Thanks for this, I really enjoyed it. I read the book a few years ago and plan to revisit it soon, and this has bumped it up the list.

The part about finding humour is very interesting. It reminded me of a recent chat with a firefighter, who happened to be one of the team there when the Grenfell Tower in London burned. He talked about how they use humour even then, even in a burning building amongst tens of dead people. The jokes they make would be horrific if one of us were to make them – but it’s a coping mechanism and these guys running into burning buildings can make whatever jokes they want if it helps their mental health. Whether in burning buildings or a concentration camp, it’s amazing where we can find humour and use it to get though. Whilst the darkest of humour is being cancelled in most of the world and with reason, it also has its uses in the darkest of places.

Thanks for a great piece!