Let There Be Laughter: A Treasury of Great Jewish Humor and What It All Means

From the host of NPR affiliate’s Forum with Michael Krasny, a compendium of Jewish jokes that packs the punches with hilarious riff after riff and also offers a window into Jewish culture.

Michael Krasny has been telling Jewish jokes since his bar mitzvah, and it’s been said that he knows more of them than anyone on the planet. He certainly states his case in this wise, enlightening, and hilarious book that not only collects the best of Jewish humor passed down from generation to generation, but explains the cultural expressions and anxieties behind the laughs.

"What’s Jewish Alzheimer’s?"
"You forget everything but the grudges."

"You must be so proud. Your daughter is the President of the United States!"
"Yes. But her brother is a doctor!"

"Isn’t Jewish humor masochistic?"
"No. And if I hear that one more time I am going to kill myself."

With his background as a scholar and public-radio host, Krasny delves deeply into the themes, topics, and form of Jewish humor: chauvinism undercut by irony and self-mockery, the fear of losing cultural identity through assimilation, the importance of vocal inflection in joke-telling, and calls to communal memory, including the use of Yiddish.

Borrowing from traditional humor and such Jewish comedy legends as Jackie Mason, Mel Brooks, and Joan Rivers, Larry David, Sarah Silverman, Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer, Let There Be Laughter is an absolute pleasure for the chosen and goyim alike.

“Isn’t Jewish humor masochistic?”

“No. And if I hear that one more time I am going to kill myself.”

Michael Krasny has been telling Jewish jokes since he could say “oy vey!,” and it’s been said that he knows more of them than anyone else on the planet. He certainly states his case in this wise, enlightening, and hilarious book that not only collects the best Jewish humor passed down from generation to generation but explains the cultural expressions and anxieties behind the laughs.

With his background as a scholar and public radio host, Krasny delves deeply into the themes, topics, and forms of Jewish humor: chauvinism undercut by irony and self-mockery; the fear of losing cultural identity through assimilation; the importance of vocal inflection in joke-telling; and calls to communal memory, including the use of Yiddish.

Borrowing from traditional humor and such Jewish comedy legends as Jackie Mason, Mel Brooks, and Joan Rivers, Let There Be Laughter is an absolute pleasure for the chosen and goyim alike.

“Why is ‘Jewish’ the only religion with a type of humor named after it? Because the Jews are God’s chosen people. And God has a sense of humor. Check Genesis 1:27, ‘So God created man in his own image.’ Now look in the mirror. God is kidding. Michael Krasny explains it all in Let There be Laughter.” - --P. J. O'Rourke

“As humor is often a response to life’s difficulties, the jokes in Let There Be Laughter transcend the mere comical to examine the ancient and mysterious aches of being human. With a keen wit and a sage’s wisdom, Krasny excavates a rich cultural legacy and shows us the elusive funny bone is located just between the heart and the mind.” - -- Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Orphan Master's Son

“A book about Jewish jokes that’s as funny as the jokes--what’s not to love?” - --Andy Borowitz

“It is a scientific fact (which I just made up, but I bet it’s true) that the Jewish people have produced more good jokes than any other group. And Michael Krasny appears to have collected them all in this hilarious and informative book. Krasny is that rare writer who can explain humor without ruining it; you’ll laugh, but you’ll also learn.” - -- Dave Barry

“Isn’t Michael Krasny the most wonderfully versatile writer? Isn’t this book side-splittingly hilarious? Why can’t I come for the jokes and then stay for “what it all means?” Why did it take so long for someone this talented to give us something so funny, meaningful and durable? And why can’t a Gentile answer a question (’will you blurb my book?’) with a question? I loved it.” - -- Ken Burns

“Side-splittingly hilarious.” - -- Ken Burns

“Michael Krasny’s ‘Let There Be Laughter’ offers funny jokes and insightful commentary as antidote to trying times.” - Times of Israel

“Joyful, Jewish and often just plain old funny, Michael Krasny’s new book, ‘Let There Be Laughter’, is jam-packed with jokes.” - -- The Mercury News

“For years, [Krasny’s] been building an arsenal of Jewish jokes, which resulted in the recent bestselling book “Let There Be Laughter,” his punchline-filled reflection on the wit and wisdom and general mishegoss of his people. And, oy, do we need this humor more than ever now.” - David Talbot, San Francisco Chronicle

“Be sure to pick up this funny read. You won’t regret it.” - Atlanta Jewish Times

“Let There Be Laughter is as much a memoir as an anthology, and some of the best moments in the book are the anecdotes that Krasny tells about how Jewish humor asserts itself in unexpected, provocative and meaningful ways.” - Jewish Journal

“[Krasny] closes with the hope that his book has brought ‘deep appreciation for the remarkably widely-ranging genius of Jewish comedy.’...delightful.” - New York Times Book Review

“Krasny has chosen well, and digs into the jokes, explaining the sometimes not-so-funny histories and emotions that ultimately trigger the laughter. Besides the featured jokes, he provides plentiful additional bits that evoke smiles and nods of recognition.” - San Francisco Chronicle Book Review