The Hidden Tools of Comedy
The Serious Business of Being Funny

I love funny. I picked up this book because I can tell jokes & I wanted to avoid what else I’m currently reading. Honestly, for some reason, part of me has always kind of thought of comedy as a sort of second class thing to do. I’d tell a joke because I couldn’t do anything better. This book makes com......more

Comedy has always seemed like a mystery to me. Sure, people laugh at my jokes, but why? Is there a rhyme or reason for it? Most importantly: is there any way to make my jokes funnier when I'm writing a new piece? Kaplan is a smart guy. He's thought about the mystery of comedy for a long time, and he'......more

A comedian I like once said words to the effect that laughter is an involuntary reaction, by which meant that when you tried to make an audience laugh, you were sort of forcing them to laugh against their will. And yet, most people want to laugh and they enjoy laughing, which makes the task of comed......more

The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel. — Horace Walpole I have always been fascinated by people who can make people laugh around him. For me, only the wisdom and chill people can make jokes without offending. Humorous people, such as Woody Allen, Oscar Wilde, always......more

I have attempted to write three different novels that are humorous. Each time, I've killed whatever was funny about the idea in the first 50 pages. Recently. my spouse found me moping about a current book I have making the rounds. "You should write something funny. Really, you are one of the funniest......more