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Hammer and Tickle Hardcover – August 26, 2009

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

Q: Why, despite all the shortages, was the toilet paper in East Germany always two-ply? A: Because they had to send a copy of everything they did to Moscow.

Communist jokes are the strangest, funniest, most enchanting and meaningful legacy of the eighty years of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe. The valiant and sardonic citizens of the former Communist countries―surrounded by secret police, threatened with arrest, imprisonment and forced labor, a failed economic system, and bombarded with ludicrous propaganda―turned joke-telling into an art form, using them as a coded way of speaking the truth and coping with the absurdity of the system. In this poignant and historically revealing book, rare and previously unpublished archive material, including cartoons, caricatures, photographs, and oral transcripts take the reader on a unique journey through the real experience of the Communist era.
25 b&w illustrations

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This often enjoyable but flat-footed compilation and study of jokes from the Soviet bloc has a hard time justifying its existence. Journalist and documentarian Lewis (who made a film of the same title for the BBC) started by imagining Communist jokes as a subversive critique that undermined the totalitarian state, but concludes that they were a politically irrelevant distraction. He looks to them as a window into Communist society, but discovers that most probably they originated long before Lenin appeared. If truth be told, Communist jokes are often pretty lame. For every clever one-liner—capitalism is the exploitation of man by man, while communism is the exact opposite—Lewis unearths 10 clunkers like, Why are the East Berliners dumber than the East Friesians? They built a wall and placed themselves on the wrong side. Lewis's explications of jokes are more interesting than the jokes, as are his fencing sessions with unapologetic ex-Communist apparatchiks and with his artist girlfriend, a humorless nostalgist for East Germany. The rueful punch line Lewis leaves us with, almost despite himself, is that Communism was no laughing matter. Photos. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ben Lewis is a columnist for Prospect magazine. His award winning film Hammer and Tickle appeared on the BBC in 2006. He lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books; First Edition (August 26, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1605980552
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1605980553
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.18 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.3 x 9.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
67 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the humor very good and the reading experience good.

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3 customers mention "Humor"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the humor in the book very good.

"...There are also, needless to say, many funny jokes in the book - a kind of humor which has largely disappeared since the fall of the Berlin Wall." Read more

"...The jokes were great (and brought many a smile to my face)...." Read more

"very good humor..." Read more

3 customers mention "Reading experience"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good read.

"I loved every minute of reading it. good read, at this point am just write so i can submit one more word...there!" Read more

"I thought there would more jokes, still an interesting read." Read more

"Worth the read..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2012
I was in the U.S.S.R.3 times,Russia and know some Russian.Yes,they did and do laugh at themselves.Ex."V Pravdye ne Izvestiia i v Izvestii ne pravdy!In Truth (party paper)_there is no news-government paper -and in news there is no truth!Gave it to some Yevraiki Russian Jewish Women!
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2012
After seeing of the videos on the internet I decided to pick up a copy of the book which I rather enjoyed. It's somewhat of stretch to ascribe the downfall of communism to humor but I enjoyed Ben Lewis's personal journey as he set off through Eastern Europe to work on his theory. There are also, needless to say, many funny jokes in the book - a kind of humor which has largely disappeared since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2013
I loved every minute of reading it. good read, at this point am just write so i can submit one more word...there!
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2012
Twain, of course, was spot on, when he wrote, "against the assult of laughter, nothing can stand." It was therefore with great interest that I picked up Lewis' book, having long been a fan of Soviet humor. What a disappointment, then, to find such a mish-mash of personal anecdotes intertwined with the ostensible subject of the book. The historical context Lewis provides is both necessecary (for those not familiar with events and personalities parodied) and well-written; this was a real strength of the book. The jokes were great (and brought many a smile to my face). The personal stories Lewis inexplicably included, however, were something I could have done without. For this I hold the editor equally at fault as Lewis, both of whom should have known better. If you can manage to skip to the "good stuff" - the self-depreciating (and cutting) humor, there is much to like here. Getting to it takes some effort. My recommendation, prior to picking this up, is  Soviet Humor: The Best of Krokodil  - the flavor is very similar without the author getting in the way.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2014
Its hard to imagine anything funny about Stalin, the Communist Party, and life for the millions who lived behind 'the Wall' of Communism. But Lewis has found all that is funny and neatly summarizes the general themes on jokes that differ according to place, rulers and the degree of freedom the people had.
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2014
I thought there would more jokes, still an interesting read.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2010
Ben Lewis merely poached communist jokes from several Eastern European countries and filled the rest of the space with the following:
1) some historical background (acceptable)
2) his own half-baked theories and clumsy interviews (enough said)
3) relationship issues with his girlfriend (?)
I am not sorry I bought the book because of the jokes, which there are plenty in the book.
It is a pitty that such a worthy subject did not get an author it deserves.
11 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2012
This is a book I had read some time ago. I would not call it a great literary piece but if one wishes to see human nature even under trying circumstances, there are things in this book.

Top reviews from other countries

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KittyMonster1960
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived early in pristine condition
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2024
Book is in new condition and arrived promptly. Perfect 10
Recommended
5.0 out of 5 stars It was a success
Reviewed in Germany on March 28, 2024
Good, I recommend it. The book was just as described. They replied to you and respond fast.
LMK
1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading Title
Reviewed in Sweden on February 2, 2024
The author deliberately gave the book a deceiving subheader, ‘….told through com-nist jokes’ when in the Foreword he clearly states that its a book with ‘anti-com-st or anti-soviet jokes’. Very misleading. (Had to censor the word since Amazon flagged it for hatespeech).
Clara Sotelo
5.0 out of 5 stars El libro es muy interesante
Reviewed in Spain on April 23, 2022
La verdad que es muy interesante. Me sorprendieron los comentarios malos y muy elaborados, me guíe por ellos.
Ilovetoread123
5.0 out of 5 stars absolutely wonderful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2021
great insights and a lovely little catch online! :D