In a work of scholarship both erudite and funny, Jeremy Dauber traces the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from biblical times to the age of Twitter. Organising his book thematically into what he calls the seven strands of Jewish comedy (including the Satirical, the Witty and the Vulgar), Dauber explores the ways Jewish comedy has dealt with persecution, assimilation and diaspora through the ages. He explains the rise and fall of popular comic archetypes such as the Jewish mother, the JAP, and the schlemiel and schlimazel. He also explores a range of comic masterpieces, from the Book of Esther, Talmudic rabbi jokes, Yiddish satires, Borscht Belt skits and Seinfeld to the work of such masters as Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Woody Allen, Joan Rivers, Philip Roth, Sarah Silverman and Jon Stewart.

About the Author
Jeremy Dauber is a professor of Jewish literature and American studies at Columbia University. He is the author of Jewish Comedy and The Worlds of Sholem Aleichem, both finalists for the National Jewish Book Award. He lives in New York City.

Reviews
"Mr Dauber deftly surveys the whole recorded history of Jewish humour..." -- The Economist
"Dauber's history of Jewish comedy is really one of how the past century's American-Jewish comedy relates to a deeper cultural heritage... it displays impressive mastery of the subject." -- The Spectator


Awards
Short-listed for National Jewish Book Award 2017 and Natan Book Award 2018.



Book Information
ISBN 9780393247879
Author Jeremy Dauber
Format Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint WW Norton & Co
Publisher WW Norton & Co
Weight(grams) 550g
Dimensions(mm) 244mm * 165mm * 33mm