Alan King's Great Jewish Joke Book (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The jokes in this chapter create a kind of overview of some significant preoccupations that characterize "the Jewish psyche..." (more)
Key Phrases: female parrots, New York, Saint Peter, Jewish American (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Organizing jokes by all the crucial categories-women, men, mothers, grandmothers, and rabbis-this book, as Billy Crystal puts it in his foreword, is "a big, bubbling pot of borscht." King, currently starring as MGM's big boss in the off-broadway production Mr. Goldwyn, casts new and familiar material in his own mold; as one of the "Rules for Jewish Living" notes: "a good kugel sinks in mercury." While he parses the differences between "Traditional vs. Reform Observance" or listing the "Top Ten Reasons Why God Created Eve" ("7. God knew Adam would never make a doctor's appointment for himself"), King's forte is storytelling and caricature, which he does with gusto, and strong build-ups to punchlines that don't overplay their hands. While some may object to the appearance of the word 'goyim' in the text, King's intention is to warmly entertain in old school Catskills style, and in that he succeeds terrifically. As another of the "Rules" asks: "And what's wrong with dry turkey?"
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

“Jesus saves. Moses invests.”
“Why spoil a good meal with a big tip?”
“What did the Jewish mother ask her daughter when the daughter told her she had had an affair?—‘Who catered it?’ ”

“I’ve probably heard—and told—some of the jokes in this book a thousand times; more than a few are older than I am. Others were actually new to me. But I can’t think of a good Jewish joke that isn’t in this collection. Enjoy!” —Alan King

The undisputed heavyweight champion of Jewish humor livens up the pages with a rich and comprehensive treasury of the all-time best Jewish jokes.

From the Polish shtetls to vaudeville and the Catskills to modern Hollywood and comedy clubs across the country, Jewish humor hasn’t just survived, it has become universally loved and often recited—by Jews and non-Jews alike.

And who better to compile the best of Jewish humor than Alan King, the consummate comedian who has torn up every venue from the Friar’s Club and Broadway to Comedy Central? In Alan King’s Great Jewish Joke Book, King gathers old standards and hilarious new material, great one-liners and drop-dead funny stories, and packs them into a laugh-(or sometimes a groan-) out-loud celebration of the Jewish funny bone.

So why is this book like chicken soup? Because it doesn’t cure anything, but it sure can make you feel better! Or your money back, guaranteed. (Just kidding.)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (October 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609609246
• ISBN-13: 978-0609609248
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #475,211 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book I really would like to have, November 22, 2004

By	Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

I have read a selection of the jokes and to my surprise most of them made me laugh outloud. I would really like to have this book.
I would also like to say a word about Alan King Alav Ha-Shalom who passed away since this book was published. He was not simply a funny guy , but he was a real character, a real Jewish character. And he did things with style. And he had real moxie real guts. And also a pride about being Jewish. The way he talked about it did not make you want to hide. This did not mean he wasn't vulgar at times, but he could be vulgar with class. A most unusual thing. He also had a good heart and gave a lot of charity. You could feel it. He wasn't one of those embittered types. He made it and he enjoyed. He gave people a lot of laughs, and a lot of relief from the misery of this world. May God bless his soul.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love Alan King, November 30, 2002

By A Customer

I'm an Alan King fan and have been for years. King IS King of Jewish and suburban humor. So yes ... Buy the book! It a must for any Jewish library. I also came across another book that surprised the heck out of me. A little giant called fittingly, A Little Joy, A LIttle Oy. It was a shock to see such a small book fill such big shoes. I also love anything by Rabbi Telushkin and, of course, the late Leo Rosten.

A huge Jewish lit fan!

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely laugh-out-loud funny!, October 14, 2004

By	cloudydawn (New York City) - See all my reviews

Even though I love Jewish humor and literature, I wasn't expecting this book to be as laugh-out-loud funny as it was. It really was sooooooooooooo funny. Truly, belly laughs galore. If you love to laugh, like I do, don't miss this one!