The Best Contemporary Women's Humor

Cartoons and humorous essays take a look at family values, male-female relations, working women, medicine, dreams, dogs, friendship, marriage, motherhood, anger, and therapy

This compilation runs the topical gamut from Barbie and bathrooms to morning sickness, motherhood, and rage. Panels from Nicole Hollander's comic strip "Sylvia", full of wry observations and arid wit, typify the graphics and cartoons that predominate. Very funny segments entitled "Choice" (abortion, that is), "Medicine," and "Night of the Living Bra" balance droller pieces on world literature, pregnancy, and girlfriends. Part of the problem with much women's humor stems from the concept of women's second-class status that is so often at its core. Although theoretically not inappropriate for comic exploitation, it's not exactly a laughing matter. It's annoying to see the cheap-shot humor of the smug Yuppie man asking his wife's friend, "Have you heard? We're pregnant," only to be told, "Let me know how we like labor and episiotomy." Surely, there is more trenchant humor in such situations. In general, however, out-loud belly laughs, though infrequent, mix with ironic chuckles to make this an experience worth adding to collections of cartoons, women's studies, and general humor. Whitney Scott