcher known as a southpaw?

When did it first become offensive to extend the middle finger?

Why are diamonds measured in carats?

What makes stainless steel stainless?

Why does a Mexican jumping bean jump?

What is a best boy, a key grip, and a gaffer?

"Thoughts for the Throne" includes over 200 explanations of the answers to the not-so-important questions in life. Chockful of fascinating trivia facts and anecdotes, this entertaining...

• How does Bill Gates respond when you try to kiss him on the nipple?

• What are the consequences of sending in your tax return, filled out entirely in roman numerals?

• What happens when you wake up e-mail spammers with 4:00 a.m. phone calls?

Action-packed and stocked with laughs, "Prank the Monkey" follows the quest of one crusader of justice as he dishes out revenge on the world's biggest--and most deserving--targets. Superprankster John Hargrave goes after Wal-Mart, pompous celebrities, and the entire U.S. Senate in this...

PROPOSAL FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE
Dear Sir: I must solicit your confidence in this transaction. I am a high placed official with the Department of Finance Affairs in Lagos, Nigeria. I and two other colleagues are in need of a silent foreign partner whose bank account we can use to transfer the sum of $18,000,000. This are monies left by a barrister who died tragically in a plane crash last year. . .
Sound familiar? Congratulations. You have been selected to become...

The humor of the Old South -- tales, almanac entries, turf reports, historical sketches, gentlemen's essays on outdoor sports, profiles of local characters -- flourished between 1830 and 1860. The genre's popularity and influence can be traced in the works of major southern writers such as William Faulkner, Erskine Caldwell, Eudora Welty, Flannery O'Connor, and Harry Crews, as well as in contemporary popular culture focusing on the rural South.

This collection of essays includes some of the past twenty five years' best writing on the subject, as well as ten new works bringing fresh...