Guest Tiresias Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 In the classics department: Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais, and Don Quixote by Cervantes (currently reading). Ulysses is a very funny book, too, which too few people realize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Definitely Bill Bryson. P.G.Wodehouse and I recently read 'Three Men and a Boat' by Jerome K Jerome which was very funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Poppy, I can't wait to get a hold of PG Wodehouse. I have a feeling he's an author I'm really going to enjoy. I was browsing books the other day and noticed his works are being re-released (the covers looks great), so now looks like an ideal time to be getting into them! I'm going to try and hold off until the post-Christmas book sales though, because if I'm going to get them all, the cost will add up! I also found George Grossmith's Diary of a Nobody to be very funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Please excuse double post. OK, so I couldn't wait until after Christmas. I just went out and bought Thank You, Jeeves. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Oh, I do hope you enjoy it Kylie. Let me know. There is a wonderful TV series made of Jeeves and Wooster, starring Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster and Steven Fry as Jeeves. They are absolutely brilliant in these parts - I'm sure you would love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Thanks, Poppy. I've been eyeing off the DVDs recently but I'd like to read some of the books first. Does each episode relate specifically to a certain story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 P.G.Wodehouse... Poppy, I can't wait to get a hold of PG Wodehouse... OK, so I couldn't wait until after Christmas. I just went out and bought Thank You, Jeeves. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship! Yes, definitely PG Wodehouse - the Jeeves and Wooster stories are incredibly funny and SO well written! Thanks, Poppy. I've been eyeing off the DVDs recently but I'd like to read some of the books first. Does each episode relate specifically to a certain story? Yes, the episodes link directly back to the stories. I think there are some episodes are are loosely based on aspects of several stories and that there are some that are just in the spirit of the stories, but it's an excellent series and I LOVE being able to play "Spot the Story" when I watch it on telly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I've been thinking of reading some Jeeves and Wooster books (I wonder where that idea came from! ). Do they need to be read in order? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I recently read 'Three Men and a Boat' by Jerome K Jerome which was very funny. Ah yes. I enjoyed that one. It's almost like observational stand-up comedy in a way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonsays Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Catcher in the Rye makes me laugh out loud in places, Confederacy of Dunces is a classic and I recently re-read The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole which is still funny! I've also been recommended a new book called The Sewerside Chronicles - there's a couple of extracts on the website which made me smile - sewersidechronicles.com (or uk?...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Sue Townsend's books, namely the Adrian Mole series and the ones where the royal family go and live on a council estate (I can't remember the titles and my books are packed away). I love the Adrian Mole books - great observational comedy and satire. Very funny indeed. Sue Townsend is an unrecognised genius. I would also second Round Ireland With A Fridge. Depending on your humour, you might like Douglas Adams books or Terry Pratchett too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I've been thinking of reading some Jeeves and Wooster books (I wonder where that idea came from! ). Do they need to be read in order? I believe each book works as a 'standalone' and they don't necessarily need to be read in order, but perhaps someone who has more experience with Jeeves and Wooster can shed some light on that. How many Adrian Mole books are there? I bought a second-hand copy of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole back at the end of last year, I think. I'm sure I read it when I was younger but I really don't remember much of it. Has it dated at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I believe each book works as a 'standalone' and they don't necessarily need to be read in order, but perhaps someone who has more experience with Jeeves and Wooster can shed some light on that. We probably need to ask sib, our resident Wodehouse expert. I've read a lot of Jeeves and Wooster, I'm sure they weren't in order and it didn't seem to make much difference. The Blandings series with Lord Emsworth and his prize pig 'The Empress' (another excellent series by Wodehouse) are a bit more in sequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robson65 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hello, If you like P.G. Wodehouse try Muriel Sparks ' Memento Mori'. I think you'll enjoy it. Robson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 How many Adrian Mole books are there? I bought a second-hand copy of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole back at the end of last year, I think. I'm sure I read it when I was younger but I really don't remember much of it. Has it dated at all? There must be at least 5 or 6 Adrian Mole books... maybe 7. If I get to Amazon before anyone else does I'll come back and post the titles! Some of it has dated, eg references to the Falklands War or to TV programmes/celebrities of the time, but a lot of it is pretty timeless as it deals with the family relationships and characters. I love these books. When all my books are properly arranged and I can actually get to them, I'm going to sit down and re-read them all in order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Jacobs Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding and the all creatures great and small books by James Herriot. Bridget jones is on tv tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 The Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging series are quite funny... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pint6x Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 As has been mentioned, Roddy Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy - laugh out loud funny - as you work through the three books they just seem to get funnier. Bill Bryson - particularly Neither here nor there Nick Hornby - High Fidelity The "Pratt" series of books by David Nobbs ("Pratt of the Argus", "Second from last in the sack race", "The Cucumber man" etc) Most books by David Lodge Stephen Fry - The Hippopotamus; Moab is my washpot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty_kitty Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 James Herriott books - really laugh out loud funny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sib Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I've been thinking of reading some Jeeves and Wooster books (I wonder where that idea came from! ). Do they need to be read in order? You don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Thanks sib. We had that book (years ago) but I can't find it now. I am definitely going to buy one though, so I'll look out for this title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Captain Underpants, Hiccup Horrendous books, Harry Potter (Fred and George mostly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Calvin & Hobbes:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Dry by Augsten Burroughs. He is the same guy that wrote Running with Scissors. I loved Dry because it was funny, yet serious at the same time. I was not a fan of Running and perhaps I will try it again, but Dry made me laugh so hard. I sort of agree. Dry was a great read and it was funny, but I think it was a lot more sad than Running with Scissors. I laughed but also cried during Dry, but with Running I just laughed - but I laughed all the way home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Hi all, I know humour is very subjective but can anyone suggest a 'funny' book. Preferably dark humour, but really any books that have made you giggle. thanks mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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