'Chrisoula Lionis succeeds in giving a panoramic and, at the same time, profound view of the field of humorology as a whole and of the relationship between humor and identity in particular. In applying her theoretical insights to the context of Palestinian culture and history gives a comprehensive, fair and objective account of what has happened to Palestine and the Palestinian people over the last hundred years. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in humor and/or the history of the Middle East conflict.' - Professor Sharif Kanaana, Department of Anthropology, Birzeit University and co-author of Speak Bird, Speak Again (1989); 'Lionis offers a marvellous introduction to the way Palestinian art and cinema reflect the shifting dynamics of Palestinian politics, giving us rare insight into the way humor has taken hold in the arts over the past two decades. Rich examples of the ways Palestinian artists brilliantly illuminate the absurdity of their conditions allow Lionis to reflect on how laughter in the face of trauma and political disappointment can actually sustain hope and solidarity.' -Lila Abu-Lughod, Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor, Columbia University