javna

It’s the perfect marriage of wisdom and wit—here are 100 valuable lessons on how to live, drawn from 100 hilarious and unforgettable jokes.

A really good joke, like a great poem, memorable song lyric, or Zen koan, is a short burst of unexpected storytelling that makes you think. It’s the secret weapon of every great comedian and speaker—there’s the joke, and then there’s the subtext of the joke, and that can mean serious business. In the hands of Gordon and John Javna, the brains behind one of the most successful and inventive series of impulse books, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, jokes are portals of discovery—they can get a message across in a way that’s clear, humorous, and often practical. A tale about a tribal shaman and the weather service teaches a pointed lesson in choosing which experts to trust. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go camping and experience an epiphany in the art of observation. A joke about a therapist and his patient offers an invaluable insight on the power of communication. A sales rep, a clerk, and a manager find a magic lamp—and learn that whoever speaks first doesn’t necessarily win.

Straddling self-help and entertainment, Life Is a Joke is a refreshing new take on a book of wisdom. And it’s certainly the funniest.