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May
02
Book Review: THE PUN ALSO RISES by John Pollack
2011 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Published April 2011 by Gotham
I love a good book about language and linguistic history—it’s a literary itch I can’t resist having scratched—so I was thrilled when The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics (ba dum ching!) came my way. Author John Pollack is a former winner of the world pun championships (don’t you feel better about the world knowing that such an event exists?), and he is on a mission to prove that punning isn’t just—and hasn’t always been—a groan-inducing form of low humor.
While Pollack’s subject (and his book’s ridiculously long subtitle) might seem to imply the level of nerdy specialization unique and interesting to only a small handful of academics, he begins with the thesis that “puns appear so often and in such diverse forms and cultures throughout history that they appear to reflect something fundamental, enduring and perhaps even universal about human expression.” What is it about punning, Pollack wants to know, that makes it such an enduring part of language?
Pollack begins with an analysis of what makes a pun a pun (a question whose answer, it seems, varies depending on whom you’re asking) and moves into an examination of the history of the word “pun,” only to conclude that in this case, too, “modern scholars, in fact, can’t even agree on the etymology.” Due to the multiple and occasionally discordant definitions of “pun,” there are no fewer than, erm, well, about a dozen (maybe more?) different kinds of puns. Pollack breaks them down (this part gets a little hazy) and provides examples. He analyzes knock-knock jokes and children’s fascination with wordplay, and he dips a toe into exploring neuroscience and what our brains do to identity and make sense of sounds and creative use of language.
While many puns appear straightforward and simple, Pollack cites scientific research indicating that “puns require the brain to maintain multiple meanings of a word simultaneously, rather than simply suppressing the competition or choosing an outright winner, as it often does when confronted with ambiguity.” But what makes them funny? “It’s the brain’s ability to quickly recognize the incongruous interpretations and catch the unexpected secondary meanings that imbues them with humor.” And just like Star Wars geeks on a namedropping spree—or teenage girls rattling off obscure facts about the latest heartthrob—punsters who compete against each other are actively priming each other’s brains and “biologically speaking, that’s what makes dueling punsters so quick.”
A book about puns would be incomplete without a section on Shakespeare, and Pollack delivers a fun and fact-filled analysis of the Bard’s great jokes and bawdy humor. He places puns in social context by examining their frequent appearances in newspaper headlines (and after he points it out, you’ll seem them everywhere), and he gives them an important (and surprisingly interesting) place in history and world culture by citing puns around the globe. To top it off, Pollack fills the text with wordplay, as when he states that the making of a turducken is “no paltry undertaking,” and it’s his enthusiasm for his subject and the joy he so obviously derives from punning that make The Pun Also Rises not just interesting and informative but also entertaining and quite fun. This is certainly not a read for everyone, but for word nerds the world over, it is not to be missed.
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I had no idea that there were 12 different types of puns! I’ll have to check out this book to brush up on my wordplay…
Thanks for the recommendation!
Brooke´s last [type] ..The Tiger’s Wife
I’ve seen a couple other reviews of this book and it sounds right up my alley! I have a super corny sense of humor, so I love puns (as you can tell from my blog name!). Thanks for the review.
Julie @ Read Handed´s last [type] ..Take Me Out With the Crowd
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I love linguistics and word play, but for some reason puns have always driven me crazy. The “punny” newspaper headlines annoy me, and I think it’s because I picture some smarmy reporter or editor so pleased with themselves about how “cute” they’ve been to think up a pun. For me most puns are groaners or eye rollers.
Alyce´s last [type] ..Mailbox Monday – May 2
OH MY GOODNESS does this sound fantastic! I’m a pretty punny person myself (I tend to love those almost-painful groans that accompany good word play) so this one sounds like an absolutely perfect read. It just made the jump to the top of my TBR pile!
Chelsea´s last [type] ..A Non-Bookish Interlude
Alyce, I usually share that response to the “clever” headlines, but I did really enjoy the way Pollack worked puns into his writing. I suppose it all depends on how talented of a punster the writer is…
“I had no idea that there were 12 different types of puns! I’ll have to check out this book to brush up on my wordplay…”
maybe you shouldn’t have been dozen off in class, eh?
steve´s last [type] ..Book Club Giveaway Frenzy! With Guest Author Amy Stolls and The Book Ladys Blog
Oh, Steve…
I “fell” on this post. And the theme sounded unusual and interesting. Where can I buy it? In a publishing house? Thanks in advance.
jo -
hydroponicsfuture
At a bookstore!