‘Humor is an instant vacation,’ according to Milton Berle, and what better way to enjoy the summer than to read some clsasic works by writers  who use humor and satire to comment on society, human behavior, and the human condition? In this class, readers can expect lively discussion as well as plenty of laughter as we examine important works by Nikolai Gogol, Oscar Wilde, and Ken Kesey and discover that, as Mel Brooks remarked, ‘Humor is just another defense against the universe.’ The books for the semester are available through the registration form: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey – Berkley Edition ($9); The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde – Penguin Edition ($4); The Diary of a Madman and Other Stories by Nikolai Gogol – Signet Edition ($5).