# What is your favourite funny novel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [March 14, 2024, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832 "2024-03-14T13:43:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/181 "2024-04-09T16:21:25Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Reaper Man for me. Followed by Hogfather. I’ve read a number of funny novels including others mentioned here but those are the most memorable for me. Reaper man was good and its ending is terrific, if that is the one with the older lady who he “gave quite a stop” to. My favorite ending in any Discworld aside from Small Gods, which tops it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/182 "2024-04-09T23:59:09Z")
I like Frayn a lot. His early novels are all funny. Stephen Fry is another Brit who is magnificent in many fields, including funny novels. I got into a seminar called The Comic Novel when I was a freshman. I later realized that I only got in because I was purportedly a physics major-to-be and the prof wanted some balance. The other physics major (we became best friends) later emerged as a Professor of English. So, a win? Anyway, I applied because in my innocence I thought comic novels would be funny. Little did I know that the term meant social commentary on class. Mostly English social commentary on class. At 18, my entire knowledge of the British class system was a few old murder mysteries. I hated every book because I didn’t understand a word. I stumbled out of the class with a polite grade, but it killed a bunch of potentially good authors for me. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/183 "2024-04-10T00:02:34Z")
Not even _Lucky Jim?_ ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/184 "2024-04-10T00:27:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _The Tin Men_ by Michael Frayn. A series of incidents about a robotic research facility in the UK that is filled with greater pandemonium because of an Upcoming visit by the Queen. I especially love the scenes where one of the he scientists is trying to write a novel. And the ones where the they try to create a robot with a moral sense. > > Frayn later won a Pulitzer for _Copenhagen._ I really liked _The Tin Men_. It’s currently number 18 on my list of my twenty favorite science fiction long works. This list is for works longer than 25,000 words. One problem is that I read it more than fifty years ago, so who knows whether I would still like it. Frayn couldn’t have won a Pulitzer, since they’re solely for Americans, and he’s British. He won a Tony for best play for _Copenhagen_. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/185 "2024-04-10T16:41:01Z")
All these replies and no love for Tom Robbins?? > **[Tom Robbins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Robbins)** > > Thomas Eugene Robbins (born July 22, 1932) is an American novelist. His most notable works are "seriocomedies" (also known as "comedy drama"). Tom Robbins has lived in La Conner, Washington since 1970, where he has written nine books. His 1976 novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues was adapted into the 1993 film version by Gus Van Sant. His latest work, published in 2014, is Tibetan Peach Pie, which is a self-declared "un-memoir". > Robbins was born on July 22, 1932, in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/186 "2024-04-10T17:32:13Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Reaper man was good and its ending is terrific, if that is the one with the older lady who he “gave quite a stop” to. Not remembering the “quite a stop” part, but the farmer lady was becoming quite fond of Bill Door(?), I think that was the name he was using, and didn’t we have a Doper by that name? @Bill_Door are you still here? Anyway, I think he did eventually reveal his actual identity to her. Just means it’s time to read it again. Small Gods was pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/187 "2024-04-10T17:55:13Z")
I just finished _A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What to Feed Them…and Much More. Maybe Too Much More_. It’s one of the funniest things I’ve read in recent years, and no wonder – the principal author is the comedic genius Dave Barry. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy it – I’m not, and nor am I familiar with most Jewish traditions and religious practices – but that’s not necessary for full enjoyment – Dave Barry explains all as we go along! The other two authors are Adam Mansbach, the author of the children’s book parody _Go the Fuck to Sleep_ and other books, and Alan Zweibel, an Emmy-winning television writer, author and playwright. Both guys are pretty funny in their own right but the book has Barry’s genius clearly running throughout. ---
**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:** [April 10, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/188 "2024-04-10T18:00:22Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The other two authors are Adam Mansbach, the author of the children’s book parody _Go the Fuck to Sleep_ and other books, and Alan Zweibel, an Emmy-winning television writer, author and playwright. Both guys are pretty funny in their own right but the book has Barry’s genius clearly running throughout. Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel collaborated on the novel **Lunatics!** , which is arguably a good addition to this thread. Barry, Zeibel, and Mansbach also collaborated on **For This we left Egypt? A Passover Haggadah for Jews and Those that Love Them** , which I also recommend. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/189 "2024-04-10T18:03:24Z")
And remember, Barry himself is not Jewish. Although his wife is. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/190 "2024-04-10T18:32:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Not remembering the “quite a stop” part, but the farmer lady was becoming quite fond of Bill Door(?), I think that was the name he was using, and didn’t we have a Doper by that name? @Bill_Door are you still here? Anyway, I think he did eventually reveal his actual identity to her. Just means it’s time to read it again. Small Gods was pretty good too. I believe it went like this: “DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU SAID I GAVE YOU QUITE A START?” She said, “Yes.” “ACTUALLY I GAVE YOU QUITE A STOP.” [indicating she died the moment she saw him again] ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/191 "2024-04-10T21:47:02Z")
Does it really matter whether or not he is Jewish, if the book is not in good taste? What’s his take on Jains, Maori, and American Blacks? I guess unsubtle ethnic humour seemed like a better idea way back when. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/192 "2024-04-10T22:19:55Z")
Before Barry et al., there was Molly Katz’s **Jewish as a Second Language** : > **[Jewish as a Second Language: How to Worry, How to Interrupt, How to Say the...](https://shop.yiddishbookcenter.org/products/jewish-as-a-second-language-how-to-worry-how-to-interrupt-how-to-say-the-opposite-of-what-you-mean-by-molly-katz)** > > Forget Yiddish. Real Jewish is a secret language of nuance, argument, and somersaults of everyday speech; of wins, losses, and draws in competitions you had no idea you'd entered. It's everything from mastering the OAQ (Obsessive Anal Question) -... ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/193 "2024-04-10T22:45:04Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Does it really matter whether or not he is Jewish, if the book is not in good taste? What’s his take on Jains, Maori, and American Blacks? I guess unsubtle ethnic humour seemed like a better idea way back when. Why do you think it’s not in good taste? This very popular and highly rated book was first published five years ago. Does that qualify as “way back when”? I can only assume that you haven’t read it or know anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/194 "2024-04-10T23:26:06Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > I guess unsubtle ethnic humour seemed like a better idea way back when. Try not to read any recent humor by Blacks, Hispanics, Gay, Women, or, for all I know, Jains and Maoris. You won’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/195 "2024-04-10T23:53:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Small Gods by Terry Pratchett. This, with honorable mention to Pratchett’s “Guards! Guards!” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/196 "2024-04-11T00:36:53Z")
I have not read it, which is why I wrote _if_ it be not in good taste. If it won multiple prizes and is universally loved, that’s great. Maybe it is scintillatingly brilliant and if I read it I will not be able to not stop myself from laughing out loud. I do appreciate good satire. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/197 "2024-04-11T20:13:58Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Barry, Zeibel, and Mansbach also collaborated on **For This we left Egypt? A Passover Haggadah for Jews and Those that Love Them** , which I also recommend. It’s very good, but seems to suffer from sequel-itis. It’s much shorter than _Field Guide_, and IMHO not quite up to the same standard of hilarity. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/198 "2024-04-11T20:56:54Z")
I don’t have a favorite, _per se_, but a few I like are: **Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy** **Good Omens** **The Gun Seller** , by Hugh Laurie **Starter Villain** , by John Scalzi (read this recently - very funny, especially if you like cats) **Dungeon Crawler Carl** , by Matt Dinniman (this is a wildly popular indie LitRPG novel. I don’t normally like LitRPG, but I met the author at a writers’ convention and when I found out a bit about the book, I gave it a try. It’s about a dude and his ex-girlfriend’s cat (a show Persian) named Princess Donut, who end up in a reality-show dungeon after Earth is destroyed by aliens. Shortly after they enter, the cat gets an upgrade so she becomes an actual “crawler” (player) who can talk and use spells. I’m almost done with the first book, and Carl still doesn’t have any pants (but he does have magical heart-pattern boxers) or shoes. If you like RPGs, you’ll probably like this book. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/199 "2024-04-12T04:30:03Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > All these replies and no love for Tom Robbins?? Me. I’ve read all of his novels as they were released, enjoyed them immensely. Just re-read _Another Roadside Attraction_ for the 4th or 5th time. My other favorite is _Jitterbug Perfume_. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/200 "2024-04-14T16:30:44Z")
I am still here. I selected the name because I’m similarly afflicted with an inability to come up with a name, and he looked around cycling through some choices. Bill Sky, no, nobody’s named Bill Sky. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832.md?page=11)