THE TIME OF LAUGHTER, A SENTIMENTAL CHRONICLE OF THE TWENTIES – THE HUMOR AND THE HUMORISTS.

With an introduction byFrank Sullivan. By Corey Ford '21. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1967. 223 pp.$5.95.

This is a gay and very amusing survey of the "Golden Age of American Humor," centering chiefly in New York City in the 1920's and 30's but with a brief excursion west to Hollywood. The reader learns a lot about our own Corey Ford (Columbia educated but an adopted brother of the Class of 1921) who played an intimate role in the story he tells. We see him first around 1920 as undergraduate editor of the ColumbiaJester and Columbia reporter for The NewYork Times and follow him through professional associations with many of the "greats" he talks about and personal friendships with some of the greatest of them including Robert Benchley, "hailed as America's greatest humorist of the century," and "the one and only W. C. Fields."

The book has twelve chapters and each reader may have his favorites. The most appealing for me is Chapter s— "This Side of Parodies" — which takes us into the inner workings of Frank Crowninshield's VanityFair (1914-1935). In its cheerful offices we rub elbows with a score of the brightest figures of those happy days. And we get also a few well-chosen examples of the author's long series of parodies of contemporary best sellers which were published under the nom de plume of John Riddell, described by Corey as "a clever rearrangement of the letters of my own name." Frank Sullivan, who is described in Chapter 6-"My Ugly Roomer"—in his gem of a foreword to this volume, assures us with reference to Corey that he "can think of no other American humorist who excelled him in the subtle art of parody."

If I chose a second preferred chapter it would be Number 7 - "The Making of a Magazine" - with the lively story of the hard beginnings of The New Yorker and the glorious triumph of Harold Ross - so great a triumph that in 1935 Vanity Fair went out of business. A third choice would be Chapter 10—-"The One and Only" - which gives a superb brief treatment of W. C. Fields. W.C. was by far the funniest man I ever saw on stage or screen and that settles that.

There is a lot more a reviewer might say but space runs out. The chapter on "Taverns of the Twenties" runs the gamut of fun in prohibition, speakeasy days with a bonus of some of the best of Dorothy Parker's sharp quips. And in addition to photographs, there are reproductions of some of the best drawings of such masters as Gluyas Williams and Miguel Covarrubias.

The book is interesting and informative and great fun all the way. For any one in middle life or older it will prove a blessed reminder of half-forgotten joys and laughs. And for the younger set I hope it may serve to illustrate the truth of the remark of Charles Dana Gibson in the preface to a volume of his drawings, "If I remember correctly we had a good time in those days too."

Professor of History, Emeritus, Mr. Foley,nationally known for his Vermont stories, islocally admired for his serious work for thetown of Norwich and for the Vermont Legislature.