The Humor Code

A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny

Biography & Memoir, Reference, Nonfiction, Entertainment, Humour & Comedy, General Humour, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book The Humor Code by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner, Simon & Schuster
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Peter McGraw, Joel Warner ISBN: 9781451665437
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publication: April 1, 2014
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Language: English
Author: Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
ISBN: 9781451665437
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication: April 1, 2014
Imprint: Simon & Schuster
Language: English

Part road-trip comedy and part social science experiment, a scientist and a journalist “shed fascinating light on what makes us laugh and why” (New York Post).

Two guys. Nineteen experiments. Five continents. 91,000 miles. The Humor Code follows the madcap adventures and oddball experiments of Professor Peter McGraw and writer Joel Warner as they discover the secret behind what makes things funny. In their search, they interview countless comics, from Doug Stanhope to Louis CK and travel across the globe from Norway to New York, from Palestine to the Amazon. It’s an epic quest, both brainy and harebrained, that culminates at the world’s largest comedy festival where the pair put their hard-earned knowledge to the test.

For the first time, they have established a comprehensive theory that answers the question “what makes things funny?” Based on original research from the Humor Research Lab (HuRL) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the pair’s experiences across the globe, The Humor Code explains the secret behind winning the New Yorker cartoon caption contest, why some dead baby jokes are funnier than others, and whether laughter really is the best medicine.

Hilarious, surprising, and sometimes even touching, The Humor Code “lays out a convincing theory about how humor works, and why it’s an essential survival mechanism” (Mother Jones).

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Part road-trip comedy and part social science experiment, a scientist and a journalist “shed fascinating light on what makes us laugh and why” (New York Post).

Two guys. Nineteen experiments. Five continents. 91,000 miles. The Humor Code follows the madcap adventures and oddball experiments of Professor Peter McGraw and writer Joel Warner as they discover the secret behind what makes things funny. In their search, they interview countless comics, from Doug Stanhope to Louis CK and travel across the globe from Norway to New York, from Palestine to the Amazon. It’s an epic quest, both brainy and harebrained, that culminates at the world’s largest comedy festival where the pair put their hard-earned knowledge to the test.

For the first time, they have established a comprehensive theory that answers the question “what makes things funny?” Based on original research from the Humor Research Lab (HuRL) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the pair’s experiences across the globe, The Humor Code explains the secret behind winning the New Yorker cartoon caption contest, why some dead baby jokes are funnier than others, and whether laughter really is the best medicine.

Hilarious, surprising, and sometimes even touching, The Humor Code “lays out a convincing theory about how humor works, and why it’s an essential survival mechanism” (Mother Jones).

More books from Simon & Schuster

Cover of the book Ashes to Ashes by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book So Hard to Say by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Family Secrets by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Social Q's by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Nine by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book The Homework Machine by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Are We There, Yeti? by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Much Ado About Anne by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Here Come the Boys (short story) by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book The Astral Traveler's Daughter by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book God, No! by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Our American King by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book The Sweetheart by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
Cover of the book Full Disclosure by Peter McGraw, Joel Warner
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy