Review of "Isaac Asimov’s Treasury of Humor," by Isaac Asimov

Review of

Isaac Asimov’s Treasury of Humor, by Isaac Asimov ISBN 0395284120

Five out of five stars

 Given that this is a collection of 640 jokes are not original with Asimov, it is not surprising that there are many that the reader will have heard. Most likely some of them several times over. Yet, like the great song, a good joke can still make us laugh when repeated.

 Most of the jokes have been in circulation for some time, so the reader will often recognize the basic plot of the joke, even when it has been altered. Nearly all are clean enough to say in front of children, although due to the often subtle nature of the humor, this is adult comedy.

 Asimov includes copious notes on the background of the jokes as well as how deliver them and the best context. In keeping with Asimov’s deep background of knowledge, there are some jokes that the general reader will not understand.

 The eleven categories are:

*) Anticlimax

*) Shaggy Dog

*) Paradox

*) Put-down

*) Word Play

*) Tables Turned

*) Jewish

*) Ethnic

*) Religion

*) Marriage

*) Bawdy

The jokes are also indexed based on number and subject matter, making this a valuable reference for someone needing a joke for a specific occasion.