Funny books [Archive] - Book Club Forum

Sarahrob

14th November 2006, 17:01

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington. Made me cry laughing! I've read others of his, but nothing has matched this one.

I also laugh at Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels.

Kell

14th November 2006, 17:32

Try Gideon Defoe's Pirates! books - hilarious! And they'll have you crying "Aaaarrrrrrh!" & talking Pirate-speak for a little while afterwards - LOL!

mrstrecool

14th November 2006, 20:47

One book that made me laugh out loud was Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure! It's hilarious, my husband thought I'd gone mad because I would burst out laughing as I was reading. If you want something to make you laugh this is definitely my recommendation.

Acesare*

14th November 2006, 23:43

'Are you Dave Gorman?' is funnier, IMO. Also, I got funny looks reading Tony Hawkes 'Round Ireland with a Fridge' and 'Playing the Moldovans at Tennis'.

SarahF

15th November 2006, 12:45

Mia

15th November 2006, 12:57

Also, I got funny looks reading Tony Hawkes 'Round Ireland with a Fridge' and 'Playing the Moldovans at Tennis'.

Agree with both of those, especially the first! Books by Terry Pratchett and Sue Townsend make me laugh out loud. :lol:

mrstrecool

16th November 2006, 12:02

'Are you Dave Gorman?' is funnier, IMO.

I haven't read this one yet, but can't wait if it's funnier than Googlewhack Adventure!

Pilgrim

16th November 2006, 15:09

Agatha Christie's The Man in the Brown Suit made me laugh.

Laramie

16th November 2006, 17:11

the fire thief, by terry deary. all of his books, actually
oh, and all the books (pretty much all) by "james herriot"

Acesare*

16th November 2006, 22:07

I haven't read this one yet, but can't wait if it's funnier than Googlewhack Adventure!

I went to the live tour of Googlewhack and it was great, plus I got my copy of the book signed! That tattoo was so much worse in the flesh!

If you want to borrow 'Are you Dave Gorman?' just let me know (no ones wanted to borrow any of my books so far :( )

Michelle

16th November 2006, 22:12

If you want to borrow 'Are you Dave Gorman?' just let me know (no ones wanted to borrow any of my books so far :( )

Didn't I borrow a cat book from you a while back?

Gyre

16th November 2006, 22:24

After many moons and many reads of 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole',I still laugh out loud...

I also laughed out at 'Everything you know' by Zoe Heller...
:mrgreen:

Acesare*

16th November 2006, 22:36

Didn't I borrow a cat book from you a while back?

Ok, no one, apart from Michelle a long while back :p

Snowflake

17th November 2006, 10:03

I went to the live tour of Googlewhack and it was great, plus I got my copy of the book signed! That tattoo was so much worse in the flesh!

If you want to borrow 'Are you Dave Gorman?' just let me know (no ones wanted to borrow any of my books so far :( )

Thanks alot Acesare. I have just got them out of the library.

poppy

18th November 2006, 00:00

'Down Under' by Bill Bryson. Anything by him is hilarious. I'm looking forward to reading his latest 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid'.

Liz

22nd November 2006, 02:32

Terry Pratchett always makes me laugh.... especially Moving Pictures.

Ronny

22nd November 2006, 07:26

'Down Under' by Bill Bryson. Anything by him is hilarious. I'm looking forward to reading his latest 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid'.

I'll have to look for that, I really like Bill Bryson:)

I laughed all through Gideon Defoe's Pirate books, too. I also think Douglas Adams and Tom Robbins are funny.

FishAndChips

22nd November 2006, 18:20

"Who Goes Here" by Bob Shaw - excellent comedy sci fi

"The Tin Men" by Michael Frayn

Freewheeling Andy

22nd November 2006, 18:36

Ooh! It's ages since I read it, but yes, The Tin Men was hilarious.

It may not be to everyone's taste, but I found it hard to control my hysterics when reading Flann O'Brien's newspaper articles from the 30s and 40s that are collated in The Best Of Myles. And also At-Swim-Two-Birds by the same author, although that's slightly less "laugh out loud".

Ophelia

29th November 2006, 12:10

'Dead Famous' by Ben Elton. A very funny yarn set in a 'Big Brother' type house. Made me laugh out loud. (Contains a fair bit of swearing, mind!)

Kell

29th November 2006, 13:13

Excellent choice, Ophelia. Also Past Mortem by Ben Elton - every bit as funny. :)

Polka Dot Rock

29th November 2006, 13:40

This year, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer kept causing me to burst out laughing, usually swiftly followed by a little sob. Very funny, very moving - ever noticed how a lot of humourous books are usually both those things? What's that old quote, comedy is just tragedy plus time?

I think I mentioned elsewhere (Reviews board) that Angela Carter's Wise Children is very chortlesome. Bawdy in the extreme!

Polka Dot Rock

29th November 2006, 13:43

'Dead Famous' by Ben Elton. A very funny yarn set in a 'Big Brother' type house. Made me laugh out loud. (Contains a fair bit of swearing, mind!)

Oh yeah! My dad had that as a present one Christmas, and I sat down and read it in about 3 hours. Compulsive stuff! The writing really seemed to reflect the 'trashiness' of it all.

abecedarian

29th November 2006, 14:24

Bill Bryson is always good for a belly laugh or two..specially on audio-the guy has such a droll delivery!

How about The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle..Contains The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van..alll three are connected stories that center around a lower middle class Dublin family..the language is awful, but that's part of the humor. You'll swear you know these people!

Ophelia

29th November 2006, 20:36

Yes, that was a goodie, too, Kell. But there were not a lot of laughs in 'First Casualty'.

Snowflake

1st December 2006, 12:54

kilgoretrout

2nd December 2006, 16:13

Carl Hiaasen always makes me laugh.

Especially the "baddies"

Acesare*

2nd December 2006, 16:28

The book I'm reading at the moment has had me giggling a bit - Maid of the Mist by Colin Bateman (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maid-Mist-Colin-Bateman/dp/0006498035/sr=8-30/qid=1165076839/ref=sr_1_30/026-7061061-8510048?ie=UTF8&s=books).

Ophelia

2nd December 2006, 17:30

Carl Hiaasen always makes me laugh.

Especially the "baddies"
I've heard good reviews of his stuff so I putting him on my 'to do' list for the New Year!:readingtwo:

Nici76

19th April 2008, 18:21

Raven Hart's books always make me laugh out loud!

The relationship between the characters is so well written that you can't help but laugh at their interaction!

Esiotrot

19th April 2008, 18:26

The book I am reading at the moment - Nobody Loves a Ginger Baby by Laura Marney - is so funny. I havent read many books that have made me laugh out loud but this one has done it a few times and I am just over half way through.

Esiotrot

19th April 2008, 18:27

How about The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle..Contains The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van..alll three are connected stories that center around a lower middle class Dublin family..the language is awful, but that's part of the humor. You'll swear you know these people!

Fantastic books - def. laugh out loud, The Snapper is my personal favourite.

Louiseog

19th April 2008, 18:30

Watermelon by Marain Keyes!

happyanddandy

19th April 2008, 22:02

I can't think of a book that made me laugh out loud. But then I used to watch 'Tom and Jerry' stony faced according to my parents. :smile2:

19th April 2008, 22:07

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Complete fluff, but really funny!!

Esiotrot

19th April 2008, 22:31

I can't think of a book that made me laugh out loud. But then I used to watch 'Tom and Jerry' stony faced according to my parents. :smile2:

You sour puss :tong:

I have to say I am a bit like that - I dont usually find comedy books or films funny but would highly recommend either of the above if you want a laugh.

Slim Jenkins

20th April 2008, 11:16

Books rarely make me laugh either...perhaps because I don't read 'comic' novels...but...Donleavy's 'A Fairy Tale of New York' had me guffawing years ago.

That and 'The 2nd Armada Book of Fun', which I've had since it was published in 1971. Sample:
Ist cannibal: I don't like my mother-in-law
2nd cannibal: Well just eat the chips

Renniemist

20th April 2008, 19:56

Many of Bill Bryson’s books make me laugh.

prospero

21st April 2008, 19:31

The Da Vinci Code.

Gyre

21st April 2008, 19:43

The Thursday Next series (well what I have read :lol:)

tbain

30th July 2008, 05:27

Can anybody recommend any books that they have found memorably funny? I was just thinking that I haven't read anything for a long time that has made me laugh out loud if that makes any sense!:)

Ruth

30th July 2008, 06:31

Depends what kind of thing you enjoy, but some books that made me laugh out loud were:

Forrest Gump, by Winston Groom (very different to the film, and I think the book polarised opinions, but I loved it)

Any of the 'Cat' books by Deric Longden (especially if you are a cat owner)

Round Ireland with a Fridge, by Tony Hawks

Kylie

30th July 2008, 06:38

Anything by Bill Bryson :mrgreen:

Loopyloo100

30th July 2008, 06:43

Round Ireland with a Fridge, by Tony Hawks

I really enjoyed this one and it was funny!, Just read a Jant Evanovich - Stephanie Plum novel and that had me chuckling too!

Kell

30th July 2008, 08:00

If you like a bit of crime thrown in with very dark humour,try Christopher Brookmyre. And also Ben Elton - I often laugh out loud reading his books!

Roland Butter

30th July 2008, 09:24

McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy and The Groundwater Diaries by Tim Bradford are among the few books that have made me laugh out loud.

Louiseog

30th July 2008, 10:42

Bill Bryson is very dry and witty - the sort of read out loud funny that is very annoying.
Some Marian Keyes have made me laugh -Watermelon was funny

FishAndChips

30th July 2008, 11:17

"Who goes here" Bob Shaw - laugh out loud comedy science fiction.
"The Tin Men" Michael Frayn - life in an office full of quirky characters.

aromaannie

30th July 2008, 14:51

I've just read Murder Most Fab by Julian Cleary and found that pretty amusing

Tiresias

30th July 2008, 15:11

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.

poppy

30th July 2008, 20:48

Definitely Bill Bryson.
P.G.Wodehouse and I recently read 'Three Men and a Boat' by Jerome K Jerome which was very funny.

Kylie

30th July 2008, 22:58

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 (http://www.wodehouse.co.uk/titles.php) (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.

Kylie

31st July 2008, 00:47

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! :D

poppy

31st July 2008, 02:37

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.

Kylie

31st July 2008, 05:10

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?

Kell

31st July 2008, 06:08

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! :D
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.

Janet

31st July 2008, 07:51

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?

FishAndChips

31st July 2008, 10:46

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.

Simonsays

31st July 2008, 11:52

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 (http://www.sewersidechronicles.com) (or uk?...)

Mia

31st July 2008, 19:31

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. :)

Kylie

31st July 2008, 23:03

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?

poppy

1st August 2008, 02:06

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.

robson65

1st August 2008, 08:21

Hello,

If you like P.G. Wodehouse try Muriel Sparks ' Memento Mori'. I think you'll enjoy it.

Robson

Mia

1st August 2008, 19:25

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!

Colin Jacobs

2nd August 2008, 19:42

Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding and the all creatures great and small books by James Herriot. Bridget jones is on tv tonight

Tiger

3rd August 2008, 10:35

The Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging series are quite funny...

pint6x

3rd August 2008, 14:07

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

kitty_kitty

4th August 2008, 18:33

James Herriott books - really laugh out loud funny

sib

13th August 2008, 20:06

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´t really need to read them in any order. A good one to start with is Aunts Aren´t Gentlemen..v good.

Janet

14th August 2008, 20:09

Thanks sib. :)

We had that book (years ago) but I can't find it now. :irked: I am definitely going to buy one though, so I'll look out for this title. :)

Kenny

16th August 2008, 22:41

Captain Underpants, Hiccup Horrendous books, Harry Potter (Fred and George mostly).;)

Inver

17th August 2008, 00:46

Calvin & Hobbes:D

frankie

17th August 2008, 06:15

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 :)