I am a huge fan of history and comedy, so Christopher Miller’s book, American Cornball: A Laffopedic Guide to the Formerly Funny, was right up my alley. In it, Miller uses an alphabetical or enyclopedic approach to breaking down what has been funny in American history, and places within the context of that time. He also explores the curious notion of how comedy tend to be very culture and context specific, and does not tend to hold up well over time. It’s a fascinating (and hilarious) look at American history through the lens of comedy. Chrisopher Miller is a professor at Bennington College in Vermont and is also the author of Sudden Noises from Inanimate Objects, which won the Seattle Times Best Book of the Year award.