Does anyone know of any books that are funny?

[Magdalena]

Today I was talking to my mom and she's going though a stressful time and since she knows I read so much she asked me if knew of any light funny books that really make you laugh and I was honestly at a loss for some reason. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[punxsygal]

Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen and Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman by Richard Feynman and Ralph Leighton.

[Tracy]

The Stephanie Plum series and the Metro Girl books by Janet Evanovich. Also the Captain Underpants series, though they’re intended for a young audience. I still chuckle when I think of them.

[Magdalena]

Thank you so much for the help these look great. I'll be sure to pass them on!

[annapi]

If your mom doesn't mind a bit of foul language, try Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern.

[Magdalena]

I don't think she'll mind the language. I'll tell her about that one too!

[annapi]

Also They Call Me Naughty Lola: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books. While not every ad in this book is funny, the hilarious ones are truly a riot. This made for a crazy New Year's night several years ago, when a friend read bits of it out loud to a group of us using various voices as he felt appropriate, and we were all ROFL. (Then again, maybe it was just all the drinks we had...)

[Susie]

I found Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy hilarious, if you like British humour. Parts of Where’d You Go Bernadette are very amusing, and although not a comedy, The Heart’s Invisible Furies had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions.

[Idit]

David Sedaris book about his childhood is really funny (I can look later what it’s called)
And ‘Nights at the circus’ by Angela Carter is funny smart and outrageous

[Magdalena]

My mom and I both love British humor and she's actually reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette right now! Can't wait to look into the other ones maybe I'll find something too.

[Amy]

I appreciate Elinor Lipman for Funny. Her books have the quirkiest characters an hilarious plots. They’re also moving, but you laugh out loud.

[Book Concierge]

These two memoirs of growing up in middle-America were quite funny:
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

This one had me laughing out loud in places (in fact, I discovered the book because I kept hearing my mother laughing out loud when SHE was reading it) .... but there is a teary ending
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford

And this collection of entries in New York Magazine competitions ALWAYS makes me laugh:
Maybe He's Dead: And Other Hilarious Results of New York Magazine Competitions by Mary Ann Madden
(It's old and may not be readily available any longer ... too bad)

[Jason]

I second Hitchhiker's Guide and David Sedaris. Some of Mark Twain's essays are funny, my favorite about learning how to ride a bike as a grown man called Taming the Bicycle.

I find essays to be more humerus than books.

[LibraryCin]

Humour's tough, but I'd like to recommend Jen Lancaster. I'd start with Bitter Is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office.

Be warned that I wasn't happy for just the first bit of it, as she is a b***h! But, she and the book get much better.

[Tracy]

Book Concierge wrote: "These two memoirs of growing up in middle-America were quite funny:
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

This one h..."
Zippy was really funny, and I had laughter tears from Thunderbolt Kid. Bryson is always good for a laugh!

[Idit]

and of course My Family and Other Animals that is delightful and funny in equal measures

[Michael]

Bill Bryson always tickles me in his travel tales, such as In a Sunburned Country. Mark Twain is classic for humor in his fiction, but his travel book The Innocents Abroad is often funny.

The works of Tom Robbins make for zany and imaginative humor. Christopher Moore is in the same vein. The humor I appreciate most is the kind the makes you laugh and cry at the same time, which I find in most of the work of Larry McMurtry. I also have a fondness for satire about academics. Two examples are Russo's Straight Man and Ishmael Reed's Japanese by Spring.

[Nicole D.]

so clear by this post that humor is subjective! But if she likes irreverent, I second Michael's recommendations of Christopher Moore and Tom Robbins. Two of my favorites.

[Jason]

Oh. Trevor Noah's Born a Crime.

[annapi]

Jason wrote: "Oh. Trevor Noah's Born a Crime."

Yikes, how could I forget this? I second it!

[Jason]

I wouldn't call it light though.

[annapi]

Michael wrote: "Bill Bryson always tickles me in his travel tales, such as In a Sunburned Country."

In a Sunburnt Country is my favorite Bryson book!

[Cheryl]

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore fits in with those above in that the humor is either Vulgar or inspired by Dysfunction or otherwise not "light."

I don't know your mom, but if she wants something light and joyful, she might want something by Maeve Binchy (sorry, I've only read a few, so I can't recommend where to start except to say probably nearish to the beginning). Not funny per se, except in bits like real life, but optimistic & inspiring.

I also love the philosophical memoirs by Michael Perry. Plenty of humor, but also Big Ideas, Little Ideas, Gorgeous Writing.... Consider starting with Truck: A Love Story. His novel The Jesus Cow is pretty funny, too.

[Charlie]

The two funniest books I've ever read are e and A Walk in the Woods.

[Karin]

Susie wrote: "I found Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy hilarious, if you like British humour. Parts of Where’d You Go Bernadette are very amusing, and although not a comedy, The Heart’s Invisible Furies had me l..."

I loved that on audio and I don't always like British Humour. I also liked The Restaurant at the End of the Universe on audio. 5 stars

Right Ho, Jeeves was very, very funny on audio. 5 stars plus

I can't remember the books that made me laugh out loud, sadly, but there aren't many that actually make me laugh out loud. The first time I read one of these novels I laughed, but after that I was too used to the humour. It was The Crepes of Wrath. It might be that that is the funniest one, I don't know. Light, mystery, Mennonite (not religious in the least) from PA. 4 stars

I agree that A Girl Named Zippy is funny in parts.

Julia Stuart is very humorous!! The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise (NOT a mystery) is quite funny, and so is The Pigeon Pie Mystery. I plan to read more of her.

Stuart McLean is VERY funny, but at times poignant. ANY book by him will have some very funny stories in it. I love his stuff and I don't normally like short stories.

[Karin]

all 5 stars for me:

The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts is for kids but 5 star funny.

Daddy-Long-Legs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 star funny, young adult

very funny Republic Of Dirt : A Return to Woefield Farm

[~*Kim*~]

I love anything by Laurie Notaro.

[Magdalena]

So many suggestions thank you everyone I really appreciate it! I don't know why I was having so much trouble coming up with something.

[Book Concierge]

Oh ... these two series are funny and tender

Miss Julia Series by Ann B Ross ... There are 20 books in the series and Miss Julia is a hoot!

Harmony Series by Philip Gulley. These are set in a small town in Indiana and the lead character is Sam, the Quaker minister. Gentle humor throughout, with some laugh-out-loud moments. Six books in this series, and he's recently started a new series.

[Kimberly]

I like Christopher Moore (mostly), Carl Hiaasen, Jenifer Crusie, Elmore Leonard, & up until #11 Janet Evanovich.

[Elise]

Three Men in a Boat is a classic of English humour, and To Say Nothing of the Dog is a completely unrelated story by a totally different author that has the same kind of humour!

[Kimberly]

Ellie wrote: "Three Men in a Boat is a classic of English humour, and To Say Nothing of the Dog is a completely unrelated story by a totally different author that has the same kind of hu..."

It is awfully dry/droll British humor, which I had a terrible time with...

[Karin]

Kimberly wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Three Men in a Boat is a classic of English humour, and To Say Nothing of the Dog is a completely unrelated story by a totally different author that has the s..."

I agree--I didn't care much for To Say Nothing of the Dog

[Sharon]

The Harry Potter series is quite funny. I still read them as an adult.