The Joy of Work

The Joy of Work by Scott Adams

The Joy of Work (1998) by Scott Adams is a two-part book, the first offering recommendations as to how office workers can find happiness at their cubicle desks and the second sharing Adams' formula for creating humor, based on his experience penning the Dilbert comic strip.^[1]

Title

The title is a comic reference to the 1972 sex manual The Joy of Sex.

Synopsis

The first part of the book explains 'how to find happiness at the expense of your co-workers', including how to deal with superiors, meetings and co-workers and how to avoid work whilst having fun; an entire chapter is devoted to office pranks. The second part is an analysis of humour and how to write funny material. Scott also writes "The third part of the book is made entirely out of invisible pages. If the book seems heavier than it looks, that's why."

The book includes a response to Norman Solomon, who attempted to depict Scott Adams as a proponent of downsizing in his 1997 book, The Trouble with Dilbert. People who were offended by certain Dilbert strips are also addressed, Adams concluding that it is the "proximity" of sensitive subjects to negative concepts that causes "people who are angry for no good reason (nuts)" to take offence.

The 'Final Postscript' in the book is a page dedicated to his cat 'Freddie', who died as the book was in its final stages. The last words in the book are "That [pet ownership], my friend, is joy".

Notes

↑ Claude Touzet (2010). Conscience, Intelligence, Libre-arbitre (in French). Touzet. p. 87. ISBN 978-2-919411-00-9.

Dilbert books by Scott Adams

Comic strips	Always Postpone Meetings with Time-Wasting Morons Shave the Whales Bring Me the Head of Willy the Mailboy! It's Obvious You Won't Survive By Your Wits Alone Still Pumped from Using the Mouse Fugitive From the Cubicle Police Casual Day Has Gone Too Far I'm Not Anti-Business, I'm Anti-Idiot Journey to Cubeville Don't Step In The Leadership Random Acts of Management Excuse Me While I Wag When Did Ignorance Become A Point Of View? Another Day In Cubicle Paradise When Body Language Goes Bad Words You Don't Want to Hear During Your Annual Performance Review Don't Stand Where the Comet is Assumed to Strike Oil The Fluorescent Light Glistens Off Your Head Thriving on Vague Objectives Try Rebooting Yourself Positive Attitude This is the Part Where You Pretend to Add Value

Compilations	Dilbert Gives You the Business It's Not Funny If I Have To Explain It Dilbert 2.0: 20 Years of Dilbert Seven Years of Highly Defective People

Original strips	Build a Better Life By Stealing Office Supplies Dogbert's Clues for the Clueless

Business books	Dilbert principle Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook The Dilbert Future The Joy of Work Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel

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