This little book from the Gutenberg Project has several fairly short, essays within an essay about how to properly tell a humorous story.
Mark Twain (AKA Samuel Clemens) became a popular writer with good reason. He writes well, handles dialects in a manner that is accurate and maintains the dignity of his characters.
There seem to be various editions of essays by Twain, all having the same title, the Gutenberg edition and the Oxford Edition are quite similar, approaching identity, with the exception that the Gutenberg Project edition is a free download.
Twain's humor is intact, as it is generally based on things that go beyond current events. When he discusses mental telegraphy (telepathy), however, he strikes an only slightly bemused, serious tone.
I recommend these essays as an re-introduction for anyone that has not read an essay since High School (and then not willingly), anyone that wants to start reading Mark Twain again, and almost anyone else that is still drawing breath.