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Die Laughing: Killer Jokes for Newly Old Folks
From the co-creator of the celebrated Big Book of Jewish Humor comes a laugh-out-loud collection of jokes about growing older that makes fun of memory loss, marriages, medicine, sex, the afterlife, and much more, making this the perfect gift for almost anyone who was born before you were.
Growing older can be unsettling and surprising. (How on earth did this happen? Where did the years go?) So what better way to deal with this new stage of life than to laugh about your new reality? Die Laughing includes more than enough jokes (not to mention cartoons!) to let that laughter burst out.
Whether it’s dealing with doctors, dating in one’s seventies, or unexpected bodily changes (not to mention funny noises), some things are easier to face with a smile of recognition. That’s why Die Laughing is the perfect gift for your parents, anyone celebrating a significant birthday, or any boomer with a sense of humor whose age begins with a six or higher.
Growing older can be unsettling and surprising. (How on earth did this happen? Where did the years go?) So what better way to deal with this new stage of life than to laugh about your new reality? Die Laughing includes more than enough jokes (not to mention cartoons!) to let that laughter burst out.
Whether it’s dealing with doctors, dating in one’s seventies, or unexpected bodily changes (not to mention funny noises), some things are easier to face with a smile of recognition. That’s why Die Laughing is the perfect gift for your parents, anyone celebrating a significant birthday, or any boomer with a sense of humor whose age begins with a six or higher.
- GenresHumorJokesNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
Published October 25, 2016
25 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
William Novak
35 books10 followersWilliam Novak (born 1948) is an author who has co-written or ghostwritten numerous celebrity memoirs for people including Lee Iacocca, Nancy Reagan, and Magic Johnson. He is also the editor, with Moshe Waldoks, of The Big Book of Jewish Humor. He has also written several "private" books, which he described in a 2015 essay for The New York Times.
He is the father of actor and writer B. J. Novak.
He is the father of actor and writer B. J. Novak.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 18, 2016
This book pokes fun at all the things some people will go through as they age. They include sex, memory loss and the afterlife. It also contains some cartoons. Some things in life can be easier to handle if you can laugh at yourself.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Touchstone and the author William Novak for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Touchstone and the author William Novak for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2016
This was a fun compilation of jokes about growing older. I was happy to see a couple of my favorites included and discovered a few new ones that made me guffaw out loud. (If you are wondering, hearing and memory loss jokes always make me laugh.)
Side note: When I was providing library service to homebound patrons, one request I often received was for a "funny book." This would qualify if the reader doesn't mind a few jokes that have a four-letter word or two and border on, or are crass.
Side note: When I was providing library service to homebound patrons, one request I often received was for a "funny book." This would qualify if the reader doesn't mind a few jokes that have a four-letter word or two and border on, or are crass.
August 13, 2025
This book is a bunch of jokes that deal with old age and death. Some were hilarious. Some not so much. Sadly, a lot of the jokes I have already read on Facebook. But there were a few that were new to me and I had some fun reading them out to my hubby so he could enjoy them.
September 21, 2016
A joke book to die for
Since I am aging, and not necessarily gracefully, I thought that I might find the book depressing. I was wrong—I enjoyed the book. William Novak put together a great collection of jokes about aging. Some are polite, others bluer and some I’m not old enough to read yet. But most of them were funny. Novak also started each section of the book with some interesting commentary. These sections include jokes on memory, on marriage and on medicine among several others. Most of the jokes are unattributed but Novak does attribute some of them. My favorite ones were by Rita Rudner and Jack Handey. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to look at the lighter side of aging.
Disclosure: I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Since I am aging, and not necessarily gracefully, I thought that I might find the book depressing. I was wrong—I enjoyed the book. William Novak put together a great collection of jokes about aging. Some are polite, others bluer and some I’m not old enough to read yet. But most of them were funny. Novak also started each section of the book with some interesting commentary. These sections include jokes on memory, on marriage and on medicine among several others. Most of the jokes are unattributed but Novak does attribute some of them. My favorite ones were by Rita Rudner and Jack Handey. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to look at the lighter side of aging.
Disclosure: I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2021
This is a collection of jokes about old age and dying. As with all joke collections, some are funny, some are not. Some I already knew, some I didn't. Some I think the version I know is funnier, some I thought the version in the book was funnier. What was remarkable, though was that there are so many jokes about old age and death!
A peculiarity of this volume is that a lot of the jokes were traditional Jewish jokes, some of which are in Mr. Novak's book, The Big Book of Jewish Humor. Only in this volume they've been taken out of their Jewish context. A rabbi becomes a minister, a shtetl turns into an American suburb. It's a little unsettling that he seems to think if he's writing a book for a general audience it must have all traces of Jewishness removed.
A peculiarity of this volume is that a lot of the jokes were traditional Jewish jokes, some of which are in Mr. Novak's book, The Big Book of Jewish Humor. Only in this volume they've been taken out of their Jewish context. A rabbi becomes a minister, a shtetl turns into an American suburb. It's a little unsettling that he seems to think if he's writing a book for a general audience it must have all traces of Jewishness removed.
December 14, 2017
Who doesn't like a book of jokes? This is very addictive. One more page... I'll just finish this chapter and maybe the intro to the next one... oh, have I already finished the first hundred pages. Now I just need to remember a few so I can tell them before everyone else reads this book.
December 29, 2017
This was just what I needed for a good laugh. I had already heard about 50% of them but enjoyed hearing them again and enjoyed the new ones. It's good to pick up a book that you know will make you laugh. BTW, the author is the father of writer/actor B.J. Novak.
January 21, 2018
I was looking for a humorous book. A lot of good jokes, but only a few laugh out loud jokes. It could be that reading jokes is not as funny as listening to jokes that are told to an audience, where I would then react as a member of the audience.
July 12, 2017
A fairly funny book of jokes about seniors I read over the weekend of my aunt's funeral. About a quarter of the jokes I heard before.
October 29, 2019
Didn't get very far with this one
April 11, 2020
Excellent
October 7, 2024
A nice collection of jokes. Some new most not so new. All good fun.
March 1, 2017
I laughed but I didn't die. It's an ok collection of jokes. Some funnier than others. The book is targeted to us baby boomers. But perhaps it would be good to put a age limit for readers.
September 19, 2016
William Novak's collection of jokes and funnies aimed at the older generation is hilarious! They are read-out-loud, laugh-out-loud side-splitters. As a recently initiated member of the senior class, these jokes help remind me that I've still got a lot of laughs to look forward. Thank you for brightening this old biddy's day!
November 13, 2016
Couldn't stop reading on
If I had a physical copy of this book, almost all the pages would be dog-eared. They were relatable (remember I said 'almost all', don't jump to conclusions), downright funny and often, just outrageously absurd.
William certainly has more than one funny bone in his body, his selection of jokes hit the nail on the head. There were only a few, around five, really crass ones. And by that point, once you reach them, I'd say you have no care in the world. Least of all for reservations. Laughter really does take years off your soul. Just not so much off your face, as Shakespeare wisely put it 'With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.'
The themes of the jokes range from failing memories, aging bodies, doctors, marriages, new partners, sex, characters (elderly eccentrics) death, to eternal life (heaven or hell).
Every joke garnered a laugh, or at the very least a wide smile. At times, I felt I shouldn't be laughing this hard! This book is for the ages, you don't have to be that 'old' to enjoy it. Just remember in a decade or so, you'd be sorry you ever laughed! Getting older certainly is daunting, but we should make every effort to enjoy it. Laughing at your problems may be just the way to go. Just like enjoying someone else's epic awkward moment of the day, you can hear a joke over a dozen times and it will never get old. Perfectly timeless.
This is a good idea for a birthday present, I have someone in mind who I might get it for. A present given in good humour.
A word of advice about this book: read it luxuriously, don't rush through it, and ensure you have time for it. From my experience if you don't make time for a book of this fiery nature, it'll eat into those tasks you deemed 'of great import' and, believe me- this is a book worth making time for.
My verdict on this book: buy it, before you forget to.
I received this book through NetGalley.
If I had a physical copy of this book, almost all the pages would be dog-eared. They were relatable (remember I said 'almost all', don't jump to conclusions), downright funny and often, just outrageously absurd.
William certainly has more than one funny bone in his body, his selection of jokes hit the nail on the head. There were only a few, around five, really crass ones. And by that point, once you reach them, I'd say you have no care in the world. Least of all for reservations. Laughter really does take years off your soul. Just not so much off your face, as Shakespeare wisely put it 'With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.'
The themes of the jokes range from failing memories, aging bodies, doctors, marriages, new partners, sex, characters (elderly eccentrics) death, to eternal life (heaven or hell).
Every joke garnered a laugh, or at the very least a wide smile. At times, I felt I shouldn't be laughing this hard! This book is for the ages, you don't have to be that 'old' to enjoy it. Just remember in a decade or so, you'd be sorry you ever laughed! Getting older certainly is daunting, but we should make every effort to enjoy it. Laughing at your problems may be just the way to go. Just like enjoying someone else's epic awkward moment of the day, you can hear a joke over a dozen times and it will never get old. Perfectly timeless.
This is a good idea for a birthday present, I have someone in mind who I might get it for. A present given in good humour.
A word of advice about this book: read it luxuriously, don't rush through it, and ensure you have time for it. From my experience if you don't make time for a book of this fiery nature, it'll eat into those tasks you deemed 'of great import' and, believe me- this is a book worth making time for.
My verdict on this book: buy it, before you forget to.
I received this book through NetGalley.
August 3, 2016
Received e-galley in exchange for honest review from NetGalley & Touchstone Publishing.
Humor is important and the older I get the more I appreciate a good joke, a good belly laugh or even just a chuckle. This book is wonderful and I have pre-ordered 2 copies for my elderly parents - mainly for when one of them looses/loans out the first copy. I told a couple of the jokes to friends - dang i cannot even say older friends as we are all over 50 nowadays - and all were met with laughter. This is a great book for birthdays, holidays, or just to cheer up someone.
Humor is important and the older I get the more I appreciate a good joke, a good belly laugh or even just a chuckle. This book is wonderful and I have pre-ordered 2 copies for my elderly parents - mainly for when one of them looses/loans out the first copy. I told a couple of the jokes to friends - dang i cannot even say older friends as we are all over 50 nowadays - and all were met with laughter. This is a great book for birthdays, holidays, or just to cheer up someone.
January 3, 2017
A wonderful, laugh out loud book!
This could have been written with me in mind. I found myself nodding in agreement all the way through and the jokes are spot on also!
A fantastically cheerfully great read and very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Touchstone via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
This could have been written with me in mind. I found myself nodding in agreement all the way through and the jokes are spot on also!
A fantastically cheerfully great read and very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Touchstone via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2016
Funny compilation!
August 19, 2017
Real fun with some brilliant jokes. Full review over here: https://rickusbookshelf.wordpress.com...
December 12, 2016
Sorry, not very funny, just a series of night club chuckles. I got a few yucks, but I can't recommend this one.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews