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No Laughing Matter (book)
Encyclopedia
No Laughing Matter is a 1986 book co-authored by Joseph Heller
and Speed Vogel
.
, a debilitating syndrome that was to leave him temporarily paralyzed. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Mount Sinai Medical Hospital the same day , and remained there, bedridden, until his condition had improved enough to permit his transfer to the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, which occurred on January 26, 1982 .
The book reveals the assistance and companionship Heller received during this period from a laundry list of his prominent friends—Mel Brooks
, Mario Puzo
, Dustin Hoffman
and George Mandel
among them.
Heller eventually made a substantial recovery. In 1984, he divorced his wife of 35 years, Shirley, to marry Valerie Humphries, the nurse who had helped him to recover.
Speed Vogel writes of helping Heller, his friend for twenty years, through his rehabilitation. The pair write alternating chapters, which amusingly chronicle Vogel's rise through society as he stands in for Heller, even traveling to the Cannes Film Festival, while at the same time Heller is becoming more helpless.
Although Heller's disease is debilitating, the book is full of humor and never self-pitying. Heller's only lament is letting an insurance policy lapse, resulting in his out-of-pocket expenses of $120,000 in medical costs.
Joseph Heller
Joseph Heller was a US satirical novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His best known work is Catch-22, a novel about US servicemen during World War II...
and Speed Vogel
Speed Vogel
Irving "Speed" Vogel was an American sculptor, painter, and co-author, along with Joseph Heller, of the best-selling memoir, No Laughing Matter....
.
History
On Sunday, December 13, 1981, Heller was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndromeGuillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain–Barré syndrome , sometimes called Landry's paralysis, is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system. Ascending paralysis, weakness beginning in the feet and hands and migrating towards the trunk, is the most typical symptom...
, a debilitating syndrome that was to leave him temporarily paralyzed. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Mount Sinai Medical Hospital the same day , and remained there, bedridden, until his condition had improved enough to permit his transfer to the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, which occurred on January 26, 1982 .
The book reveals the assistance and companionship Heller received during this period from a laundry list of his prominent friends—Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
, Mario Puzo
Mario Puzo
Mario Gianluigi Puzo was an American author and screenwriter, known for his novels about the Mafia, including The Godfather , which he later co-adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola...
, Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
and George Mandel
George Mandel
George Mandel is an American novelist and short story writer.A native of New York City, Mandel was educated at the Pratt Institute, The Art Students League of New York and The New School...
among them.
Heller eventually made a substantial recovery. In 1984, he divorced his wife of 35 years, Shirley, to marry Valerie Humphries, the nurse who had helped him to recover.
Speed Vogel writes of helping Heller, his friend for twenty years, through his rehabilitation. The pair write alternating chapters, which amusingly chronicle Vogel's rise through society as he stands in for Heller, even traveling to the Cannes Film Festival, while at the same time Heller is becoming more helpless.
Although Heller's disease is debilitating, the book is full of humor and never self-pitying. Heller's only lament is letting an insurance policy lapse, resulting in his out-of-pocket expenses of $120,000 in medical costs.