Wit's end : what wit is, how it works, and why we need it / James Geary.
"A witty book about wit that steers an elegant path between waggishness and wisdom."--Stephen Fry. In this whimsical book, James Geary explores every facet of wittiness, from its role in innovation to why puns demonstrate the essence of creativity. Geary reasons that wit is both visual and verbal, physical and intellectual: there's the serendipitous wit of scientists, the crafty wit of inventors, the optical wit of artists, and the metaphysical wit of philosophers. In Wit's End, Geary embraces wit in every form by adopting a different style for each chapter; he writes the section on verbal repartee as a dramatic dialogue, the neuroscience of wit as a scientific paper, the spirituality of wit as a sermon, and other chapters in jive, rap, and the heroic couplets of Alexander Pope. Demonstrating that brevity really is the soul of wit, Geary crafts each chapter from concise sections of 200, 400, or 800 words. Entertaining, illuminating, and entirely unique, Wit's End shows how wit is much more than a sense of humor." -- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780393254945
- ISBN: 0393254941
- Physical Description: x, 226 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York : W. W. Norton & Company, [2019]
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 181-211) and index. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Wit and humor > History and criticism. |
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
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Easton Main Library | 809.7 G292w (Text) | 31901004294973 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Allentown Public Library | 809.7 GEAR (Text) | 34455006514232 | Adult Nonfiction 1st FL | Available | - |
Annie Halenbake Ross Library | 809.7 Gea (Text) | 00146089 | ADULT Non-Fiction | Available | - |
Bethlehem Main Library | 809.7 (Text) | 33062009078271 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Gettysburg Library | 809.7 GEARY (Text) | 35740635397490 | Nonfiction | Available | - |
Lower Macungie Library | 809.7 GEA (Text) | 33400001431496 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Martin Library | Adults 809.7 GEA Arts Literature (Text)
Bookplate:
Plated 2019: In honor of George D. Stough by Martin Library Honors Committee 2019
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33454005631734 | 2nd Floor | Available | - |
Pottsville Free Public Library | 809.7 G262 (Text) | 30003008923755 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Valley Community Library | 809.7 GEARY (Text) | 50690011188155 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |