History of Novelty Books
Books have always been used to make people laugh. Novelty books are the branch of publishing that admits it openly.
What is a novelty book?
A novelty book is a book whose primary value is its concept, joke, or unconventional form rather than its informational or narrative content. Novelty books include blank journals sold as "a book of nothing," parody instruction manuals, and intentionally minimal texts.
Humor books in publishing history
Collections of jokes and satirical texts appear in ancient cultures. Roman joke books (the Philogelos), medieval jestbooks, and early modern satirical pamphlets all used the book form to deliver humor at scale. The printing press made novelty publishing viable as a commercial category.
20th century novelty publishing
The 20th century produced novelty books that function simultaneously as jokes and as objects. Marcel Duchamp's readymades influenced a generation of artists who applied the same logic to books. Conceptual art books of the 1960s and 1970s explored the book as form rather than container.
Gag gifts and pop culture
Mass-market novelty publishing grew in the late 20th century: blank books, "books for idiots," parodic self-help. These books understood that the cover and title do most of the work. The concept sells; the content is secondary or nonexistent.
The Absurd Humor Archive's position
The Archive's books — EW, UGH, LOL, YIKES, MEH — exist at the intersection of novelty publishing and experimental literature. They function as gag gifts and as legitimate absurdist objects. They have page counts, ISBNs, and Amazon listings. They also have nothing inside them except a repeated word. This dual status is not a contradiction; it is the point.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a novelty book?
A novelty book prioritizes concept or format over conventional content. Blank journals, joke books, parody instruction manuals, and experimental minimal texts all qualify.
Are novelty books real books?
Yes. Novelty books are physically published, commercially sold books. Their content differs from conventional books, but their status as books is not in question.
What is the difference between a gag book and absurdist literature?
A gag book is primarily a commercial joke. Absurdist literature uses humor as a vehicle for philosophical or formal inquiry. The Archive's books are designed to function as both.
Related
What Are Books About Nothing · History of the Novel · What is Absurdist Literature · The Archive