# Recommend some truly funny books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2005, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420 "2005-07-07T05:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![chefjef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@chefjef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefjef)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/61 "2005-07-08T15:40:42Z")
Here’s one that I found very funny but at the same time rather deep and moving- so it’s a bit of everything. Definitely witty. _A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius_ by Dave Eggers. ---
**Author:** ![GraphicsGal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@GraphicsGal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraphicsGal)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/62 "2005-07-08T17:01:32Z")
> [@well he's back](#): > > When my daughter was little I read the series of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books out loud too her and both laughed and laughed. They were hysterical. You know, I’ve read everything else by Betty McDonald, but not these. I highly recommend “The Egg and I,” “The White Plaque,” “Anybody Can Do Anything,” and “Onions in the Stew” which are all about Betty’s life and are absolutely hilarious. I have reread them many times. I also enjoy Florence King’s “Confessions of a Failed Southen Lady.” Some of her other stuff is very funny, too, but she can be a bit too acerbic in her more political stuff. “House of God” by Samuel Shem is terrific. ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/63 "2005-07-08T17:30:26Z")
A third vote for Good Omens, the funniest book I have ever read. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chefjef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@chefjef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefjef)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/64 "2005-07-08T19:04:32Z")
Three votes for that, huh. I might have to pick that one up. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/65 "2005-07-08T19:10:48Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > It’s not a book, but the funniest thing I’ve ever read is [this](http://users.telerama.com/~joseph/cooper/cooper.html) by Mark Twain. I’ve read it a dozen times over the last 30 years, and every time I damn near suffocate. [This](http://home1.gte.net/deleyd/religion/solarmyth/frog.html) isn’t a book, either, but I like it more than Twain’s comments about Cooper’s manifold sins. ---
**Author:** ![chefjef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e480ec/32.png) [@chefjef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chefjef)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/66 "2005-07-08T20:03:04Z")
Ok I know we’re not talking about short stories but I just wanted to say…David Sedaris’ collections of stories always make me howl - I wish he would write a novel! ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/67 "2005-07-08T20:11:23Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Try [Star Wreck: The Generation Gap](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312928025/qid=1120837519/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-9913765-4805750?v=glance&s=books) for a wicked & entirely unauthorized (but legal) parody of Star Trek. Try it? I read the entire series! 😃 Though I have to say, the novels were rather thin and don’t really stick with you very well. “Q-In-Law,” OTOH, is timeless, especially if you can visualize John DeLance doing the Q parts… ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/68 "2005-07-08T20:24:37Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > [Playing the Moldovans at Tennis](http://www.epinions.com/content_11226222212), by [Tony Hawks](http://www.tony-hawks.com/) – the English musical theater guy, comic writer, and tennis activist, not the American skateboard whiz. Yanno, since it’s not available in a US edition yet, I can’t get my library to consider it, and I can’t afford it. 8-\ You’re a meaniehead! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/69 "2005-07-08T20:33:44Z")
I’ll heartily third: My Family and other Animals…the sequel is pretty good too Hedgehogs and Relatives or whatever it’s called Cold Comfort Farm…has anyone ever found the sequel? It’s out of print, apparently My Family and Hard times by James Thurber…dear god, the stories with his grandparents have me gasping for air I also love love love ALL of the Lucia books by E.F. Benson. Pure delight. There’s another set of books…Love in a Cold Climate that I found quite amusing and in terms of black comedy I love this one book set in New Orleans about this obese guy…it’s pretty famous…Ignatius Reilly is the character’s name but for the life of me I can’t remember the title. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/70 "2005-07-08T20:37:38Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > “Q-In-Law,” OTOH, is timeless, especially if you can visualize John DeLance doing the Q parts… You don’t have to visualize it. John de Lancie reads the audiobook, as I recall. It’s abridged, and so is even shorter than the book, but he’s brilliant as ever. In the same vein, “I, Q” (also read by de Lancie) and “Spock vs Q” (de Lancie and Nimoy together!) are extremely funny and enjoyable audiobooks. Short, but great. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/71 "2005-07-08T20:59:58Z")
Any Tim Dorsey book. My two favorites are Florida Roadkill and The Stingray Shuffle. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/72 "2005-07-08T21:05:14Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Any Tim Dorsey book. My two favorites are Florida Roadkill and The Stingray Shuffle. Anything by Dorsey is going to blood-splattered and hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/73 "2005-07-08T21:26:56Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > I love this one book set in New Orleans about this obese guy…it’s pretty famous…Ignatius Reilly is the character’s name but for the life of me I can’t remember the title. That was in my OP, actually. It’s called Confederacy of Dunces; Peter Kennedy Toole is the brain behind it. Definately a top-fiver. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/74 "2005-07-08T22:37:09Z")
The second page and nobody’s mentioned George MacDonald Fraser yet? (At least I don’t think so.) Get any of his Flashman books. Or, if you can find a copy, read _The Pyrates_. And I’ve mentioned this several times before, but _Thank You for Smoking_ by Christopher Buckley is one of the funniest books I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/75 "2005-07-09T02:30:44Z")
I know a lot of of people that turn their nose up on romances, but there are some really good ones out there. Barbara Metzger is one of the funniest romance writers I’ve found. She writes about the regency period (think Jane Austen). Avoid the full length novels - her sense of humor and writing works better in the regency (novella-size) format. Her absolute best novel is [A Loyal Companion](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0449220796/qid=1120876928/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-0293166-2519243?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). However, I’ve yet to read one of hers that doesn’t get me giggling. Although - good luck on finding her regencies. Most people who buy her books keep them. I almost never see one of hers in the used book stores. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/76 "2005-07-09T02:34:36Z")
Many apologies to Bob - that was me talking, not him. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/77 "2005-07-09T02:45:07Z")
The funniest book I’ve read in quite some time was _Attaboy Sam!_ by Lois Lowry. Yeah, it’s a kids’ book. And I literally laughed so hard I peed my pants and got a major case of the hiccups. (And you can hear one of my hiccups in the next block, trust me.) And _Anguished English_ (is that by Lederer?) also had me rolling in hysterical laughter, but that’s not a novel. But it is incredibly funny. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/78 "2005-07-09T02:49:50Z")
> [@well he's back](#): > > There are lots of funny memoirs too - Augusten Burroughs managed to make a hilarious book (Running with Scissors ) out of a horrendous childhood. > . Burroughs also wrote a hilarious (and very light, 3 hour planeflight read) novel, [Sellevision](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312422288/qid=1120878305/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/104-5117311-8689530?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) . It’s set at a QVC style shopping channel where a popular host accidentally exposes himself while surrounded by kids in a Christmas special and, well, hilarity ensues. (Gotta love any novel where Joyce Dewitt is a character.) Speaking of Running with Scissors, its [cast](http://imdb.com/title/tt0439289/) is set. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/79 "2005-07-09T03:00:51Z")
> [@chefjef](#): > > Ok I know we’re not talking about short stories but I just wanted to say…David Sedaris’ collections of stories always make me howl - I wish he would write a novel! David Sedaris is one of my favs and I snatched up his newest book. Turns out he _edited_ a collection of short stories. Darn! They look to be good stories though. _Lamb_ is C. Moore’s best, I agree with **silenus**. _Bloodsucking Fiends_ is a good second. _The Diaries of Adam and Eve_ by M. Twain is one of my favorites. Funny and touching as well. For goofy funny, you might like Laurie Notaro. Her first was _Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club_. They’re short stories/essays on a theme. Bailey White’s _Mama Makes up Her Mind_, among others is good. Essay collection as well, though. Anything by Gerald Durrell is good, but the books from his family’s years in Corfu are a riot. _My Family and Other Animals_, which has been mentioned, is the first. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420/80 "2005-07-09T05:34:41Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I was just gonna recommend [Lamb : The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380813815/qid=1120751291/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_ur_1/102-5011588-4706508?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) . Is the rest of his stuff as good? At least as good. My favorite is the Lust Lizard of Meloncoly cove. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-truly-funny-books/311420.md?page=5)