HUMOR ME

A podcaster/comedy writer extols the virtues of humor.

Duffy cheerfully itemizes some of the many ways in which being able to call on a sense of humor greases the wheels of social interaction in ordinary times and makes life more bearable in the challenging ones, including times of illness, grief, and social oppression. Though Duffy occasionally touches on techniques for crafting and telling a joke—“start with the second biggest laugh” and “funny things come in threes”— his main focus is on allowing humor and laughter to arise naturally in social settings, and learning to laugh at yourself. Each of the chapters includes practical suggestions on how to encourage an attitude of openness to delight: Put away your phone, take social risks, “celebrate the bad.” Frequent goofy footnotes add to the book’s pleasure. Duffy touches on academic studies on subjects such as evolutionary science, and he interviews experts on topics including comic improvisation and Abraham Lincoln’s sense of humor, but he doesn’t get bogged down in the details. The author devotes even more of his attention to one of his fifth-grade students who wrote entertaining reviews of school lunches and a 103-year-old neighbor with “a mischievous streak and a razor-sharp wit.” His light touch makes for a delightfully accessible book. While most readers won’t find much new or surprising information here, Duffy’s down-to-earth presentation offers useful reminders about the importance of mindfulness, compassion, and above all, not taking oneself too seriously. He also, wisely, recognizes that humor is not always a force for good, and devotes a chapter to avoiding using humor to bully, hog attention, or insult oneself. “Do your best not to be an ignorant jerk,” he advises.

A genial, gentle reminder not to take life quite so seriously.