Reviews of books about comedy, including biographies of comedians old and new, and (occasionally) books by comedians. To have a book considered for review, send a copy to Chortle, 112 Norman Road, London, E11 4RL.
© Takahiro Kyono via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 Jay Richardson reviews Yvonne Innes's official biography of her husband
25/10/2024 … He is forever associated with The Beatles and often referred to as 'the seventh Python’.
16/10/2024 … Miranda Hart garnered plenty of headlines last week for her revelatory new memoir, disclosing her chronic illness and the news that she’s finally found love…
A comedian's guide to autism, reviewed by Fiona Barry
02/09/2024 … I stay away from books about medicine and neuroscience.
29/04/2024 … Helen Lederer has occupied a unique space in comedy for more than 40 years, working closely with some of its biggest stars but never quite making it to that big…
Review of Joel Morris' book about 'how comedy works and why it matters'
02/04/2024 … It’s an unwritten rule that any book about comedy starts with the EB White quote, refined by Barry Cryer, that analysing a joke is like dissecting a frog,…
Review of the new account of 'how comedy conquered culture'
10/01/2024 … Like it or not, comedy finds itself on the front line of the culture wars.
Review of the Young Ones and Bottom star's frank and entertaining memoir
09/11/2023 … It’s been more than 40 years since Adrian Edmondson first tore through the world of light entertainment with the rest of the alternative comedy cohort.
05/10/2023 … Most followers of comedy must surely know London Hughes’s story by now, since she’s spoken about it often enough in interviews and on her socials.
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