{"product_id":"9781350522862","title":"Cosmic Humour and Philosophical Pessimism in Contemporary Culture","description":"\u003ch1\u003eCosmic Humour and Philosophical Pessimism in Contemporary Culture\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch3\u003eOliver Rendle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eLiterary Criticism \/ European \/ English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn in-depth look at the concept of cosmic humour, a politically influential, philosophically pessimistic form of humour, exploring the popularity of this comedic form across Anglophone culture since 1969 in literature, film and television. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eCosmic Humour\u003c\/i\u003e uses a cultural materialist approach to demonstrate the existence and significance of an as-yet-overlooked turn in popular culture, connecting intergalactic hitchhikers to discworlds and Black segregationists by explaining how such absurd images spring from the rise of neoliberalism and political despondency.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOliver Rendle examines the development and political value of cosmic humour through novels by Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Jason Pargin and Paul Beatty as well as the work of Monty Python and the Daniels' \u003ci\u003eEverything Everywhere All at Once\u003c\/i\u003e. Along the way, he demonstrates how this form of humour is reflective of and reproduces an increasingly pervasive loss of faith in established ideological and political institutions. Charting cosmic humour's evolution from post-war British satire to more diverse and politically proactive developments after the millennium, this book brings to the fore the increasingly widespread and insistent anxieties that link Oxbridge dons to parodic cosmic horror and the satirical potential of Afropessimism. Addressing overlooked intersections between horror, humour and contemporary politics, \u003ci\u003eCosmic Humour\u003c\/i\u003e reveals how and why a form of humour that articulates a pessimistic outlook has become increasingly prevalent since 1969.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eOliver Rendle\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer and independent researcher based in Bristol (UK). His research appears in \u003ci\u003ePulse: The Journal of Science and Culture and Game \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eStudies\u003c\/i\u003e. He received his Ph.D. from Manchester Metropolitan University Centre for Gothic Studies in 2022, specialising in humour theory and philosophical pessimism.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e09 July 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9781350522862\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e240\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18.08\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51198052171916,"sku":"9781350522862","price":103.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/getimage_d3497451-8408-4567-94c2-043a3c134eb8.jpg?v=1782962946","url":"https:\/\/fh90cf-fv.myshopify.com\/products\/9781350522862","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}