That's Not Funny

I recently read Paul Johnson's Humorists, an odd subject for the no-nonsense historian.  The book is a collection of chapters on various "humorists" that Johnson finds notable, and, once again, the selection seems odd--the names includes Hogarth, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Johnson, Dickens, Toulouse-Lautrec, Chesterton, Damon Runyon, Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy.  I'd guess the complete list is not to be found in the index of any other book. 

While these essays may be useful, if somewhat idiosyncratic introductions to these various figures, to those already familiar with them, little, aside from the odd fact and occasional aside, will be new.  In fact, much of these chapters is a recounting of the better moments, verbal or visual, of these people.

This book follows three similar volumes from Johnson--Intellectuals, Creators and Heroes--but those subjects play to Johnson's strengths (not that they weren't criticized for his personal and political take on things).  Getting to the essence of humor is a harder nut to crack.  Only rarely is there a genuine insight into these figures, or to humor in general.  I suppose I should be pleased, at least, that Johnson doesn't try that hard to be funny himself, and lets the masters do most of the work.