Arizona Humoresque: A Century of Arizona Humor - Tapa blanda

"Since Arizona has everything but an ocean view, it follows that it must have its share of the nation's humor. . . . Humor is a many-splendored thing: it comes in many shapes and sizes, ranging from quiet smiles through titters, chuckles and snorts to convulsive laughter."
C. L. Sonnichsen
from the Introduction

Arizona Humoresque, a collection of always humorous and often hilarious writing edited by noted Western folklorist C. L. Sonnichsen, adds a new chapter to the social history of the state. Covering the past century, excerpts range from Alfred Henry Lewis's Wolfville series, which poked fun at the unhurried citizens of frontier Tombstone, to Barbara Kingsolver's wry account of trying to get a job and a place to stay in modern-day Tucson.

In the years between, a variety of humorists sniffed out the ridiculous in all corners of the state and in all levels of society. Byrd Baylor does it for the Papagos living in Tucson. Mo Udall does it for the politicians. Country people, city people, and the state's great liars have their innings, too.

"I'm not sure most Americans realize how lucky they are to live in one of the precious few nations on earth where laughter of, by, and for the people is not regarded as a dangerous and subversive force," writes veteran congressman Morris K. ("Mo") Udall.

Arizona Humoresque is good for lighthearted browsing, but it also has historical and literary value for those who want to look closer. It is a study in social history that introduces some of Arizona's best writers to a generation which might otherwise miss them.

Sonnichsen came to Texas in 1931 and taught for 41 years at what is now the University of Texas at El Paso. In 1972, he moved to Tucson to be editor of the Journal of Arizona History. Sonnichsen, author of 29 books, died in June of 1991 at the age of 89, and with Arizona Humoresque left an enduring legacy.