"An excellent example of applied folklore."
-- "Western Folklore"

"A book with a wonderful interdisciplinary idea-using sexual urban legends as part of high school and college sex education"
"--The Women's Review of Books, Oct. 2001"

"Provocatively bridges the interdisciplinary gap between folklore and sexuality education."
--"Journal of Folklore Research"

"One might assume that a book on urban legends would be too pop-culturish to be of value to serious sexuality educators and students, but one would be wrong...Whatley and Henken hae written a book that is as intelligent as it is interesting and funny."
--"The Journal of Sex Research"

Ever hear the one about the man who wakes up after a chance sexual encounter to discover he's been involuntarily relieved of one of his kidneys? Or the tiny gift-wrapped box from a recently departed lover that reveals a horrible secret? Everyone knows contemporary legends, those barely believable, often lurid, cautionary tales, always told as though they happened to the friend of a friend. Sometimes we pass them on to others unsure of their truthfulness, usually we dismiss them as mere myth. But these far-fetched legends tell us quite a bit about our deepest fears and fantasies.

In fact, a large part of what we know about our bodies we have learned informally, from kids on the playground or colleagues at work, from piecing together the information contained in folk beliefs, jokes and legends. Sexual folklore goes beyond classroom lessons of mechanics to answer many questions about what people actually do and how they do it.

Mariamne H. Whatley and Elissa R. Henken have collected hundreds of sexually-themed stories andjokes from college students in order to tell us what they reveal about our sexual attitudes and show us how they have changed over time. They confront myths and stereotypes about sexual behavior and use folklore as a tool to educate students about sexual health and gender relations. Whether analyzing popular rumors about celebrity emergency room visits or the latest schoolyard jokes, Did You Hear About The Girl Who . . . ? presents these tales in a way that is intriguing and educational.

From the cocreator of the celebrated Big Book of Jewish Humor comes a "funny...geezer-licious" (Jack Handey, author of Deep Thoughts) collection of jokes about growing older that makes fun of memory loss, marriages, medicine, sex, the afterlife, and much more--a 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.

Humour permeates our lives. People tell jokes, make puns, and engage in witty banter. There is written humour in headlines and captions, in ads, on signs, t-shirts, and bumper stickers, and in the form of graffiti. Nowadays humour is available on the web and circulated by e-mail. "Playing with Words" shows how every facet of language is exploited for humour. Where a word has multiple meanings or sounds like another, this is the basis for puns (A boiled egg is hard to beat). The word-building rules are used for clever compounds, smart blends and catchy phrases as in circulated by word of mouse. Ambiguities in the syntax afford further scope for humour (Miners refuse to work after death), and the sounds of words can be exploited in humorous verse. There is also humour to be found in slips of the tongue, malapropisms, and funny misspellings. "Playing with Words" also covers the subject matter of humour and the part it plays in society. It is an informed account in non-technical language, full of examples, a book to be read for information and for fun.

When a man becomes a dad, he takes on certain responsibilities: providing for his family, raising up his children to be good citizens--and telling the absolute worst jokes he can come up with. But dad jokes don't always come naturally, which is why Sandy Silverthorne created The Best Worst Dad Jokes. Filled with more than 500 groan worthy jokes to torment your kids, this collection makes it possible for dads to fill any moment of dead air with a joke that will have everyone within hearing distance rolling their eyes and edging away to avoid association with you. Jokes like . . . I don't have a dad bod; I have a father figure. I saw a sign that said Watch for Children. That sounded like a good trade to me. and of course . . . When does a joke become a dad joke? When it's fully groan. And hey, it's only downhill from there.

Dad Jokes: the good, the bad, and the terrible, a perfect gift for dads and pun-lovers alike! With over 600 knee-slappers, head-shakers, and groan-makers, Dad Jokes is packed with enough witty quips and cheesy-but-grate jokes for even the most embarrassing of dads. Perfect for the father experts, new dads, and all the fathers-to-be, this is the ideal funny gift from any daughter, son, wife, or partner that celebrates how great (terrible) their jokes truly are! But remember-you don't have to be a dad to tell dad jokes! Be prepared for the obvious, silly, and awkward in this massive collection of the best groan-worthy dad jokes around, including clever quips, overly literal dialogue, and punny one-liners. Great for Father's Day, Christmas, white elephant, birthdays, and more! These jokes may be on porpoise, but they whale definitely make you laugh: I used to hate facial hair, but then it started growing on me. "Dad, can you put my shoes on?" "No, I don't think they'll fit me." I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down! Q: What's the hardest thing about learning to ride a bicycle? A: The road.

Christmas comes but once a year... and in the world of the grumpy bloke, that’s once too often! But turn that frown upside down with the hundreds of jokes and one-liners in this book of festive fun. There’s nothing like a good laugh to chase away the winter blues or cheer yourself up and, let’s face it, some people need it more than others! Make sure the grumpy bloke in your life is well entertained (even when he really doesn’t want to be) by the gags and jokes in this whopping compendium of Christmas funnies from a veritable master of the art, Nick Harris. From Christmas jumpers to sad-sack Santas and from broken tree lights to shocking Christmas dinners, there are jokes aplenty to raise a smile in even the grumpiest bloke ... okay then, a chortle ... the merest hint of an upturned lip ...? Oh, come on, it’s FUNNY!

The perfect Father's Day gift for new dads and expecting fathers! A punderful resource of the funniest dad jokes that every dad needs in their arsenal! With over 500 brand new jokes on a range of topics to get dads ready to embarrass their children-and most importantly-embarrass them early, this laugh-out-loud book is a hilarious title perfect for baby showers and Father's Day! Dad Jokes for New Dads is a special edition joke book for new dads and soon-to-be fathers that celebrates dads with a full arsenal of dad jokes and "helpful" pro tips to help new dads get by! The perfect gift from any kid, wife, or partner to celebrate and prepare the new dad in their life! Includes knee-slappers like: Q: What did the big beer name its baby? A: Micro brew. I wrote a book about birds once. My publisher said it flew off the shelves! Dad Pro Tip #1: If the baby starts to spit up, turn it toward someone else.

The Farming Joke Book brings together around 500 jokes, amusing stories, and anecdotes about farmers, farm animals, and life on the farm in general. So, whether one has been farming for 'donkey's years' or is new to it, and whether these farming two-liners make the reader laugh, cry, or just groan out loud, there will definitely be something in this collection that will tickle anyone's farming funny bones. Divided into 16 categories, and with 32 specially commissioned illustrations by Rory Walker, this pocket sized book will provide hours of enjoyment and is the perfect tool for the farmer wanting to entertain friends, family, and colleagues, no matter his or her age. [Subject: Humor, Agriculture]

Works on Jewish humor and Jewish jokes abound today, but what formed the basis for our contemporary notions of Jewish jokes? How and when did these perceptions develop? In this groundbreaking study and translation, noted humor and folklore scholar Elliott Oring introduces us to the joke collections of Lippmann Moses Büschenthal, an enlightened rabbi, and an unknown author writing as "Judas Ascher." Originally published in German in 1812 and 1810, these books include jokes and anecdotes that play on stereotypes. The jokes depict Jews dealing with Gentiles who are bent on their conversion, Jews encountering government officials and institutions, newly propertied Jews attempting to demonstrate their acquisition of artistic and philosophical knowledge, and Jews engaged in trade and moneylending—often with the aim to defraud. In these jokes we see the antecedents of modern Jewish humor, and in Büschenthal's brief introduction we find perhaps the earliest theory of the Jewish joke. Oring provides helpful annotations for the jokes and contextualizing essays that examine the current state of Jewish joke scholarship and the situation of the Jews in France and Germany leading up to the periods when the two collections were published. Intended to stimulate the search for even earlier examples, Oring challenges us to confront the Jewish joke from a genuine historical perspective.

Works on Jewish humor and Jewish jokes abound today, but what formed the basis for our contemporary notions of Jewish jokes? How and when did these perceptions develop? In this groundbreaking study and translation, noted humor and folklore scholar Elliott Oring introduces us to the joke collections of Lippmann Moses Buschenthal, an enlightened rabbi, and an unknown author writing as "Judas Ascher." Originally published in German in 1812 and 1810, these books include jokes and anecdotes that play on stereotypes. The jokes depict Jews dealing with Gentiles who are bent on their conversion, Jews encountering government officials and institutions, newly propertied Jews attempting to demonstrate their acquisition of artistic and philosophical knowledge, and Jews engaged in trade and moneylending-often with the aim to defraud. In these jokes we see the antecedents of modern Jewish humor, and in Buschenthal's brief introduction we find perhaps the earliest theory of the Jewish joke. Oring provides helpful annotations for the jokes and contextualizing essays that examine the current state of Jewish joke scholarship and the situation of the Jews in France and Germany leading up to the periods when the two collections were published. Intended to stimulate the search for even earlier examples, Oring challenges us to confront the Jewish joke from a genuine historical perspective.

Scientific evidence for the origin of speech is abundant, but evidence for the origin of language as separate from speech as a naming system remains speculative. What evidence can be utilized that will furnish relevant insights on the origin or language? This book attempts to provide an answer by suggesting that the first riddles of humanity, along with the first myths, reveal that language may have emerged as a mode of reflection via metaphor-a mode that involves blending speech forms together to produce complex, abstract cognition.

It's time to get down and even dirtier with this second selection of the filthiest gags you're ever likely to hear. "100 Dirty Jokes for Girls" is all you need to give you a naughty thrill and is jam-packed with outrageous stories, punchlines and one-liners that are guaranteed to have you and your mates laughing out loud. And, because all women know that men and sex make a hilarious double act, the book includes jokes on chat-ups, dirty talk, foreplay, penis size, orgasms and between-the-sheets mishaps, making it a side-splitting read and proving that - in this case at least - size doesn't matter. So, move over Christina Aguilera - you're not the only dirty girl in town!