The Comedy of Error:
why evolution made us laugh
Overview
What is humour? Why do we laugh? And why is the root of a good joke almost always error?
Good jokes, bad jokes, clever jokes, dad jokes — the desire to laugh is universal. But why do we find some gags hilarious, whilst others fall flat? Why does explaining a joke make it less amusing rather than more so? Why is laughter contagious, and why did it evolve in the first place?
Using the oldest jokes and the latest science, in The Comedy of Error, Professor Jonathan Silvertown investigates why we laugh: from laughter’s evolutionary origins, to similarities and differences in humour across cultures, and even why being funny makes us sexier.
As this unique book demonstrates, understanding how humour really works can provide endless entertainment.
Details
- Format
- Size
- Extent
- ISBN
- RRP
- Pub date
- Rights held
- Other rights
- Hardback
- 198mm x 129mm
- 192 pages
- 9781913348182
- GBP£12.99
- 12 November 2020
- UK, Cwealth & EU English (ex. Can)
- PEW Literary
Praise
‘Analysing a joke, Jonathan Silvertown warns us, is “like using a pin to explain how a balloon works”. Analysing humour in general, then, as he does here, must be like taking a wrecking ball to the balloon factory. Luckily this book is funny. It has something of a jolly lecturer tone and comes larded with old-fashioned jokes offered as examples. Its purpose, though, is serious.’
‘Fascinating … an awesome read.’
About the Author
Jonathan Silvertown is professor of evolutionary ecology in the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of seven previous books.
