# The Funniest Book You Ever Read **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767 "2000-08-10T00:32:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pLt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eb9ed0/32.png) [@pLt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pLt)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/1 "2000-08-10T00:32:14Z")
Here I am looking for new reading material so I thought I’d ask your opinion for something light, funny and warm and fuzzy. A couple I can give you … “Only Forward” by Michael Marshall Smith. He spends the first two pages describing crossing the room to answer the telephone. “It was a long and arduous journey full of trials, setbacks and heroic derring-do on my part. I was almost there at one stage when I ran out of cigarettes and had to go back and get another packet.” Anything by Nick Earles. Specifically, “Perfect Skin” One of the characters Katie has a cat that she loves named Flag. So much so that her email address is ‘ktnflag@blah.com.au’ The main character Jon through a series of mis-adventures accidentally treads on Flag and causes serious damage. When he is reflecting he looks at himself in a mirror and says “Oh God, I killed half her email address!” One that you definitely have to find and read. It’s an aussie author so look hard 🙂 Give me more suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/2 "2000-08-10T00:42:45Z")
Any book by Dave Barry. [aside: Mods, is this going to be in IMHO before the week is over?] ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/3 "2000-08-10T00:44:01Z")
The most funny book(s) I ever read are the 5 parts of the **Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy** Trilogy. Close the thread now, I’ve won 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/4 "2000-08-10T00:47:20Z")
Actually Coldfire, the funniest book I’VE ever read is the first Straight Dope book. Thank you. I do believe I’VE won. ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/5 "2000-08-10T00:55:57Z")
I second the hitchhiker’s books. Also, the Phantom Tollbooth. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/6 "2000-08-10T01:10:18Z")
murder gets a life, ann george. i laughed so hard i couldn’t see the book any more. murder, southerners, and sisters, who could ask for more? i agree with iampunha, dave barry is always a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/7 "2000-08-10T01:34:20Z")
Any book with a Kender is going to be full of laughs. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/8 "2000-08-10T01:39:55Z")
There are passages in _Infinite Jest_ (by David Foster Wallace) that are hysterical. But if you want “light, funny and warm and fuzzy”, gather all the copies of IJ in one place and then go to the opposite side of the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/9 "2000-08-10T02:00:27Z")
_Bored of the Rings_ The funniest parody I’ve ever read, especially the part with Tim Benzedrine and Hashberry. Gasp-for-air hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/10 "2000-08-10T02:54:05Z")
Sigh. I wish I could be more original. But I’d have to go with Jerome K. Jerome’s _Three Men in a Boat._ ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/11 "2000-08-10T03:29:34Z")
ANYTHING by Terry Pratchett in the Discworld series… ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/12 "2000-08-10T03:40:23Z")
**naked** by David Sedaris. I usually bring a book to classes so I can stay awake and look like I’m doing work and still not pay attention. I once disrupted the class by laughing much too loud. **Me Talk Pretty One Day** by David Sedaris. His latest book, I’m reading it now, I’m in stitches. (basically, anything by David Sedaris) **A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again** by David Foster Wallace. It’s a collection of “essays and arguments”, half of which are hilarious, the other half of which can put you to sleep. If he’s written something on a journalism assignment, you’re guaranteed to laugh every time your attention is drawn to a footnote. And what the hell, while I’m at it, I mentioned this in another thread about two or three weeks ago, but: **The Princess Bride** by William Goldman ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/13 "2000-08-10T03:51:11Z")
the hitchhiker’s series are definitely great as is The Princess Bride, but I still say the two(oops, make that three) most hilarious books in the world are _I’ll Take It_ by Paul Rudnick _The Queen and I_ by Sue Townsend and of course… _Confederacy of Dunces_ by John Kennedy Toole. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Vega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a9adbd/32.png) [@Lord\_Vega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Vega)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/14 "2000-08-10T04:09:20Z")
National Lampoon’s DOON! A parody of the movie version IIRC. Hilarious! “I then wish to be known as Pall Mauve’bib” “He is the Kumquat Hagendas” I’d love to find that book again. V. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/15 "2000-08-10T04:14:37Z")
Anything by Terry Pratchett is wonderful. One I highly recommend is Pratchett’s collaberation with Neil Gaiman, _Good Omens_. It’s hilarious. I also recommend the script of “The Collected Works of William Shakespeare in 97 Minutes” by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. I saw them in London and… beyond hilarious. One of the funniest lines I’ve ever read in a book is from Candide, by Voltaire. “What a misfortune to be without testicles.” Admittably not as funny out of context. andygirl ---
**Author:** ![JosephFinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/16 "2000-08-10T04:25:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Sigh. I wish I could be more original. But I’d have to go with Jerome K. Jerome’s _Three Men in a Boat._ \*\* Uklele, I love you! I love this book. You should read the variation on it by Connie Willis, “To Say Nothing of the Dog,” which won the Hugo last year. Hilarious take on Jerome K. Jerome and time travel. ---
**Author:** ![JosephFinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/17 "2000-08-10T04:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andygirl \* > \*\* > I also recommend the script of “The Collected Works of William Shakespeare in 97 Minutes” by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. I saw them in London and… beyond hilarious. > andygirl \*\* Puckey! ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/18 "2000-08-10T04:37:51Z")
My vote goes to A Short History of A Small Place by T.R. Pearson. He captures southern speech patterns perfectly, but I guess as a native of Fuquay-Varina, NC, he should. Sadly, his second and third books don’t live up to Short History. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/19 "2000-08-10T04:37:58Z")
_blink blink_ It’s 12:35 am where I am, and perhaps my senses are dull. Watch this be a clever script reference that I should have picked up on and laughed about. Um, what? ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767/20 "2000-08-10T05:43:46Z")
Also by Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gentley’s Holistic Detective Agency books. I highly recommend a series of books containing short stories by Spider Robinson about a bar called Callahan’s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-book-you-ever-read/28767.md?page=2)