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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   3284 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for June 12, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Mencken is the funniest writer in American history, Mark Twain doesn't come close. His book "The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche" is very interesting, but written very early in his career. Mostly useful as a corrective to modern attempts to make Nietzsche a safe lib. The place to start is A Mencken Chrestomathy, which is his own selection of his best writings. It'll teach you a ton about culture and politics in 20s/30s America while making you laugh the whole time.

Sorry, but the funniest American writer is either Philip Roth (Portnoy's Complaint, though perhaps you need to be Jewish to see the humor) or John Toole.

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