Lincoln’s Sense of Humor

185 Pages·2017·24.08 MB·English

by  Richard Carwardine

RICHARD CARWARDINE
Lincoln’s Sense
of Humor
—
edited by richard w. etulain
and sylvia frank rodrigue

Richard Carwardine
Lincoln’s Sense
of Humor
Southern Illinois University Press
Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Press
www.siupress.com
Copyright © 2017 by Richard Carwardine
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
20 19 18 17 4 3 2 1
The Concise Lincoln Library has been made possible
in part through a generous donation by the Leland
E. and LaRita R. Boren Trust.
Volumes in this series have been published with
support from the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
Foundation, dedicated to perpetuating and expand-
ing Lincoln’s vision for America and completing
America’s unfinished work.
Jacket illustration adapted from a painting by
Wendy Allen
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Carwardine, Richard, author.
Title: Lincoln’s sense of humor / Richard
Carwardine.
Description: Carbondale : Southern Illinois Univer-
sity Press, 2017. | Series: Concise Lincoln Library
| Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017007441 | ISBN
9780809336142 (hardback) | ISBN 9780809336159
(e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809–1865—
Humor. | American wit and humor. | BISAC:
history / United States / Civil War Period (1850–
1877). | biography & autobiography / Presidents
& Heads of State. | humor / Topic / Political.
Classification: LCC E457.2 .C355 2017
| DDC 973.7092—dc23 LC record available at
https://lccn.loc.gov/2017007441
Printed on recycled paper.
This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO
Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper)
To John Walsh

Contents
Introduction 1
1 The Face and Phases of Lincoln’s Humor 7
2 Sources, Species, Subjects 36
3 A Just Laughter and the Moral Springs
of Lincoln’s Humor 67
4 Purposes, Functions, Effects 86
Epilogue 131
Acknowledgments 137
Notes 139
Bibliography 153
Index 161
Gallery of illustrations beginning on page 123
vii

lincoln’s sense of humor