The Big Book of Jewish Humor: A Definitive Illustrated Collection of Jokes, Wit, and Comedy from the Marx Brothers to Philip Roth

by William Novak, Moshe Waldoks

Two rival businessmen meet in the Warsaw train station. "Where are you going?" says the first man.

"To Minsk," says the second.

"To Minsk, eh? What a nerve you have! I know you're telling me you're going to Minsk because you want me to think that you're really going to Pinsk. But it so happens that I know you really are going to Minsk. So why are you lying to me?"

Four men are walking in the desert.

The German says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have a beer."

The Italian says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have wine."

The Mexican says, "I'm tired and thirsty.

I must have tequila."

The Jew says, "I'm tired and thirsty. I must have diabetes."

Genres: Humor, Jewish, Judaism, Judaica, Reference

368 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2006

About the author

William 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.

Reviews

[BookOfLife]

Hear an interview about The Big Book of Jewish Humor with co-author Moshe Waldoks on The Book of Life podcast's March 2006 episode at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the introduction which includes differences in modern Jewish Humor from the past. And that the book includes more recent jokes and short stories and some other things. Some really funny jokes in there.

[H P · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not funny

[Darren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciated the research that went into this and the wealth of material. BUT I didn’t laugh. At all. My response was typically either thinking “that was interesting” or, at most, a smile.

[Malbadeen]

What?! I was moving to the east coast - I thought I should know. And I must say when I dated a Jewish man later I had all the right jokes at all the right times (or maybe I never cracked the cover of this, I don't remember) but I do remember that is indeed a "big book" and for those of you that are interested there is also a Big Book of Italian Humor - which I didn't buy. If anybody can find the Big Book of German humor I would be especially grateful as I feel that my heritage is sadley under represented in the Big Book of category.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book entertained me from elementary school all the way through college. I thought it was so great and so culturally informative, that I recently bought it for a cousin for his bar mitzvah (I'm told he loves it). Alongside the many hilarious jokes is often the history of the jokes and the time period and the culture behind them.

[Linda Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

may be the best compilation of Jewish humor so far.