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RR 2001/147 Encyclopedia of 20th-Century American Humor Allen Pace Nilsen and Don L.F. Nilsen Oryx Press Phoenix, Arizona 2000 ix + 360 pp. ISBN 157356 2181 L53.95 UK distribution by The Eurospan Group, London
Keywords Humour, USA
Here it is straight. The two authors of this Encyclopedia, both English teachers, have worked in humour studies for 25 years, originally attracted to the field in order to make their grammar lectures more interesting. In 1982 they invited the public to attend their first April Fools' Day conference "By pulling together an overview of humor studies and treating a wide range of humor-- related subjects", they hope "to show that humor cuts across many aspects of life" in the expectation "that architects, for example, will view humor differently from lawyers, or children, or stand-up comedians. It is also to be expected that circumstantial and individual experiences and differences will influence the way individuals respond to various kinds of humor". They also hope that their encyclopaedia will be accessioned by high school and college libraries so that students will be encouraged to write research papers on humour-related topics. "The overall focus of the Encyclopedia is on 20thcentury American humor with historical and international information being included when it resonates in contemporary America". This is all very laudable and the result of the authors' labours cannot be faulted within their own terms of...