Photo illustration by Stacy Reich
A wonderful thing about true laughter is that it just destroys
any kind of system of dividing people.
— John Cleese
Laughter is an instant vacation.
― Milton Berle
For many of us, finding something to laugh about during challenging times can be difficult. But humor can be an effective coping mechanism, a relief valve.
You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.”
It turns out that scientific research has provided evidence that laughing does indeed have many health benefits. Laughing lowers your stress levels, increases oxygen to your body, improves your immune system, boosts your mood, and can even help reduce pain. Humor and laughter also strengthen social bonds. Sharing a laugh, or even a smile, can help create emotional connections with others. So, let more silliness into your life. It’s good for you!
I hope this collection of humorous items found in books donated to the Friends Bookstore will give you a chuckle or two:
Those of you who remember Mad Magazine may enjoy this vintage Mad Magazine paperback book cover from 1970.
Some of you may remember the “On Language” column in The New York Times Magazine and William Safire’s humorous Bloopie Awards. The column included here is from August 10, 1997.
The “Smiles: The Little Magazine of Wit & Humor” booklet pictured is chock full of jokes and humorous cartoons. It is one of a series that was published beginning in the 1930s and, as far as I can determine, all the way into 1980. They were promotional booklets that were sold to businesses all around the United States to be used as customer giveaways. This one was printed for a fertilizer company in Texas, circa 1968. (See below for the full cover and a peek inside.)
The Bookmark Project is an ongoing effort by Friends Bookstore volunteers to collect all items left in donated books. We are incredibly grateful to our book donors as they allow us to offer gently used books to the public at affordable prices, which in turn allows us to fund major library programs and projects. Please enjoy this collection of found items, and visit our bookstore, Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., closed Monday. (For more information, call us at 561-544-8596 and press 9.) Be sure to check out our Humor section. We have a great selection of books to keep you laughing!
To read about the origin of The Bookmark Project, click here: https://www.bocalibraryfriends.org/post/the-bookmark-project-by-stacy-reich
So much fun! 😆