Laughter and Humour

Laughter and Humour: What's so funny?

Why do we laugh, and why don't we find the same things funny?

Course-Research

Vita Harwood

Series "In Twelve Evenings" BOOK 38

What Do I Already Know About This?

Test your knowledge!

Why does one joke bring people together while another leaves an awkward silence? Why do we laugh when nothing particularly funny has happened? And what gets lost when a joke crosses a border?

Laughter and Humour invites you to explore something familiar that turns out to be full of surprises. Across sixteen engaging lessons, you'll follow laughter from infant play to social gatherings, from ritual and political satire to literature, internet memes and AI-generated jokes.

Discover how a punchline changes what we think we've heard, why humour can comfort or hurt, and what research really tells us about laughter and well-being. Along the way, meet the researchers asking these questions and try small investigations of your own.

With practical activities, 160 test questions with explained answers, a glossary and 90 jokes and funny stories from different countries and traditions, this book gives you plenty to read, discuss and explore.

For curious readers who want to understand people better, enjoy the craft of a good joke and notice more of the unexpected in everyday life.