Funny books

[zoebartlett]

I'm looking for recommendations of really funny books. I just looked at my bookshelf at all the books I could be reading, but none of them interest me right now. What would you recommend? TIA!

 

[E B]

Anything by David Sedaris. His books make me laugh out loud.

 

[iLander]

I like Bill Bryson, his travel books are funny. The one on Australia and the one about the US were both hilarious!

I also like Dave Barry, any of his for a light collection of essays. Or his novel, Big Trouble, was oddly action-packed (for a humor writer) and funny.

 

[CourtLynB]

I love the travel-ish books by J Maarten Troost (Don't be put-off by the titles):

Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific- he basically took 2 years off work and followed his girlfriend (now wife) to Kiribiti in the south pacific while she worked for a non-profit. He didn't work, but wrote about his experiences the 2 years he was there. And there really isn't any sex or cannibals in action.

He followed up with "Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu", where his now wife worked for another non-profit and they had a son while there. Also incredibly funny, and the "stoned" part deals with a certain beverage they partake in down there.

His last book was "Lost on Planet China"- which while funny, lacked a little something. It might be because the events in the first two books just happened, while the China book he went there knowing he was going to write the book about his experiences.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks for the recommendations, EB, iLander, and CourtLynB!

I've heard David Sedaris on NPR but I haven't read any of his books. I'll check them out.

I'm open to anything (short stories, etc.), but I tend to read novels, mostly. I love books by Sophie Kinsella, and I've also read everything by Janet Evanovich. Other than those, I can't think of novelists whose books are really funny.

I read a lot of suspense/lawyer types of books, and as much as I enjoy them, my brain needs something happy and light-hearted. Nothing heavy.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Another David Sedaris fan here. He is ridiculously funny. I have yet to read a book of his I didn't enjoy.

 

[princesss]

Christopher Moore is a riot! Every book of his makes me laugh out loud, but Lamb and Fool were especially good (and the Stupidest Angel is a great one with the holidays coming up).

Christopher Buckley is smart and funny - I loved Thank You For Smoking and Boomsday (though the ending was a little abrupt). No Way To Treat A First Lady was really funny, too.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Anything by David Sedaris. His books make me laugh out loud.

I second this! I think his all time funniest was: Me talk Pretty One Day

Sorry highjack: Anyone read his latest yet? It's on sale at Target, but I haven't picked it up yet.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks OU, Princesss, and Jaysonsmom!

I'll run to the bookstore tomorrow and pick out a couple of those.

 

[kittybean]

Anything by David Sedaris. His books make me laugh out loud.

I second this! I think his all time funniest was: Me talk Pretty One Day

YES. I was laughing to the point of tears while reading Me Talk Pretty One Day. I think it's the funniest book I've ever read.

Augusten Burroughs' Magical Thinking is another funny favorite of mine. It's not quite as dark as Running with Scissors.

Chelsea Handler's Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea was entertaining as well.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Ditto Princesss on Christopher Moore. Lamb is amazing, and I'm also a big fan of Island of the Sequined Love Nun.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are also hilarious!

 

[marcy]

I am on book 7 of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich and I find parts of them very funny.

 

[ladypirate]

If you're into food, I really like Anthony Bourdain--his follow up to Kitchen Confidential just came out a couple months ago and it is awesome. Definitely more on the sarcastic side of things, though.