# Recommend me a fun, easy, light read-- quick! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435 "2010-05-05T19:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/21 "2010-05-06T04:46:19Z")
I’ll second _Soon I Will Be Invincible_ and the works of Bill Bryson. Excellent books and exactly the sort of thing you’re looking for. I’ll add _The Flashman Papers_ (any of them), anything by Jeremy Clarkson (try _The World According To Clarkson_ to get you started), The _Red Dwarf_ books (_Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers, Better Than Life, Backwards_, and _Last Human_), and finally H. Beam Piper’s _The Complete Paratime_. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/22 "2010-05-06T05:13:11Z")
_Banvard’s Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn’t Change the World_ by Paul Collins _Conquistador_ or _The Peshawar Lancers_ by S. M. Stirling _Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything_ by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner _The Harvest_ by Robert Charles Wilson _Kahawa_ by Donald Westlake _Poplorica: A Popular History of the Fads, Mavericks, Inventions, and Lore that Shaped Modern America_ by Martin Smith and Patrick Kiger _The Princess Bride_ by William Goldman _Prisoner’s Dilemma_ by William Poundstone _The Pyrates_ by George MacDonald Fraser _Resurrection Day_ by Brendan DuBois _Scams, Scandals, and Skulduggery_; _Cheats, Charlatans, and Chicanery_; and _Fakes, Frauds, and Flimflammery_ all by Andreas Schroeder _Thank You for Smoking_ by Christopher Buckley _World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War_ by Max Brooks ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/23 "2010-05-06T13:06:26Z")
Any of C.S. Forester’s **Horatio Hornblower** novels Any of Rex Stout’s **Nero Wolfe** mysteries Robert Heinlein’s Juvenile novels any Frederrick Forsyth thriller, especially the earlier ones like **Day of the Jackal** ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/24 "2010-05-07T03:08:25Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > any Frederrick Forsyth thriller, especially the earlier ones like **Day of the Jackal** As fond as I am of Mr. Forsyth’s work, I don’t think any of it qualifies as “light” or even “fun”. They’re ripping yarns and great stories, but possibly not what the OP is looking for IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/25 "2010-05-07T11:48:06Z")
Fun? Light? Quick? - Hitchiker’s Guide (Most anything by Douglas Adams) For stupid PUNishment, Piers Anthony, anything in the Xanth series. Also by Piers, enjoyable, but different, the Incarnations of Immortality series. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/26 "2010-05-07T12:32:50Z")
> [@](#): > > As fond as I am of Mr. Forsyth’s work, I don’t think any of it qualifies as “light” or even “fun”. They’re ripping yarns and great stories, but possibly not what the OP is looking for IMHO. Light can mean any book which is readily accessible and not intellectually deep - a Stephen King novel, for example, can be considered light reading even if its subject if horror. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/27 "2010-05-07T12:38:48Z")
> [@](#): > > As fond as I am of Mr. Forsyth’s work, I don’t think any of it qualifies as “light” or even “fun”. Our definitions diverge. I find Forsyths’s work easy to pick up and read and get involved in. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/28 "2010-05-07T12:43:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Light can mean any book which is readily accessible and not intellectually deep - a Stephen King novel, for example, can be considered light reading even if its subject if horror. Personally I wouldn’t call Stephen King “light” reading either, so it’s probably best to just agree to disagree on the subject, I think. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/29 "2010-05-07T13:03:51Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > [Soon I Will Be Invincible](http://www.amazon.com/Soon-Invincible-Vintage-Austin-Grossman/dp/0307279863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273087010&sr=1-1) I came into recommend this, too, so I guess I will third it. Fun. I recommend [Top 10](http://www.amazon.com/Top-Ten-Book-Alan-Moore/dp/1563896680/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273236221&sr=1-1)by Alan Moore, Gene Ha, and Xander Cannon (who used to be a regular Doper). It’s basically Hill St. Blues set in a world where pretty much everyone has a super-power of some sort. Moore was a huge fan of HSB - where everyday drudgery of work was punctuated by character’s personal dramas, relationships and explosive moments of police action. It’s not always light - but it is very easy to read and extremely satisfying. I would easily rank it with Watchmen, V, Miracle/Marvelman, etc., for what it is trying to do… ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/30 "2010-05-07T13:09:06Z")
How about my namesake **Icerigger** by Alan Dean Foster, a very light SF adventure story. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/31 "2010-05-07T14:08:35Z")
Tanya Huff’s Keeper’s Chronicles series. [Summon the Keeper](http://www.amazon.com/Summon-Keeper-Keepers-Chronicles-1/dp/0886777844) is first. Very funny. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/32 "2010-05-07T15:00:01Z")
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Just a real fun read. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/33 "2010-05-07T15:00:33Z")
Bob Harris’ “Prisoner of Trebekistan” might fit what you’re looking for. Autobiographical story of, as stated on the cover, “one of Jeopardy!'s biggest winners… and losers.” You don’t have to be a Jeopardy! fan to enjoy it, although it helps. Lots of personal stuff mixed in with the game show stuff. You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll :eek:! ETA: Forgot to mention that I tore through this book in a weekend, which is very unusual for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/34 "2010-05-07T15:05:49Z")
I also really liked his book [Who Hates Whom: Well-Armed Fanatics, Intractable Conflicts, and Various Things Blowing Up, A Woefully Incomplete Guide](http://www.amazon.com/Who-Hates-Whom-Well-Armed-Intractable/dp/0307394360/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273244528&sr=1-4), but I don’t know if I’d call it light. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lshaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@lshaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lshaw)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/35 "2010-05-07T22:38:34Z")
How about Dave Barry’s _Big Trouble_ ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/36 "2010-05-07T22:52:00Z")
Anything by Lewis Grizzard, a Great American, except _My Daddy Was a Pistol and I’m a Son of a Gun_. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/37 "2010-05-08T00:44:58Z")
Comics!🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/38 "2010-05-08T03:10:43Z")
[Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal](http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273288157&sr=1-3), by Christopher Moore. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/39 "2010-05-08T03:25:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > [Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal](http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273288157&sr=1-3), by Christopher Moore. Anything by Christopher Moore There I fixed that for you. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435/40 "2010-05-08T05:55:57Z")
[The Grasshopper Trap](http://www.amazon.com/Grasshopper-Trap-Patrick-F-McManus/dp/0805001115/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273298035&sr=8-1) by Patrick McManus. Just silly fun! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-fun-easy-light-read-quick/538435.md?page=3)