Blog Posts by Subject: Humor

The NYPL Picture Collection has more than 12,000 subject headings, but can only choose one per image. Here's how they make the right selection among a mountain of choices.

A master of crowd-work, Poundstone’s shows are different every night. Her improvisational style works well for her, not only onstage but as a regular on the NPR show “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” She has been a major supporter of libraries throughout the years and is a national spokesperson for the American Library Association’s United for Libraries division. We asked her a few questions about her reading habits.

Humor across the political spectrum.

Eliot may claim that April is the cruelest month, but we’re pretty sure it’s February.

The term Black Humor was coined in the 1960s by critics who regarded him as a founder, and although Friedman admits that he was never fond of the term, it is true that he helped pioneer this darker comic tone that was grimmer than conventional satire.

Dan Savage is one of the most intelligent, mordant, and deliciously fun voices discussing sex, relationships, and identity today. An advice columnist, activist, and author, Savage has written six works of nonfiction and created the It Gets Better Project, a nonprofit aimed at preventing suicide amongst LGBT youth.

I always tell kids that it is okay if they are not fans of a certain genre or literary form as there is something in the library for everyone. You never know when you will find something, like a silly poem about boogers, that will tickle your funny bone and get you excited about reading.

For a New Year's resolution that's easy to keep, try these Japanese horror-comedies.

Like Yes Please by Amy Poehler , these humorous and engaging memoirs transform readers into the personal and professional lives of celebrities. Some titles also incorporate advice.

I love a great memoir, and I noticed recently that I tend towards a certain sub-genre of memoirs, those of the mistfit variety. These memoirs are usually brutally honest, self-deprecating, and describe life at the fringes of society, or at least behavior that most of us would be embarrassed, horrified or shocked by. Most are funny and tend to be insightful, and whether it’s a well-known celebrity or someone I’ve never heard of, I find them relatable and refreshing.

Funny is as funny does. What you find hilarious I might find only mildly mirthful. And what a four-year-old thinks is hilarious is incredibly different from what their parent might find droll. That said, there's nothing quite as great as reading a book to a kid and watching them get some real enjoyment out of the text.

In anticipation of April Fools’ Day, I’ve been digging around the research collection’s historical joke books, in search of a good joke. Pity the poor sod who goes searching for funny jokes inside a joke book, right? Well, historically speaking, I’m not alone in this endeavor, and people have long sought to collect jokes and to find them, which is why NYPL owns hundreds of joke books that span basically the history of civilization.

We love these quirky gems—and not just for April Fools' Day.

So you think you can figure skate? Are you photogenic? Can you tolerate the cold? Let these vintage figure skating photos be your guide.

Dangers of the 'foodopoly'... secrets of the original West Village... how Manhattan became capital of the world... a survey of time in love, war, crime, art, money and media... the spectrum of

Who is Harpo? How does one describe him? What is his role in the Marx Brothers' films? What is his role in the universe? Sometimes he is a hero; sometimes an anti-hero. He is always unique, on par with the greats: Chaplin, Red Skelton, Emmet Kelly. He is spontaneous, in continuous action, even when he freezes or stares (which are actions in themselves). He's a part of a group, but sometimes stands alone. Is he everyman, or the product of a long line of clowns?

Harpo can't read, so he takes pleasure in burning books. Perhaps he can read and it's all a pretense. He 

How do we love Christopher Walken? On his 70th birthday, let us count the ways. Star of film, TV, and NYPL's own iBook Point, somehow everyone has a favorite film that stars him, be it The Deer Hunter, True Romance, or Pulp Fiction. The consummate villain, he faced off

Revolt at the Salad BarHave you seen the Library's long-running exhibition "Lunch Hour" yet? If not, this is your last chance, for it closes on Sunday, February 17. To whet your appetite, I'd like to present a delightful volume that was recently added to the Spencer Collection.

The work is Drôleries végétales (Vegetable Drolleries), also known as L'Empire des 

Talullah Casey is off to change her life in a very different environment. She’s going to be taking classes at a performing arts college. She will be living on the dramatic, damp, and windswept Yorkshire Dales where she can pretend to be Cathy looking for her Heathcliff. And yes, there will be snogging involved.

Talullah is the younger cousin of Georgia Nicolson, who readers may remember as the heroine of a whole series of novels that made readers laugh out loud.