Abraham Lincoln was the first president to make storytelling,
jokes, and laughter tools of the office, and his natural sense of
humor has become legendary. Lincoln's Sense of Humor registers the
variety, complexity of purpose, and ethical dimension of Lincoln's
humor and pinpoints the political risks Lincoln ran in telling
jokes while the nation was engaged in a bloody struggle for
existence. Complete with amusing anecdotes, this book shows how
Lincoln's uses of humor evolved as he matured and explores its
versatility, range of expressions, and multiple sources: western
tall tales, morality stories, bawdy jokes, linguistic tricks,
absurdities, political satire, and sharp wit. While Lincoln
excelled at self-mockery, nothing gave him greater pleasure than
satirical work lampooning hypocrisy and ethical double standards.
He particularly enjoyed David R. Locke's satiric writings by
Petroleum V. Nasby, a fictional bigoted secessionist preacher, and
the book explores the nuances of Lincoln's enthusiasm for what he
called Locke's genius, showing the moral springs of Lincoln's
humor. Richard Carwardine methodically demonstrates that Lincoln's
funny stories were the means of securing political or personal
advantage, sometimes by frontal assault on opponents but more often
by depiction through parable, obfuscation through hilarity, refusal
through wit, and diversion through cunning. Throughout his life
Lincoln worked to develop the humorist's craft and hone the art of
storytelling. His jokes were valuable in advancing his careers as
politician and lawyer and in navigating his course during a
storm-tossed presidency. His merriness, however, coexisted with
self-absorbed contemplation and melancholy. Humor was his lifeline;
dark levity acted as a tonic, giving Lincoln strength to tackle the
severe challenges he faced. At the same time, a reputation for
unrestrained, uncontrollable humor gave welcome ammunition to his
political foes. In fact, Lincoln's jocularity elicited waves of
criticism during his presidency. He was dismissed as a "smutty
joker," a "first rate second rate man," and a "joke incarnated."
Since his death, Lincoln's anecdotes and jokes have become detached
from the context that had given them their political and cultural
bite, losing much of the ironic and satiric meaning that he had
intended. With incisive analysis and laugh-inducing examples,
Carwardine helps to recapture a strong component of Lincoln's
character and reanimates the good humor of our sixteenth president.
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