Petite Philosophie Des Blagues Et Autres Facéties (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
If you like humor (and who doesn't?), this is an interesting read.The first half of the book traces the history of humor and of jokes, from those told by the ancient Greeks and Romans, to the present day.Interestingly enough, some jokes told 2000+ years ago are still around, and still work, in today's context.The second half of the book focuses on the philosophy of humor, starting with a categorization of types of jokes, and then moving on to the theories that attempt to explain what makes us laugh and why we find things funny.The three main theories of jokes and why we like them are the superiority theory, the relief theory, and the incongruity theory.I personally think the incongruity theory is correct in most cases, but I will leave you to read the book to find out what the theories are, and to see if you agree with me once you have been properly educated about humor. The author 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. He could have easily doubled the length of the book to just get into everything. I was disappointed that he didn't spend more time on each topic.
What do You think about Petite Philosophie Des Blagues Et Autres Facéties (2009)?
Interesting analysis of different types of humor but I mostly enjoyed all the little jokes inside.
—Reader
A short history of humor and jokes. Not too historically correct I presume, but a pleasant read.
—jeannie
This little book is fascinating. If you have an hour to kill, pick this one up.
—ellie1603
