Laughter in Occupied Palestine

This is a serious and funny book. There are few jokes per se but the author Chrisoula Lionis examines humour in Palestine and critiques an evolving topic with impressive acumen, providing amusing insights and ironic asides. From the outset she aims to discuss ‘the relationship between humour and Palestinian occupation and exile, or in other words, laughter and collective trauma’ (p. 2). This book traces the artistic practices undertaken by Palestinians over a sixty year period and narrates various theoretical assumptions, strategies and methodologies. It is a compelling tome that connects the reader with an increasingly important aspect of Palestinian life and culture: laughter. It does not obsess over political points, which in fact serve as something of a backdrop, but focuses on the arts and film in particular as tools with which to articulate Palestinian identity and social solidarity....