"Coming to better understand the roles laughter played along the Nile in antiquity provides important insights into the character and humanity of the Egyptian people... It is a refreshing change from the crushing formality which seems to permeate many of the sources for the study of ancient Egypt" from the epilogue. Jokes and cartoon drawings from ancient Egypt not only still appealto our sense of fun today. They also shed fascinating light on the customs and standards of a society often regarded as dry and stifled. Much of the humor discussed by the author is erotic, and the book also contributes much to our knowledge of sexual life in ancient Egypt. As usual with the Rubicon series, the book sparkles with the author's enthusiasm for the subject combined with erudition, as reflected in the maps, chronology and glossary that accompany the text.
