Best Comedy Books of the Year So Far According to New York Magazine/Vulture

"It’s a cliché, if not a cringey joke at this point, to mention how humor is a big part of Jewish culture; Caplan’s history of comedy as it relates to the 20th-century Jewish experience is as entertaining as its subjects, examining how the last few generations of Jewish Americans have held humor in high esteem and use its tools to express cultural identity."

"Stone is among that small collective of humor writers whose names appear on like 90 percent of all the good narrative online humor published in this, the golden age of such things. In Everybody’s Favorite, she turns away from satirizing the frailties of the modern world in favor of analyzing her own life, particularly her childhood and young adulthood."

"Many of today’s most thoughtful, emotionally and politically driven comedians honed their chops at Boom Chicago, an American theatrical and improvisational comedy troupe that primarily operates in Amsterdam... the book’s tone of fascination and how the sausage is made provides a compelling account of how improv is crafted, and how Boom Chicago’s approach informed so much of its participants’ later work."

"As a parody news site, Reductress delivers a savage mockery of life’s trivial embarrassments, indignities, and personal injustices, particularly those suffered by women and millennials. That’s all here in this book written by two of Reductress’ top voices. With that signature tone of aggrieved exhaustion all while punching back against the forces which crush the humanity out of anyone young, How to Stay Productive takes aim on grind culture, and how it’s a total scam. "

"Baume is a pop-cultural chronicler with a focus on LGBTQ history and TV, and in Hi Honey, I’m Homo he lays out — with authority and a deep love — the enormous and crucial role that mainstream sitcoms played in increasing visibility, tolerance, and acceptance for gay and lesbian Americans."

"George Schlatter is an old-time Hollywood pro, a gregarious producer type whose sincere, charming bewilderment with how amazingly his life played out comes across on the page. He presents his showbiz memoir as a long string of crackling, short, and nonchalant vignettes, stretching from his entry into entertainment through his forays into the bygone era of celebrity-driven TV specials, and ultimately, to his masterpiece, Laugh-In."

"This humor book parodies humor books while being a pretty good one itself. It opens with endless introductory and preamble material that pokes fun at its own pomposity. But then, when the book starts in earnest, it’s like a sketch-comedy show in literary form."

"That adults don’t know how to make friends is a cliché at this point, but Moore explains how it’s quite real and tragic, and in this revelatory and sweet guide, she offers real assistance in the reader’s quest for friendship with a humorous dose of encouragement to always be good to yourself."

"Roberson has come to look for “America,” to embark on the great American road trip... But in America the Beautiful? she renders that pretentious literary dream of white dudes (like Jack Kerouac) to be false. Sure, she sees a lot of beautiful national parks and bodies of water, meets interesting people with compelling stories and actual problems, and realizes that we’re all in a climate crisis, but she concludes that the idea of such a quest is perhaps a little too self-indulgent."

"Not Funny is refreshingly and astonishingly different from the surface-level, self-deprecating essay collections written by many other comedians... This book captures the hopelessness, cynicism, and utter exasperation with the world that makes Friedman’s stand-up so honest, funny, and uncomfortable... From her adventures in the insular world of improv to her pointed and thorough takedown of American Girl (the doll company) culture, Friedman mines laughs out of bleakness and resignation."