The Comedy of Error

‘Analysing a joke, Jonathan Silvertown warns us, is “like using a pin to explain how a balloon works”. Analysing humour in general, then, as he does here, must be like taking a wrecking ball to the balloon factory. Luckily this book is funny. It has something of a jolly lecturer tone and comes larded with old-fashioned jokes offered as examples. Its purpose, though, is serious.’

-- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *

‘Fascinating … an awesome read.’

-- Giles Coren * Times Radio *

‘A succinct and fascinating snapshot of a large body of thought into humour, the author maintains a light, playful tone to be easily accessible to the layperson … a perfect, easily-readable primer to the state of the research into the fascinating science of laughter.’

* Chortle *

‘Jonathan Silvertown has written a thoroughly entertaining and erudite extended skit on the evolution of humour.’

-- Fiona Capp * Sydney Morning Herald *

‘In The Comedy of Error, Professor Silvertown deploys many of the world’s oldest jokes, coupled with some of our latest science, to unravel the similarities and differences in humour across cultures … [A] clever piece of work.’

-- Ross Fitzgerald * Spectator Australia *

‘Silvertown … mixes scientific analysis and comedy in this jovial exploration of humour’s evolutionary roots … [T]his works as a breezy look at where laughter came from — and that he’s able to make an actually funny joke about Kant is an impressive feat. The result is as fun as it is informative.’

* Publishers Weekly *

‘In among the jokes, there is a (sort of) serious pursuit of the evolution of, well, certainly not jokes, and not quite laughter either — maybe wit would be the best word. And what is the point of wit, from a Darwinian perspective? Well, of course it's all about … no, read the book, which I guarantee will provide an hour, maybe two, of both enlightenment and enjoyment, along with the odd chuckle.’

-- Dr Ken Thompson * The Niche *

Praise for Demons in Eden:

‘Demons in Eden is a grand scientific narrative, full of vivid description, clear analysis, and personal warmth — an enthralling read and an important contribution to our understanding of biodiversity.’

-- Oliver Sacks

Praise for 99% Ape:

‘Brief, pithy and delightfully illustrated and will be particularly attractive to secondary school students. It concisely presents the evidence for evolution.’

* The Times Literary Supplement *

Praise for Dinner with Darwin:

‘Dinner with Darwin is a wide-ranging natural history of our diet, crafted at a pitch-perfect level for the science buff and the general reader alike. Silvertown is also a wonderful writer: erudite, informative, and thoroughly entertaining.’

* Washington Independent Review of Books *

Praise for The Long and the Short of It:

‘An ideal introduction to the science of ageing and mortality. Interwoven with history and poetry, his erudite and eloquent book concisely explains the mechanisms underlying the lifespan of organisms ranging from nematode worms and chickweed to humans and redwoods. Considering their fates in terms of genetics and environment, Silvertown explores the questions that have bedevilled our species for as long as we've had the language to ask: why do we get old and why do we die?’

* New Scienti