Laughing Fit to Kill: Black Humor in the Fictions of Slavery Book

As I am currently working on a dissertation studying the use of humour in Black American fiction, I turned to Carpio's analysis of humour. While Carpio focusses specifically on representations of slavery, this text is helpful to those more interested in the way that black America has used (and currently uses) humour more generally. She primarily examines fiction, visual art, theatre, and stand-up comedy.

Carpio's text is extensively researched and insightful, making it a great academic resource. However, is is still an accessible and informative read for those who simply want to learn more about this subject matter. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on stand-up comedy, in which she discusses Richard Pryor and The Chappelle Show, and the chapter on Ishmael Reed's Flight to Canada. The inserts of artwork from Robert Colescott and Kara Walker and their respective chapter were interesting as I had studied little in the way of Black American visual art.