by E. B. White
First published 1980
E. B. White assembled this comprehensive collection of American humor spanning multiple centuries of comic tradition. The anthology draws from diverse sources including newspaper columns, magazine pieces, short stories, and satirical works that shaped the nation's comedic voice. White selected pieces that demonstrate the evolution of American wit from colonial times through the modern era. The collection includes works by major humorists alongside lesser-known writers who captured the American experience through laughter. White organized the material to show how humor reflected changing social conditions, regional differences, and cultural shifts across generations. The book reveals how American comedy developed its distinctive character through the voices of writers who found the absurd in everyday life. This treasury preserves the comic spirit that helped define American literature and culture.
Genres: literary-fiction, anthologies, humor, 20th-century, american, comedy, 21st-century, americana
Vibes: thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family
Period: Colonial, Modern Era
369 pages · Paperback · Capricorn Books