# Recommend me a funny book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778 "2002-07-25T15:35:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/1 "2002-07-25T15:35:31Z")
I am looking for a really funny, fiction book - I mean LOL funny. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance… ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/2 "2002-07-25T15:43:10Z")
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, by Douglas Adams. That’s the name of the first book, the others are called: The Restaurant at the end of the Universe Life, the Universe and Everything So Long and Thanks for All the Fish (there’s one more called “Mostly Harmless”, however, I personally would never recommend anyone reading that one). These books are hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/3 "2002-07-25T16:14:40Z")
Anything with the name “Terry Pratchett” on the cover. Especially if it is identified as a “Discworld” novel. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/4 "2002-07-25T16:25:45Z")
I’ll second Terry Pratchett. And Third…and Fourth:) ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/5 "2002-07-25T16:26:02Z")
_A Conderacy of Dunces_ ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/6 "2002-07-25T16:38:30Z")
Try _My Family and Other Animals_ by Gerald Malcolm Durrell. It’s the naturalist’s memoir of his childhood on the Greek island of Corfu and it is really, really laugh-out-loud funny. I seem to remember reading a sequel, but I don’t see it listed on Amazon. An excerpt: > [@](#): > > Every evening Mother would go for a walk with the dogs, and the family would derive much > amusement from watching her progress down the hill. Roger, as senior dog, would lead the procession, followed by Widdle and Puke. Then came Mother, wearing an enormous straw > hat, which made her look like an animated mushroom, clutching in one hand a large trowel > with which to dig any interesting wild plants she found. Dodo would waddle behind, eyes > protruding and tongue flapping, and Sophia would bring up the rear, pacing along solemnly, carrying the imperial puppy on its cushion. Mother’s Circus, Larry called it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/7 "2002-07-25T16:45:51Z")
Any of Nick Hornby’s books (High Fidelity, About a Boy, How to be Good) are good fun and manage not to get gushy. I really recommend the last one. I am also planning on getting “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” ASAP, for the title alone, plus it’s got that British humour I love. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/8 "2002-07-25T16:47:09Z")
Naked - David Sedaris ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/9 "2002-07-25T16:47:19Z")
Jerome K. Jerome - **Three Men In A Boat**. One of the funniest books ever written. And for those of you who don’t believe me… [here’s a link](http://digital.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=308). Read it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/10 "2002-07-25T16:49:38Z")
Some of my all-time personal favorites: • **Gentlemen Prefer Blondes** and **Gentlemen Marry Brunettes** , by Anita Loos • **Little Me** , by Patrick Dennis • **Vile Bodies** , by Evelen Waugh . . . I’m sure I’ll think of more later. ---
**Author:** ![Sunglasses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Sunglasses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunglasses)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/11 "2002-07-25T16:54:45Z")
This isn’t fiction but, my favorite Laugh-Out-Loud Funny book is No Laughing Matter by Joseph Heller and Speed Vogel. I’ve read it several times and I laugh till I cry every time. I second the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as well. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve just read it for the first time at the age of 42. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/12 "2002-07-25T17:20:57Z")
_Breakfast of Champions_ almost got me committed, but [then again](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127200)… ---
**Author:** ![Peach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@Peach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/13 "2002-07-25T17:21:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ellen Cherry \* > \*\*Try _My Family and Other Animals_ by Gerald Malcolm Durrell. It’s the naturalist’s memoir of his childhood on the Greek island of Corfu and it is really, really laugh-out-loud funny. I seem to remember reading a sequel, but I don’t see it listed on Amazon. > > An excerpt: > > \*\* **VERY** funny book! I’ve read it a couple of times. Loved it! I just finished **The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint** and it is brilliant. So very funny and sad, too. A must read! ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/14 "2002-07-25T19:53:45Z")
[Youth in Revolt](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385481969/qid=1027626260/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-0276423-6859866) by C. D. Payne Absurd comedy coming of age story, very funny. ---
**Author:** ![Skewbald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Skewbald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skewbald)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/15 "2002-07-25T22:35:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrVisible \* > \*\*Jerome K. Jerome - **Three Men In A Boat**. > > One of the funniest books ever written. > > And for those of you who don’t believe me… [here’s a link](http://digital.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=308). Read it yourself. \*\* I agree. My mom borrowed this book to me from the English section of the library when I was 12. I have since read it five times. The part where they try to open the can of pineapple is perhaps the funniest thing I have ever read. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/16 "2002-07-26T01:23:54Z")
I thought the cheese scene was funnier, but that’s just me. “Laugh out loud funny” presents a challenge. I love Terry Pratchett, but he rarely makes me laugh out loud. I can be amused, thrilled, educated. I can appreciate his world, his wit, his cultural references (thanks to the annotations at the L-Space site), but he rarely makes me LOL. These do: **Bored of the Rings**. A must-read if you like LOTR, but try to get it used. Penguin charges an arm and two legs for a thin trade paperback version. **P.G. Wodehouse**. The Bertie Wooster stories are a particular favorite. **Hitchhiker’s Guide**. The first book’s the best. **3 Men in a Boat**. Of course. God, I love well-done crude humor, so I’d pop for the **National Lampoon’s 20th anniversary book** to get a concentrated dose of P.J. O’Rourke before he became a Republican, Doug Kenney before he jumped/slipped off the cliff and Michael O’Donoghue before his head exploded. Look for the **Yearbook** and **Newspaper** parodies as well. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/17 "2002-07-26T01:34:23Z")
The Magic Christian by Terry Southern Barrel Fever, Holidays On Ice, Me Talk Pretty One Day—all by David Sedaris His tale of his experiences working as an elf at Macy’s are screamingly funny. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/18 "2002-07-26T09:53:19Z")
I thought _Catch-22_ was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Meliadus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@Meliadus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meliadus)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/19 "2002-07-26T10:02:06Z")
I strongly recommend **“Who Goes Here”** , by Bob Shaw. Truly funny SF, which was a rarity until Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778/20 "2002-07-26T10:15:36Z")
Gotta be HitchHikers Guide: Wowbaggers coping mechanism for being ‘damned’ to an eternal life is enough to set the funny-neurons a’wiggling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-funny-book/120778.md?page=2)