---
product_id: 4539575
title: "The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny"
price: "€ 52.33"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.it/products/4539575-the-humor-code-a-global-search-for-what-makes-things
store_origin: IT
region: Italy
---

# The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny

**Price:** € 52.33
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny
- **How much does it cost?** € 52.33 with free shipping
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## Description

The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny [McGraw, Peter, Warner, Joel] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny

Review: Loved it! A Fun, Surprising & Thought-Provoking Read! - Despite its title, this book isn't just a laughing matter. While funny as heck in many parts, it's a well-written book that delves deeply into fascinating areas of psychology, sociology, cultural study and business. It plays out a bit like a mystery as we embark on a worldwide trek with the authors, alternating between incredibly moving interpersonal stories and surprise twists and turns as they chase and uncover the sources of myths, stereotypes and other preconceived notions. Peter McGraw and Joel Warner make an entertaining and interesting dynamic duo of humor investigation. This is a thought-provoking yet easy read. I particularly enjoyed the overseas segments, especially the emotional and movie Patch Adams adventure in the desertcart and the surprisingly bizarre Japan visit. The in-depth and behind-the-scenes view into the professional stand-up comic and improv world fascinated me and has given me a greater appreciation and understanding of my favorite comics, and has armed me with a desire to see more live comedy. I previously followed Joel's journalistic work and one can see his finely honed ability to tell a gripping story that kept me turning the pages with enjoyment. No boring segments in this book, no wasted words.
Review: Explaining the joke - Humor is a funny thing, but what makes things funny? Why does humor exist? What purpose does it serve? I find the concept of humor extremely interesting because it is so bewildering. It just does not make any sense. There does not seem to be any intrinsic value to humor. As far as we know, animals do not seem to laugh. Some say humor is a coping mechanism. Others say it’s a bonding technique. These make some sense, but to me they are not satisfying answers. So I picked up the book The Humor Code hoping to learn more about what makes things funny. Professor Peter McGraw and journalist Joel Warner travel the globe looking for answers. Their adventures take them to Denver, Montreal, Denmark, Palestine and other locations around the world in order to understand the nuances of humor. I found the book to be pleasant, but it definitely did not meet my expectations. I was looking for a more in depth look into the constructs of humor, not an Amazing Race type trek throughout the continents. McGraw and Warner do quickly settle on a theory of humor called the “Benign Violation” theory. It is an interesting theory and I wish they spent more time testing the theory and finding challengers. Perhaps, trying to understand humor is a lot like explaining a joke; it kind of ruins it.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,347,718 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #332 in Comedy (Books) #637 in Self-Help & Psychology Humor #2,504 in Fiction Satire |
| Customer Reviews | 3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars (209) |
| Dimensions  | 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches |
| Edition  | 1st |
| ISBN-10  | 1451665415 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1451665413 |
| Item Weight  | 14.4 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 256 pages |
| Publication date  | April 1, 2014 |
| Publisher  | Simon & Schuster |

## Images

![The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71nE152GfQL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved it! A Fun, Surprising & Thought-Provoking Read!
*by E***C on May 18, 2015*

Despite its title, this book isn't just a laughing matter. While funny as heck in many parts, it's a well-written book that delves deeply into fascinating areas of psychology, sociology, cultural study and business. It plays out a bit like a mystery as we embark on a worldwide trek with the authors, alternating between incredibly moving interpersonal stories and surprise twists and turns as they chase and uncover the sources of myths, stereotypes and other preconceived notions. Peter McGraw and Joel Warner make an entertaining and interesting dynamic duo of humor investigation. This is a thought-provoking yet easy read. I particularly enjoyed the overseas segments, especially the emotional and movie Patch Adams adventure in the Amazon and the surprisingly bizarre Japan visit. The in-depth and behind-the-scenes view into the professional stand-up comic and improv world fascinated me and has given me a greater appreciation and understanding of my favorite comics, and has armed me with a desire to see more live comedy. I previously followed Joel's journalistic work and one can see his finely honed ability to tell a gripping story that kept me turning the pages with enjoyment. No boring segments in this book, no wasted words.

### ⭐⭐⭐ Explaining the joke
*by R***K on June 6, 2015*

Humor is a funny thing, but what makes things funny? Why does humor exist? What purpose does it serve? I find the concept of humor extremely interesting because it is so bewildering. It just does not make any sense. There does not seem to be any intrinsic value to humor. As far as we know, animals do not seem to laugh. Some say humor is a coping mechanism. Others say it’s a bonding technique. These make some sense, but to me they are not satisfying answers. So I picked up the book The Humor Code hoping to learn more about what makes things funny. Professor Peter McGraw and journalist Joel Warner travel the globe looking for answers. Their adventures take them to Denver, Montreal, Denmark, Palestine and other locations around the world in order to understand the nuances of humor. I found the book to be pleasant, but it definitely did not meet my expectations. I was looking for a more in depth look into the constructs of humor, not an Amazing Race type trek throughout the continents. McGraw and Warner do quickly settle on a theory of humor called the “Benign Violation” theory. It is an interesting theory and I wish they spent more time testing the theory and finding challengers. Perhaps, trying to understand humor is a lot like explaining a joke; it kind of ruins it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amusing and interesting, but not enough substance
*by A***N on August 19, 2015*

Although this book covers a lot of ground in a breezy, readable way, it left me wanting more substance. The authors explore the concept of humor across a wide variety of cultures, traveling to many different places and delving into such diverse topics as humor as a coping mechanism in extreme poverty, humor as a method of political dissent, and humor that doesn't translate easily. I applaud them for covering such a wide terrain, but I wish they had delved a little deeper into some of the topics. The tone also feels a bit forced at times. Would I recommend the book to a friend? Sure, if you want something easy and interesting for a plane ride (that's where I read it). But at the end, I found myself wondering what the point of it was.

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*Product available on Desertcart Italy*
*Store origin: IT*
*Last updated: 2026-03-13*