African American Humor - The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today

This collection of anecdotes, tales, jokes, toasts, rhymes, satire, riffs, poems, stand-up sketches, and snaps documents the evolution of African American humor over the past two centuries. It includes routines and writings from such luminaries as Bert Williams, Butterbeans & Susie, Stepin Fetchit, Moms Mabley, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes, Redd Foxx, Ishmael Reed, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Martin Lawrence, and Chris Rock. This anthology includes classic stage routines, literary examples, and witty quotations presented in their entirety.

About the author

Mel Watkins is a former editor for the New York Times Book Review and the author of On the Real Side and Dancing with Strangers. He lives in New York City.

Product details

• Authors: Mel Watkins
• Assisted by: Mel Watkins (Editor)
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.08.2002
• EAN: 9781556524318
• ISBN: 978-1-55652-431-8
• No. of pages: 400
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 229 mm x 24 mm
• Weight: 531 g
• Series: The Library of Black America; Library of Black America; The Library of Black America series
• Subjects: Fiction > Comic, cartoon, humour, satire; Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet