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The Morality of Laughter
“Bravo! I’ll say nothing funny about it, for it is a
superior piece of work.”
—P. J. O’Rourke
“F. H. Buckley’s The Morality of Laughter is at once
a humorous look at serious matters and a serious
book about humor.”
— Crisis Magazine
“Buckley has written a . ne and funny book that will
be read with pleasure and instruction.”
— First Things
“. . . written elegantly and often wittily. . . .”
— National Post
“. . . a fascinating philosophical exposition of
laughter. . . .”
— National Review
“. . . at once a wise and highly amusing book.”
— Wall Street Journal Online
“. . . a useful reminder that a cheery society is a
healthy one.”
— Weekly Standard
superior piece of work.”
—P. J. O’Rourke
“F. H. Buckley’s The Morality of Laughter is at once
a humorous look at serious matters and a serious
book about humor.”
— Crisis Magazine
“Buckley has written a . ne and funny book that will
be read with pleasure and instruction.”
— First Things
“. . . written elegantly and often wittily. . . .”
— National Post
“. . . a fascinating philosophical exposition of
laughter. . . .”
— National Review
“. . . at once a wise and highly amusing book.”
— Wall Street Journal Online
“. . . a useful reminder that a cheery society is a
healthy one.”
— Weekly Standard
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
F.H. Buckley
15 books24 followersFrancis H. Buckley: Son of F.J. & H.B. Buckley; M. Esther Goldberg; child Sarah.
BA, McGill University 1969
LLB, McGill University 1974
LLM, Harvard University 1975
Exec Dir/Assoc Dean of Geo Mason Law & Economics Center & Foundation Law Prof who's taught there since '89 & was Visiting Olin Fellow at the U of Chicago Law School in '88/9. Shimer College trustee. Twice visiting professor at the Sorbonne/ Paris II, in fall '07 he was visiting professor at the Institut d'études politiques de Paris. He writes on law & economics & has published in journals, including the Journal of Legal Studies, the International Review of Law, Crisis & Economics & Public Choice. He's defended free markets before the American Enterprise Inst. His books include Fair Governance (Oxford '09), The Morality of Laughter (Michigan '03) & Just Exchange: A Theory of Contract (Routledge '05).
Geo Mason's Law & Economics Center, focusing on issues like tort reform, declines releasing fundraising & donor information. Documents released by the Community Rights Counsel, including some released as part of the nat'l tobacco settlement, show that its officials asked R.J. Reynolds Tobacco for $20,000 for its federal judges program, according to a Reynolds internal email. The center received $40,000 from Philip Morris from '96-99 & was listed among "key allies". It also received $40,000 from Exxon Mobil Foundation in '04. Buckley said their policy of silence as re donors is best for all. He declined to say where the seminars take place, citing security reasons: "We've been advised that there are more ethical problems if you disclose than if you don't."
BA, McGill University 1969
LLB, McGill University 1974
LLM, Harvard University 1975
Exec Dir/Assoc Dean of Geo Mason Law & Economics Center & Foundation Law Prof who's taught there since '89 & was Visiting Olin Fellow at the U of Chicago Law School in '88/9. Shimer College trustee. Twice visiting professor at the Sorbonne/ Paris II, in fall '07 he was visiting professor at the Institut d'études politiques de Paris. He writes on law & economics & has published in journals, including the Journal of Legal Studies, the International Review of Law, Crisis & Economics & Public Choice. He's defended free markets before the American Enterprise Inst. His books include Fair Governance (Oxford '09), The Morality of Laughter (Michigan '03) & Just Exchange: A Theory of Contract (Routledge '05).
Geo Mason's Law & Economics Center, focusing on issues like tort reform, declines releasing fundraising & donor information. Documents released by the Community Rights Counsel, including some released as part of the nat'l tobacco settlement, show that its officials asked R.J. Reynolds Tobacco for $20,000 for its federal judges program, according to a Reynolds internal email. The center received $40,000 from Philip Morris from '96-99 & was listed among "key allies". It also received $40,000 from Exxon Mobil Foundation in '04. Buckley said their policy of silence as re donors is best for all. He declined to say where the seminars take place, citing security reasons: "We've been advised that there are more ethical problems if you disclose than if you don't."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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February 18, 2009Very interesting, if tiresomely repetitive. Laughter is the human way of understanding when we have taken ideas too far, when we have rejected our own humanity. Laughter is the ultimate cure for taking one's ideas too seriously.
January 26, 2009
Really good.
December 4, 2025
"The miracle of laughter, like that of the loaves and fishes, is that it increases as more partake."
"Like rules of ethics, laughter schools us in the good life."
"In Homo Ludens, Johan Huizinga argued that all human culture had its origin in play."
"The joy of laughter is both immanent and transcendent."
"There is no one good life that is the same for all of us."
"Like rules of ethics, laughter schools us in the good life."
"In Homo Ludens, Johan Huizinga argued that all human culture had its origin in play."
"The joy of laughter is both immanent and transcendent."
"There is no one good life that is the same for all of us."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews