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Essayist and broadcaster David Bouchier will discuss the delicate business of trying to be funny about serious topics. His own discovery, loss and rediscovery of humor as a way of explaining the world has convinced him that devices like satire and irony really do capture the attention of readers, and may sometimes even change their minds, but at some cost to the writer’s own reputation as a serious person. By way of illustration, David will read examples of what (he hopes) are funny passages of critical writing from 400 BC to the present day, including some of his own whimsical essays on such sensitive topics as politics, patriotism, money, and self-esteem. Co-Sponsored The Southampton History Museum.