The Pun Also Rises How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics

by Pollack, John

• ISBN13: 9781592406753
• ISBN10: 1592406750
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-03
• Publisher: Gotham

Summary

A funny, erudite, and provocative exploration of puns, the people who make them, and this derided wordplay's remarkable impact on human history. In The Pun Also Rises, John Pollack-a former World Pun Champion and presidential speechwriter for Bill Clinton-explains why puns matter: They revolutionized language and played a pivotal role in making the modern world possible. Skillfully weaving together stories and evidence from history, brain science, pop culture, literature, anthropology, and humor, The Pun Also Risesis an authoritative yet playful exploration of puns. With an engaging narrative, this book answers fundamental questions: Just what are puns? Why do people make them? How did punning impact the development of human language, and how did that drive creativity and progress? And why, after centuries of decline, does the pun still matter? At once entertaining and educational, this engaging book builds a compelling case for the powerful and enduring role of puns in human discourse and innovation, and why they'll always be more than just some antics.

Author Biography

John Pollack, former presidential speechwriter, won the 1995 O. Henry World Championship Pun-Off. His previous books include Cork Boat and The World on a String: How to Become a Freelance Foreign Correspondent. He lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. xi
Cutting It Up: The Anatomy of a Pun	p. 1
Labs and Retrievers: How the Brain Fetches Meaning from Sound	p. 31
To Pun or Not to Pun: The Risible Fall of Puns Through Time	p. 55
Riddles of History: How Puns Conquered Human Imagination	p. 117
More Than Some Antics: Why Puns Matter	p. 135
Epilogue	p. 153
Acknowledgments	p. 155
Endnotes	p. 163
Select Bibliography	p. 193
Index	p. 205
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