The Next Best Book Club discussion

I can't remember the last time that I actually laughed out loud while reading a book. That is, until I started reading Straight Man. I usually read in bed at night after my husband has fallen asleep, and last night my snickering actually woke him up! So, what are some books that made you LOL?

Dirty Job by Chris Moore and most books by Sue Grafton, esp. her earlier ones.

The last book that made me laugh out loud was probably Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

That's me, the reply usurper.

I'm the USURPER, hand over your weapons NOW.

I agree, Nick & Norah's Infine playlist made me laugh out loud...on a plane...to Dublin. People thought I was crazy.

LOL Catherine, I laughed too.

Tithe made me laugh, but only once.

The Stephanie Plum series. I always laugh out loud with those books.

Every book in the Twilight series made me laugh out loud, which I didn't expect. I'd also add Pride and Prejudice, the Stephanie Plum series, Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, and A Walk in the Woods.

Galapagos and Last Chance to See. Those are both pretty recent, I can't think of anything farther back right now. When I was reading audio books at work I used to crack up all the time. They thought I was nuts...

Quite a few actually: A Walk In the Woods, Harry Potter (in every book), Bridget Jones (the first and second)

Definately The Stephanie Plums Series by Janet Evanovich

Marley and Me, it made me laugh so much.
Also P.S. I love you made me laugh a lot.

All of Jen Lancaster's books! Hilarious!!

The Diary of Adrian Mole age 13 and a half.

Illuminatus Trilogy, various things by P.G. Wodehouse, Catch 22, A Confederate Yankee in King Arthur's Court (though it also made me recoil in horror), I can't remember which one by Evelyn Waugh, Principia Discordia, and so many others.

Letter from a Nut. OMG too funny. Some of the letters were unreal!

Oh I forgot about Letters from a Nut. I loved the first book! I have the second one but I haven't read it yet. I was so sad though when I heard the king of Tonga died...^^;

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger. Probably the most I ever laughed out loud at a book, including the Plum series.

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. I have only read the first couple but they had me laughing so much!

Laura, I'm so glad to see another Sue Grafton fan!! Love her!

I recently laughed a lot reading aloud The Wednesday Wars to my kids. They also heard me say "I love this book" a hundred times. It's a YA, set in the 1960's, involves a lot of Shakespeare, two escapee rats, and is just pure fun! Love it!

I also recently laughed out loud reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian.

Marley and Me, yes! I love a book that makes me both laugh and cry!!

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. It's one of those books I'll just thumb through for a laugh.

I agree with a few mentioned:

Stephanie Plum
Marley and Me
A Walk in the Woods

I'll also throw Lamb by Christopher Moore in, and The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (this is a great recommendation for those who like Stephanie Plum)

Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris (The essay 6 to 8 Black Men is a read outloud Christmas Tradition in our family)

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (The Nativity Play is priceless)

I must have Christmas on my mind.

The Art of Coarse Acting by Michael Green. I was laughing so hard on the subway, reading this, that the folks all around me were laughing along - even though they didn't know what I was laughing about!

I had forgotten about a few sections in The Book of Lost Things.

Anything Christopher Moore.
Gils All Fright Diner by Martinez
Smashed, Squashed, Splattered - Carbuncle

I have to jump on the Christopher Moore love - parts are laugh out loud funny.
C.D. Payne's Youth in Revolt also had parts that were funny.
Some of David Sedaris's stories are pretty damn funny as well.

Almost all books have parts that make me laugh.

Adolf Hitler: The Definitive Biography by John Toland would not appear to be very funny. It does, however, have a few funny parts. For example,during Hitler's reign of anti-semitism Hitler's cousin was passing around pamphlets describing Hitler as half Jewish.

The Great Getty: The Life and Loves of J. Paul Getty--Richest Man in the World by Robert Lenzner.

The author points out Mr Getty's "cheapness" throughout the book. Then Mr Getty proves true to form when, as the richest man in the world, he is too cheap to pay the ransom for his kidnapped grandson.

The Poo Bomb: True Tales of Parental Terror -- HILARIOUS!!! And, I'm sure there are others, but I know I had to stifle a few chuckles on the train ride to work and in my office.

most discworld novels by terry prachet

and definitly Wiltby tom sharpe.

I may smile but really laugth is hard

I just remenbered i laughed a lot trow pallaniuk's haunted but that a sign of my perverse and twisted sense of humor

bnoir, under what come the discworl books? Is it by any chance YA? I read one and liked it.

Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay and Naptime is the New Happy Hour both by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. (Her blog also frequently makes me LOL).

How I Paid for College: a Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater by Marc Acito.

Marley Me also made me laugh before it made me cry. Such an emotionally manipulative book :)

jeane


I never thougth of it as YA but it migth be. its a mix of fantasy and humor, normally I find it at the fantasy section, so I would go for that.

Maybe fantasy YA? :-))) Sorry, I think I want to find a book I read that comes under YA!!!! because i know I like them, but maybe don't realize it that it was YA....

I'm sure there have been plenty, but ones that I remember distinctly are:

Lamb
Marley & Me
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and Everything is Illuminated (although I probably cried more in both of them)

LOl

I have a probleam whit what is or not considered Ya. you can call YA if you like ;)

the books are a lot of fun either way

The following authors are always good for a laugh:

Dave Barry
Jimmy Buffet
Donna Andrews
Tim Cockey

R.K. Narayan's Malgudi Days and the entire collection

The funniest novels I've read recently were McGahan's Praise and its sequel, 1988. They are both hilarious, though the first is not for the faint of heart.

Catherine, I agree with you and Jaime. I recently read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and thought it was very funny, witty funny. Also funny was Jasper Fforde's The Big Over Easy. And, Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning was full of great wit.

It's not often that books make me actually laugh out loud but two that have are Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and more recently A Dirty Job. Really looking forward to other books by Moore, the guy is hilarious.

Jennifer Crusie and Sherri Holmes are very funny authors.

I know I have read some books that have made me laugh, but for the life of me, I can't remember lol.

All of the Harry Potter's (mostly Fred and George's dialogue but there are other hilarious bits too)
Rachel's Holiday-Marian Keyes
Heather Wells trilogy-Meg Cabot
Elvis, Jesus, & Coca-Cola-Kinky Friedman

i'll second Jennifer Crusie as one who always makes me laugh out loud.

susan elizabeth philip's Chicago Stars books also had me laughing hard quite often.

Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series also has a large amount of giggle inducing moments.

How could I have forgotten one of my long-time favorites, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams? Marvin makes me laugh.

Jeane, I agree with Bnoir that Terry Pratchett is accessible to a wide audience. But he has written some books that are labeled YA, including his newest book 'Nation'. His web site has a list if you're interested.

Dorie I totally forgot about Hitchhiker's Guide. That is absolutely LOL funny!

The book Easy by Emma Gold made me laugh so much that my roomie came knocking to find out what the heck was soooooo funny.

It really doesn't take too much to make me laugh out loud. But two that I remember that had me laughing until I cried and couldn't breathe were Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away and, oddly enough, L.M. Montgomery's Rilla of Ingleside. There's a scene with a dog and a wedding that just killed me. The Bill Bryson book--there's one chapter about winter sports. I tried reading one section of it over the phone to my mom and I couldn't talk. I was actually shreiking with laughter on the phone with her. I don't think she ever did understand what I was trying to say, but she got a kick out of my reaction to it anyway. :-)

Ooooh. Good one Dorie. I laughed all the way through all of the Hitchhiker books.