Humor Me

By: Christopher Duffy

Published by Doubleday, 2026-01-20

From a comedian and host of a hit TED podcast, a hilarious and enlightening guide to laughing your way into a fuller life. Ten years ago, when Chris Duffy was an exhausted fifth grade teacher, he taught the funniest person he's ever met: 11-year-old Gary C. Gary was the school newspaper's official food critic, blasting cafeteria pizza for looking like cardboard and alleging that the baked beans weren't "beany" enough. These days, Duffy is a comedian and the host of a podcast with millions of listeners, but he's never forgotten the joy of laughing with Gary during that bleak Boston winter. Gary taught him that a life without a sense of humor isn't much of a life at all. With curiosity and wit, Duffy takes us on a journey to learn how a good laugh can bring us closer to the good life. When he endeavors to pay more attention to the world around him, he discovers that his once-dreary commute is laugh-out-loud funny: think a rider catching a pigeon with his bare hands and Duffy's very own Russian mystic doppelganger. Using psychology and the wisdom of fellow comedians, Duffy reveals that a sense of humor can turn you into the kind of person others want to be around, someone who can be honest about their flaws without beating themselves up. It can teach us how to show up more generously in our most important relationships and how to handle the most painful parts of life without giving into despair. For anyone who has tried out meditation, a new year's resolution or gratitude practice as a self-improvement strategy, HUMOR ME offers a fresh and exciting path to greater presence, creativity, connection and joy.