Jakob Hein and Jürgen Witte have had enough: A fiery plea for humor in art and literature to finally be taken seriously!
Are Germans ashamed of their humor or do they really have that little to laugh about? Has anyone ever heard of a funny novel winning either the Georg Büchner Prize or the German Book Prize? Why can’t we admit that works that make people laugh touch on the mysteries of our existence at least as authentically as serious art does? And: has it always been this way?
Jakob Hein and Jürgen Witte investigate a phenomenon—namely, German society’s consistent disdain for humorous art. Their exploration takes them through the world of literature as well as movies, television and cabarets; they interview philosophers, literary figures and experts on humor. And they look inwards: Is there such a thing as good and bad humor? Is laughter different in the East than in the West? What’s the difference between men and women’s humor?
“This book has a place of honor on my bedside table. It’s nice to see Jakob Hein reach an age where he’s finally ready to dedicate himself to problematic, hopelessly dark topics. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in his shoes while writing this book. Chapeau! And many thanks.” Kurt Krömer
