When I first proposed a humor column for Internal Auditor magazine I submitted three examples to the committee. (What does that tell you about the chances for humor when a committee is making the decision.) The first response received was that they were hilarious and the magazine should begin publishing all of them. (No, I didn’t write that response.) The next response was that none of them were funny, the person didn’t “get” them, and we should abandon the project. (No, I didn’t write that one either.) The next response indicated that one of the pieces (about Auditors Anonymous) might be insulting to alcoholics. The next person said they didn’t believe that was a problem, but that the one I wrote which mentioned insects rear ends (don’t ask) might be considered too risqué. And at the next meeting of the committee I explained to the editorial staff that, if they wanted to print humor, they should expect exactly such a range of responses.

I tell you that story as preface to this comment about the second collection in the Mirth of a Nation series. (If there are two, it has to be a series, correct?) There are some of these pieces that are absolutely hysterical. There are some that are take or leave. And there are some that are so exceedingly boring, banal, and pointless that it is amazing they were ever printed. In other words, it is just like the first book. And here’s the real point. I am not going to belabor which ones are the good, the bad, and the ugly because your sense of humor won’t match mine, and we won’t agree. However, this is a wide-ranging collection that encompasses many different types of humor writing and, if you enjoy humorous writing (as I do), then you will want to read this collection. But, as a favor to the editors, don’t write to them and tell them that they were all funny or that they all stunk or that alcoholics might get offended or that they are too risqué. Believe me, someone has already written to them with a contrary opinion. Just accept that this is a decent collection of funny stuff. ( )