A collection of the best of The Harvard Lampoon --the spawning ground for Hollywood's elite comedy writers and New Yorker humorists--revealing the hidden gems from their 140-year history. Since its inception in 1876, The Harvard Lampoon has become a farm system for Hollywood's best and most revered comedy writers. Lampoon alumni can be found behind the scenes of sitcoms and late-night shows, including Saturday Night Live , The Simpsons , The Office , 30 Rock , The Mindy Project , and many others. The Best of the Harvard Lampoon is the first anthology of The Lampoon 's extensive archives, featuring luminaries who have gone on to shape the comedy and literary landscape along with some of the best cartoons, illustrations, and satirical advertisements from over the years. Contributors include B.J. Novak, Henry Beard, Andy Borowitz, George Plimpton, Conan O'Brien, John Updike, Patricia Marx, and many others, with an introduction by New York Times bestselling author Simon Rich

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plea for subscribers, 1886 --

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cover from 1899 -- Worst aid to the injured by Hartwell Bishop and W. Tuckerman --

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cover from 1904 --

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breakfast food boy by D.H. Mitchell --

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sport graceful by Gluyas Williams -- Aeroplane comix by Gluyas Williams -- Debutante comix by Gluyas Williams --

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yearning point by Frederick L. Allen -- Kite comix by Samuel Otis --

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cover from 1915 --

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call for subscribers in the form of an announcement, 1917 --

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cover from 1922: world problems number --

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diary of an amoeba by Eugene Reynal --

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call for subscribers, 1924 --

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arms conference : a fable by Eugene Reynal --

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call for subscribers, 1924 --

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call for subscribers in the form of a contest, 1924 --

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call for subscribers in the form of testimonials, 1924 --

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call for subscribers: Lampy's puzzle for Kurious Kiddies, 1924 --

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Lament by William W. Scott --

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cover from 1934: Winter sports number -- 12,000 B.C. : the first practical joker by Sidney Carroll --

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call for subscribers, 1938 -- How I was taken at the cleaners by Walter R. Bowie, Jr. -- Buoy room by Arthur W. Viner --

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call for subscribers, 1944 --

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terrible tuba by George A. Plimpton --

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saxophone player by George A. Plimpton --

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cover from 1949 --

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Mouche by Fred H. Gwynne --

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call for subscibers, 1950 -- De la comtesse by Fred H. Gwynne -- Moon comix by Fred H. Gwynne -- Hold up by John H. Updike --

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different one by John H. Updike -- Fish comix by James D. Stanley --

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cover from 1958: movie worsts issue -- Frozen gold by Shirley Burden -- Igor Cassini's Christmas by George W. S. Trow, Jr. --

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transcript strike by Henry N. Beard