Library / Gag Books
Reference Guide
What Is a Gag Book?
A gag book is a publication where the joke, surprise or comic premise is central to the reader's experience. The book itself can be the punchline.
Gag books vs. ordinary humor books
Traditional humor books may contain jokes, essays or stories. A gag book often relies on a strong premise: the reader understands the joke from the object, title, format or reveal.
Why physical format matters
A physical book can make an absurd premise funnier because the reader has something tangible to hold, display or give to someone else.
Related Archive work
EW deliberately sits at the intersection of gag book, novelty book and experimental literature.