# 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:** 5
**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:** [March 15, 2024, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/81 "2024-03-15T13:25:29Z")
The more I think about, the more I realize that the funniest books I’ve read are usually not novels at all. I love the collections of Dave Barry’s columns, and his books on Cyberspace and Japan and Guys, but I’m not as taken by his comic novels. I find the following books much more lsaugh-inducing than any comic novel Almost anything by Dave Barry Tom Weller’s **Science made Stupid** and **Cvltvre Made Stupid** (online here – [Science Made Stupid](https://www.besse.at/sms/smsintro.html) and [Tom Weller's Science Made Stupid and Culture Made Stupid (Cvltvre Made Stvpid)](https://www.chrispennello.com/tweller/) ) James Lileks’ **The Gallery of Regrettable Food** and **Gastroanomalies** and **Interior Desecrations** (and don’t neglect his ever-changing website [https://www.lileks.com/](https://www.lileks.com/) Columbia Journalism Review’s books of printing errors **Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim** and **Red Tape Holds up New Bridge** and the hundreds of similar books by National Lampoon and Jay Leno, and a huge number of other people. The unofficial MST3K’ed version of Jim Theis’ **The Eye of Argon** – [http://www.stmoroky.com/links/Eye\_of\_Argon.html](http://www.stmoroky.com/links/Eye_of_Argon.html) **Mike Nelson’s Movie Megacheese** – [https://www.amazon.com/Nelsons-Movie-Megacheese-Michael-Nelson/dp/0380814676](https://www.amazon.com/Nelsons-Movie-Megacheese-Michael-Nelson/dp/0380814676) …and a great many other things, some noe woefully outdated. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/82 "2024-03-15T13:34:41Z")
Yes, if we’re not talking about novels, this is the funniest book I’ve ever read: [Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Barry%27s_Book_of_Bad_Songs) Of course you have to be in the right demographic to know the songs he’s talking about, but I suspect most Dopers are. ---
**Author:** ![WalterBishop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/83 "2024-03-15T13:37:33Z")
It’s a very dark book and it’s not for everyone, but I’ve never read anything that made me laugh as much as _Money_ by Martin Amis. Edit: It’s not a novel, and I’m pretty sure it’s fallen out of print now, but ‘Our Dumb Century’ by The Onion has at least laugh out loud line on every single page. Sample headlines: ‘Gandhi Eats Enormous Piece of Cake After Hunger Strike’ ‘Japanese Military Dictatorship Forges Alliance With White Supremacists In Well Thought Out Scheme’ ‘Kennedy Slain by CIA, Mafia, Castro, LBJ, Teamsters, Freemasons’ I lost my copy some years back and now the only copies I can find are second-hand and going for like 80 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/84 "2024-03-15T14:00:43Z")
**Turnabout** by Thorne Smith. **The Night Life of the Gods** and **Topper** as well. ---
**Author:** ![TXRebel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@TXRebel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TXRebel)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/85 "2024-03-15T14:17:56Z")
I love Christopher Moore! I’ve read every word he wrote. ---
**Author:** ![TXRebel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@TXRebel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TXRebel)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/86 "2024-03-15T14:19:47Z")
I think for me a book that was funny (maybe because of my age at the time) was Venus On The Half-Shell by Phillip Farmer. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/87 "2024-03-15T14:27:32Z")
I want to second/reinforce the nominations of: H2G2 (the whole series) Good Omens by Pratchett & Gaiman Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/88 "2024-03-15T14:29:36Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Carl Hiassen’s books are generally very funny Agreed! Memorably funny. I also enjoyed the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, especially _Interesting Times_. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/89 "2024-03-15T14:38:30Z")
> [@TXRebel](#): > > I love Christopher Moore! I’ve read every word he wrote. Did you read the stories he posted on his website? Or his graphic novel **Griff**? > **[The Griff: A Graphic Novel: Moore, Christopher, Corson, Ian: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Griff-Graphic-Novel-Christopher-Moore/dp/B00FY2KC7K)** > > The Griff: A Graphic Novel \[Moore, Christopher, Corson, Ian\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Griff: A Graphic Novel ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/90 "2024-03-15T14:59:10Z")
> [@TXRebel](#): > > I love Christopher Moore! I’ve read every word he wrote For me that author would be Elwood Leonard. I’ve read every word he wrote (including his early Westerns). There’s plenty of funny situations in his novels, but I don’t know if any of them are “funny novels”. One “funny” book that numerous people recommended to me, but that I absolutely did not like was Jerome K Jerome’s **Three Men In A Boat**. A few friends told me it was hilarious, so I bought it. It was a struggle to finish. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2024, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/91 "2024-03-15T15:28:35Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A few friends told me it was hilarious, so I bought it. It was a struggle to finish. I had the same experience with Elaine Dundy’s **The Dud Avocado**. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/92 "2024-03-15T15:32:13Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > It’s kind of jarring nowadays to read his observation that German is poorly suited for describing violence because its phonology is so soft and gentle. I have to believe that he was being sarcastic. I have to. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/93 "2024-03-15T15:37:06Z")
Who knows what he would have thought of this video: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zLvL7a8Y0pI/maxresdefault.jpg "How beautiful German sounds compared to other languages") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLvL7a8Y0pI) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/94 "2024-03-15T16:08:53Z")
Is that South German or North German? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/95 "2024-03-15T16:12:03Z")
There is a special place in my heart for Ring Lardner’s _You Know Me Al._ I read it for the first time about 45 years ago and still find it very, very funny. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/96 "2024-03-15T16:32:01Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > It’s kind of jarring nowadays to read his observation that German is poorly suited for describing violence because its phonology is so soft and gentle Hah! My dad could say a few phrases very well in German. One was, “I do not have a hat on my head” which sounded like an SS Officer barking out orders. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/97 "2024-03-15T16:34:42Z")
Reading this thread confirms that almost everything I’ve found hilarious in my life has been non-fiction, including many of the mentions above: Dave Barry, James Lileks, Bored of the Rings (plus SJ Perelman). I liked Lamb (Gospel According to Biff) but I’d describe it as “droll” rather than hilarious. Of the NY Times list I’ve only read Portnoy’s Complaint and Tales of the City and thought they were occasionally amusing. I remember reading _The Egg and I_ when I was like 12 years old and thought it was hilarious at the time…probably not worth going back to check. I think I need to start reading PG Wodehouse. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/98 "2024-03-15T16:42:59Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > For me that author would be Elwood Leonard. Did you mean Elmore Leonard of “Get Shorty” fame? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/99 "2024-03-15T16:56:58Z")
Awwww, crap. I do that constantly. I live on Elwood Road, so I type “Elwood” all the time. Of course I meant Elmore. ---
**Author:** ![boson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boson/32/11407_2.png) [@boson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boson)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832/100 "2024-03-15T21:02:31Z")
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. It was funnier with I listened to it. Hollywood, etc. has been trying to make a movie about it. Barriers. House of Holes by Nicholson Baker. They’d be unable to make a movie about this without CGI. Off the charts erotic humor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-funny-novel/998832.md?page=6)