Ruse and Wit

“These scholarly papers offer nuanced and comparative perspectives on interconnected literary and social histories. We learn to appreciate the place of humor—in its various manifestations in the form of jokes, witticisms, obscene and bawdy tales, and puns—both in religious and specific cultural settings.”—Sunil Sharma, Boston University

“This fascinating collection of articles…enriches our knowledge of classical and modern literature in the Near and Middle East, showing the importance of wit and entertainment in writing throughout history, and alerting us to the challenge of decoding the authors’ play with bawdy satire and delicate humor.”—Christine von Ruymbeke, University of Cambridge