Jewish Comedy

A Serious History

By: Jeremy Dauber

Narrated by: Jeremy Dauber

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

In a major work of scholarship both erudite and very funny, Jeremy Dauber traces the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from Biblical times to the age of Twitter.

Organizing 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. And he explores an enormous range of comic masterpieces, from the Book of Esther, Talmudic rabbi jokes, Yiddish satires, Borscht Belt skits, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm 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.

©2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

My favorite book!

And that’s saying something, because I really love books.

The author loves his subject, and his People. You can truly sense it. He brings to us the benefit of a vast Jewish literacy as manifest in the Book of Genesis, the Book of Esther, the Talmud, Jewish secular literature, all of which accompanied us through Diasporas and to our sovereignty in Israel. The scope is vast, and yet he pulls it all together with skill with sensitivity and authenticity. I highly recommend this not only as a history of Jewish comedy, but also as a history of Jewish life and the values that frequently conflict in Jewish living. It is a history less of Jewish Comedy than it is of Jewish Laughter.

Really makes you think about the origins of comedy

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. There were connections made with ancient comedy that put several theological thoughts in a completely different light. It really makes you think about all that has come before as the basis of Jewish Comedy.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Dauber has a fabulous understanding of the medium and it's history. The tone is lighthearted, but very intellectually stimulating.

Light and delight

A nice short delight book, cracked me multiple times and conveyed itself messages and historical information pleasantly.
I liked this book.

Fine reflections

Many good insights into humor in general and specifically to the Jewish experience. Good listen.

Excellent research

A historically accurate dive into jewish american humor, with depth in which regards class, gender and pop culture.

History with a huge dollop of Academic Analysis

If you are expecting a funny book full of humor, then pass. The book does have its funny bits and resurrects (a term with humor all its own given the book is about Jewish humor) some forgotten comedic acts that deserve another day in the sun. The section on Jewish comediennes is among the best. However, I wish the author stuck to history and didn’t veer off into theory and analysis. What happens is that this book or treatise or academic analysis or whatever it is, ties too hard to be something it doesn’t achieve. The author tries hard to find the answer to what exactly is Jewish humor—but alas, never quite can resolve the question. Put simply, if someone who is Jewish tells a joke, does that make it Jewish humor, or is there a singularly Jewish humor that anyone can tap into? Plus, one thesis he presents but fails to flesh out in its entirety is that Jewish humor is about striving for acceptance into mainstream American culture. Why this is important (and what is “mainstream American culture” anyway?) never gets addressed. Since this is a key part of his analysis, it’s head scratching that he posits it and then doesn’t explore it. The book moves well in parts, but then some sections get so analytical and theoretical (do we need an exegesis on Seinfeld telling us the Jewish contexts as to why it’s funny, hence wringing out the humor entirely?) that it becomes ponderous to absurd, like tracing Kafka’s humor (a questionable thesis to begin with—did anything Kafka write have humor?) as a foundation for some sitcom episodes. Overall, an “A” for effort, but only a “B” for execution.

Interesting but incomplete

Enjoyable and engaging book, excellent performance. However there should’ve been a subtitle: Jewish comedy in AMERICA. Comedy in Israel gets only a cursory look— examining the differences and similarities between comedy in the Jewish homeland and the diaspora would’ve added a fascinating dimension to this book.

Ok book on Jewish humor marred by inept reading

This guy-- reading lessons he could use.... YES.. verbal tics... two prominent.. At the end of many sentences he lowers his voice....which I find annoying. Didn't anyone tell him he was dong it? The other is that he does not vary his speech patterns which, to this listener, is tedious to the ears. Another minor defect is that his selection of humor includes too many oft repeated jokes. Good news-- this item from the Plus Catalog is worth every penny I didn't pay for it.

How Do You Spoil A Joke?

Explain it.

The book is fine for what it is. What it is, is more of a textbook-like history and background of Jewish humor. It explains context and why certain jokes were created and explains the humor of the times in which the jokes were created. And, yes, there's quite a bit of "this is funny because. . . ." Nice for learning, but for entertainment? Meh.

One of the Best Books on Jewish Humor - Seriously!

I love Jewish humor. I would have cried when Seinfeld went off the air, but I'm okay with reruns. As an author Dauber does a great job covering the Biblical origins of humor rooted in the suffering of the Jews at the hands of their enemies. As a narrator he has just the right inflection for his joke telling. I also picked up on some Yiddish - not bad for a goy.