Rude Talk in Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer's Journey through Greece
Mark Haskell Smith
In ancient Athens, thousands would attend theatre festivals that turned writing into a fierce battle for fame, money, and laughably large trophies. While the tragedies earned artistic respect, it was the comedies—the raunchy jokes, vulgar innuendo, outrageous invention, and barbed political commentary—that captured the imagination of the city.
Praise for Rude Talk in Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer's Journey through Greece
"RUDE TALK IN ATHENS is brave, brilliant, and incredibly funny. There are loads of very specific characters, including Mark himself. It's the Mark Haskell Smith version of hanging out with Stanley Tucci and Anthony Bourdain, but in present day and ancient Greece. I agree with everything he says about comedy and have never read anything like it."
—Barry Sonnenfeld, Film Director and author of 'Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker'
"The most sophisticated book you’ll read about writers insulting people they hate... If there were mean girls living in Ancient Greece, I have no doubt Mark would have written a brilliant analysis of the shade they threw at each other and their historical impact."
—Al Madrigal, Comedian, Actor, former Daily Show Correspondent, and co-founder of the All Things Comedy podcast network
"RUDE TALK IN ATHENS is as political and punk, as chaotic and exuberant, as the city itself. Riotous and fun, Mark Haskell Smith's book really made me feel like being in Athens! "
—Dr. Emma Southon, author of 'A Fatal Thing Happened Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome'
Rude Talk in Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer's Journey through Greece
by Mark Haskell Smith
Published: August 17, 2021
ISBN: 9781951213343
Pre-sale $24.00
Pre-Order from us
About the Author

MARK HASKELL SMITH is the author of six novels with one-word titles including Moist, Salty, and Blown; as well as the non-fiction books Heart of Dankness: Underground Botanists, Outlaw Farmers, and the Race for the Cannabis Cup and Naked at Lunch: A Reluctant Nudist’s Adventures in the Clothing-Optional World. Read more...