The Healing Power of Humor: Techniques for Getting Through Loss, Setbacks, Upsets, Disappointments, Difficulties, Trials, Tribulations, and All That Not-So-Funny Stuff

by Allen Klein

“Provides practical advice as to the fundamental importance of humor and laughter.” —Steve Allen

Science has proved, although we knew it all along, that humor is our best medicine. It reduces stress, promotes physical healing, is essential for mental health and can add years to one’s life. But how do we learn to lighten up and take the first step toward finding the humorous side to our troubles when what we really feel like doing is crying? Allen Klein, who has successfully taught thousands to find the humor and consolations in life’s tribulations, shows us how.

Brimming with pointed, humorous anecdotes and learn-to-laugh techniques, The Healing Power of Humor combines the wisdom of the world’s great spiritual teachers with the insights of famed humorists, comedians, and others to help you turn life’s negatives into positives. It is the ideal book for anyone going through troubled times—whether it’s the loss of a wallet, the loss of a job, a spat with one’s spouse, or a stay in the hospital.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Humor, Health

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand (Mark Twain)

So what makes a person "funny." This author has a good take on this debate. He believes that bad comics laugh at their jokes and hope the audience joins him in the hilarity. Good comics react to their audience, know their audience and let them be the judge. If a line of jokes fall flat then the good comic adjusts accordingly and reevaluates based on the audience reaction. So next time you want to be clever and quippy then pay attention to your audience insted the level of enthusiasm you pep up your humor with.


I think I need to read this book again because after my first read it really helped me to lighten up. The author offers techniques for dealing with life's many little setbacks. He provides example situations from dealing with an awkward loud fart to dealing with a tragic death of a loved one. In each situation humor offers relief from the pressure and emotion that surrounds our everyday not-so-funny existence.

So in a basic sense, with the lack of guarantee for there being a tomorrow, laughing about what troubles us helps us endure today. So if you want to learn to lighten up and find that pressure valve release that only humor can provide then you will enjoy this read.

[ChickDude1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing "Mr. Jollytologist" in person, I had to read this book. What a great reminder of the power of humor in daily life, and an even more important reminder during illness. Even though I read this book as a teenager, I still repeat several of his "one-liners" in my daily nursing practice to help lighten the serious atmosphere found in hospitals. My favorite is to joke with my patients, "Now you know why they call it the ICU" as they try to ambulate and cover their exposed bare bottoms at the same time :)

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why so many years after its initial publication date that this book is still popular. The information in this book is great for everything from day-to-day frustrations to things like terminal illness and death. The book offers tips or exercises at the end of each chapter to help guide the reader to employ these tatics in their day-to-day life or at the appropriate opportune moment. Additionally, the advise offered covers a broad range of humor styles which is also helpful. As I read through this book I found myself laughing at some of the concepts but knowing I would never do such things and laughing at others because I have done the activity or could easily see myself doing it. One thing I very much enjoyed was the frequent quotations from famous individuals, books, and of course comedians who have addressed similar topics at some point in their own life. That was probably my favorite part of this book.

I would love to see this book updated and adapted a bit to modern culture but despite its dated presentation of the information, I believe it is still very good information at its core.

[Surucha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much needed!! Thank you so much Niranjan for this one!

[Raya Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

a big smile for this book...
realy helful to turn things around when u feel odd..
making those awefull moments a reason to laugh://

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was slow going for me. Though I've used humor all my life to cope and even, at times, to survive, this book felt a bit like preaching. I don't like to be lectured to. I particularly don't like it when I'm already living and believing something.

Many of the references were dated which dragged the book down a little further. Very little of it made me laugh or smile. I was annoyed by frequent references to certain people, or things, such as Woody Allen.

There were a few antidotes, which I've used and enjoyed, such as the one about the bird who flies late, get's cold, pooped on, and eaten.

Idk, I think when you are already accepting of a concept, and live it, the book written to persuade you to do X is just not your cup of tea.

[Aigul · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit 1980s type of jokes and written in a bit of sad mode, but good examples that i have read in many other occasions but it is compiled in one book. Some useful tips that shall be integrated in lifehabits

[Umit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okuyun, okutun en önemlisi de uygulayın

[Milly Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

de mis mejores!!

[SewUnicornish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of either personal or individual accounts. The rest is actual examples of how to use humor. The examples are cut into categories with their own titles. A lot also explains why you really should use humor during tragic times. I like how it credited the Bible for being the first to say humor can heal. The book is super super dated. At the end it tries so hard to convince you to use humor for funeral/deaths that it kind of misrepresented "the day of the dead". It left out the main purpose of the celebration, saying the whole point of the day of the dead was to laugh at death. I feel that was very insensitive to the people who have celebrated that day given there is much more to it than that. For the most part the book was funny and useful for ideas on how to use humor to heal. I loved the, you'll find what your looking for part.

[John G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I call myself a humorologist, which means a student of humor and comedy, so found this book to be very insightful and helpful, primarily concerning the health and mental benefits of humor. I've always been aware of the connection between therapy and humor and this book gets into that quite a bit. Only knock was a bit of magical thinking that I tend to disagree with. Nice book to add to my collection.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This helped me not only survive, but get the best of a very tough time in my life.

[Heather Rosen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far it is really good.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humor is more important to one's recovery than many people realize. Many chemicals are released when one laughs heartily which can be very healing.

[Muriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love humor and enjoyed Klein's take on the power of humor and how it can be used in so many ways to make things better.
Helpful, good stuff. (at times a little repetitive, but overall very good)

[Nicolle Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had a couple cute stories in here that i had to highlight to force someone to read bs the messages were cute

[Armatstorage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Loved it. Has many different ways to engage in humor. Good book to own. Paperback I read with 214 pages.