This NYT free article had me questioning what my favourite funny novel is. They give their 22 opinions. I’ve only read six of them, and have never even seen or heard of many of their recommendations.
Saw that and had a similar reaction. For me? Cryptonomicon or any earlier Christopher Moore, especially Dirty Job.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
The Milagro Beanfield War - John Nichols
I might have to say Good Omens. It’s written by Prachett and Gaiman.
I’m thinking Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy for me.
Douglas Adams of course.
Dave Barry’s Big Trouble, and the movie Barry Sonnenfeld made from it.
“Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal,” is my Christopher Moore nominee, but to each their own.
I’ve read a couple of Grady Hendrix’s novels recently, and he seems to play in the same space as Christopher Moore, if you’re looking for a new author.
Summer of '42, by Herman Raucher.
Came here to say this. H2G2 is as close as I get to a holy text. Even got a tattoo of the logo on my shoulder.
It’s hard to beat HHG. Before Google, there was Tricia Macmillan. But was she an English trillion or an American one?
Longtime fan here of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson.
Agree. The other cool thing is that there is also Christopher G. Moore who writes detective novels set in Thailand featuring Vincent Calvino. Years ago I was looking for some funny Christopher Moore books to read. I stumbled across the other Moore and really liked his books. I emailed him and we chatted back and forth for a bit.
I recommend Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley.
Light House: A Triffle by William Monahan
More a collection of short stories but all the books by Patrick McManus. I have a signed first edition of The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw.
First one to come to mind is Tim Dorsey’s Triggerfish Twist, but several of the Serge Storms books are right up there.
Bored of the Rings, if you count parody.
I agree with Trode about early Christopher Moore. The first one of his I read was The Stupidest Angel: A Tale of Christmas Terror. Even though I had never read his earlier novels (most of which were referenced in it), it was hilarious.
In addition to Adams and Moore, I enjoy A. Lee Martinez’s books.
And Connie Willis’s To Say Nothing Of The Dog.
And Roger Zelazny’s A Night In Lonesome October in which Jack the Ripper is our hero.