Abramovitch, Ilana, and Sean Galvin, eds., Jews of Brooklyn, University Press of New England, 2001.

This is a kaleidoscopic look at the history, culture, and community of Brooklyn's Jews, from the first documented settlement of Jews in the borough in the 1830s to the present day Jewish presence.

Bakalar, Nick, and Stephen Kock, eds., American Satire: An Anthology of Writings from Colonial Times to the Present, Plume Books, 1997.

This collection brings together some of the best American satirical prose and poetry, from the 1800s to the late twentieth century.

Epstein, Lawrence, The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America, Public Affairs, 2002.

This history of how Jewish comedians changed the face of American entertainment, from vaudeville to the movies to television, includes anecdotes, personal stories, samples from comedians' stand-up material, immigrant sociology, and details tying the Yiddish language to Jewish American humor.

Lax, Eric, Woody...