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How Comedy Conquered Culture–and the Magic That Makes It Work
by Jesse David Fox
From a beloved comedy critic, a wisecracking, heartfelt, and overdue chronicle of comedy's boom—and its magic.
Comedy is king. From multimillion-dollar TV specials to sold-out stand-up shows and TikTok stardom, comedy has never been more popular, democratized, or influential. Comedians have become organizing forces across culture—as trusted as politicians and as fawned-over as celebrities—yet comedy as an art form has gone under-considered throughout its history, even as it has ascended as a cultural force.
In Comedy Book, Jesse David Fox—the country's most definitive voice in comedy criticism and someone who, in his own words, "enjoys comedy maybe more than anyone on this planet"—tackles everything you need to know about comedy. Weaving together history and analysis, Fox unravels the genre's political legacy through an ode to Jon Stewart, interrogates the divide between highbrow and lowbrow via Adam Sandler, and unpacks how marginalized comics create spaces for their communities. Along the way, Fox covers everything from comedy in the age of political correctness and Will Smith's slap to the right wing's relationship with comedy and, for Fox, comedy's ability to heal personal tragedy.
With memorable cameos from Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Ali Wong, Kate Berlant, and countless others, Comedy Book is an eye-opening education in how to engage with our most omnipresent art form, a riotous history of American pop culture, and a love letter to laughter.
"Electric ... [Fox] has a knack for finding revelations in unexpected places ... There are fresh perspectives on every page, and the style is as humorous as one would expect ... Brilliant and a pleasure to read, this raises the bar for comedy studies." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A thoughtful assessment of how, for better or worse, humor ages ... [Fox is] clearly passionate about his subject and has an encyclopedic knowledge of modern humor ... A well-informed, appreciative assessment of the current state of comedy." ―Kirkus Reviews
"Covering a variety of styles, this book's ode to comedy will entice readers who enjoy contemplative pop-culture reads." —Library Journal
"That which makes us laugh reveals what we value, or so Jesse David Fox argues in this deft and detailed history of comedy through the 1990s into the 2020s and its path to cultural and political dominance. Both humorous and intellectually rigorous, Comedy Book is an essential read for anyone who's curious how and why comedy became a perspective through which we make sense of the modern age." ―Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE
"Jesse David Fox is not only very funny but also one of the most thoughtful writers about comedy working today. Comedy Book catalogs the most inventive voices in the field, but also changes the way we talk about an art form that is more diverse and exciting than ever before." ―Seth Meyers
"I thought I was the ultimate obsessed comedy nerd but after reading Jesse David Fox's comprehensive Comedy Book I realized there is someone out there much sicker than me." ―Judd Apatow
"This is a book for people who love comedy, and for people who know nothing about comedy and are curious about who is in there and how it can all work. This is a sharp, loving, well written exploration and analysis of the art form that makes us smile, helps us relate, and is perpetually mysterious. Comedy Book is excellent for many reasons, but my favorite one is that Jesse David Fox lays it all out in a way that still allows the reader to wonder. He writes about the power and mystery of comedy in a way that only adds to that very power and that very mystery." ―Jenny Slate
This information about Comedy Book was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jesse David Fox is a Senior Editor at Vulture, where he works as the site's comedy critic and serves as the Chief Curator of the magazine's event series, Vulture Festival. He is also the host of the hit podcast Good One, where he interviews comedians about their process. He lives in Brooklyn.
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