Chicks On Lit discussion

I've read a lot of sad books lately so I'd like to know which books really made you laugh in the past in order to get some ideas for myself.

Anything by Erma Bombeck. Any of Dave Barry's old work. Anything by Celia Rivenbark. Bill Bryson. (Those 4 write short stories.)

If you prefer a whole book, I'd say the funniest thing I've ever read was Huckleberry Finn followed closely by The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks.

I like Carl Hiassen for humor.

I don't read many funny books, but I really enjoyed .

very clever. and ultimately endearing. some strong language, though.

I love the Sookie Stackhouse novels because they make me laugh! Honestly though, I only listen to them because I absolutely love the way Johanna Parker narrates them. I don't know if I'd find them as funny if I were reading them. I might, but I'm not going to try it! :)

Roughing It by Mark Twain is pretty hilarious too.

Did you find anything, Andrea?

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
I never deliberately pick a book that's supposed to be funny because deliberately funny isn't funny to me. But I read this because Grogan, the author, grew up in a city very near me, and we're about the same age. This book is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny

Beth wrote: "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
I never deliberately pick a book that's supposed to be funny because deliberately funny isn't funny to me. But I read this becaus..."

Uh... yes, there are very funny parts, but that is also a very sad book.

All of David Sedaris' books have made me lol.

I think Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer's books are really funny.But I don't really know what the funniest book I have ever read is.

Extremely funny if you are a young woman out of college . . .

Tina Fey' "Bossypants". Hilarious! I found myself laughing out loud several times.

Mandy wrote: "I don't read many funny books, but I really enjoyed .

very clever. and ultimately endearing. some strong language, though."

Mandy, this book sound very funny...i think i might enjoy reading it :)

I agree w/both Nicole and Jamie. Jane Austen and Tina Fey are worlds apart, but they both have some really witty things to say about the world of men.

Shelley
Rain: A Dust Bowl Story
http://dustbowlpoetry.wordpress.com

Viola wrote: "Beth wrote: "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
I never deliberately pick a book that's supposed to be funny because deliberately funny isn't funny to me. But I read..."
Yes, sad in the end as are most books about animals.

This is not real serious reading, but the Stephanie Plum series always makes me laugh out loud.

Lisa wrote: "This is not real serious reading, but the Stephanie Plum series always makes me laugh out loud."

Lisa - I was going to say the same thing about Plum books. They were funny.

Two - 1. Lamb by Christopher Moore is fantastic; and 2. Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth About the First Year of Mommyhood. #2 is particulary funny if you are a mother.

These two come to mind... Possible Side Effects and A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll definitely try some of those!

I love anything by Terry Pratchett. It's ridiculous, humorous, and witty.

I find Ellen DeGeneres' books to be very funny :)

I highly recommend Domestic Violets, it's smart, it's relevant to our everyday lives and above all, very, very funny.
Also, as it was mentioned, Georgette Heyer. Her mysteries are positively hilarious and are bound to put you in a good mood.

Good Omens. I laughed the whole way through.

HI all - I haven't posted in ages - been trying to spend less time on the Internet these days - but I had to join in on this one. I definitely agree about David Sedaris, especially Holidays on Ice, which includes his essay about his stint as a Christmas elf at Macy's. I also still think the two Bridget Jones novels by Helen Fielding are some of the funniest books I've ever read in my life. And last but definitely not least, I recommend Douglas Adams to anyone who's a Terry Pratchett fan.

I laugh at the Stephanie Plums,Terry Pratchett and Christopher Moore

Me Talk Pretty One Day
Lucky Jim
Ending Up

Admittedly, they aren't novels but the Get Fuzzy comics by Darby Conley have been collected into books, and they always make me laugh.

I totally agree with Terry Pratchett--he can be both hilarious and profound. Also, P.G. Wodehouse novels usually make me smile at least.

Mary wrote: "Anything by Erma Bombeck. Any of Dave Barry's old work. Anything by Celia Rivenbark. Bill Bryson. (Those 4 write short stories.)

Erma Bombeck was a genius.My mother bought all her paperbacks and I still have every tattered, well-read one!

The Tent, the Bucket and Me
This is a non-fiction account of the author's ill-fated childhood camping trips. I was genuinely in pain from laughing so much. I was compelled to read out parts to my husband and sons, even though they have expressly forbidden me from doing do because I do it all the time and it drives them crazy - and THEY laughed!

Anything by David Sedaris, especially if he's reading it out loud. And Sarah Vowell.

It may sound odd, but the first book I always think of for humor is 'Lolita.' Another book with great moments is 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.' i read the first chapter aloud to the hubs and it took almost ten minutes because I was laughing so hard, I was crying. (Of course both of these books are much darker, but so funny in places.) Lastly, and maybe a bit more acceptable, I would recommend 'Northanger Abbey' by Jane Austen. Very funny. Had me smiling all the way through.

I loved My Sweet Saga - laugh out loud sections with quirky insights and great writing.

I think Can you keep a secret by Sophie Kinsella was pretty funny

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bitter is the New Black, Such a Pretty Fat and My Fair Lazy all by Jen Lancaster. Books by Celia Rivenbark like We're Just Like You, Only Prettier and You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In the Morning.

T. wrote: "Bitter is the New Black, Such a Pretty Fat and My Fair Lazy all by Jen Lancaster. Books by Celia Rivenbark like We're Just Like You, Only Prettier and You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In ..."

I agree! I love Jen Lancaster and Celia Rivenbark.

Corie wrote: "A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson"

I agree with this one also - many laugh out loud moments. I also loved Sh*t My Dad Says. This book had me laughing out loud the entire way through. A definite must if you've only been reading weepy books or super intense novels as well.

The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life

This is drop dead funny. I love Laurie Notaro

Suzzette wrote: "The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life

This is drop dead funny. I love Laurie Notaro"

I haven't read that one yet. Going on my TBR list.:)

I really loved the Queen of Babble Series by Meg Cabot: And for a hilarious memoir.....funny only if you've already experienced the miracle of pregnancy, labor and delivery, terrifying if you haven't, Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs:

Two of the funniest books I've read are

When I was in hospital the nurses kept asking what was making me laugh, it was My Family and Other Animals

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
This is a lot of fun and the good news is it is the first of a LONG series by Alexander McCall Smith so if you love it (and I expect you will) there are plenty more to go.

Each book stands alone so you don't feel suckered in to buy the next one - I ended up reading them all in a few weeks because they are such good escapist fun.

Three Men in a Boat and Three Men on the Bummel. Although and oldie made me lol when these spoiled British chaps get together for a boating vacation.

Six of One, Rita Mae Brown, though sad in places, is really funny in others.Six of One

1) Three Men In a Boat - Jerome K Jerome. Amused me no end. It was supposed to be a travel book, which is why the humour flows so naturally and effortlessly for the reader. The dog Montmoracy made me laugh the most. It's very old but some of the archaic language makes it even funnier in my opinion. It's free on Kindle as well

2) The Supply Chain Mong - S.C Lawson. I found this book pretty funny. It's a bit more forced than Three Men in a Boat and some of the writing is a bit sloppy. But it's an amusing account of a workplace i'm sure we've all experienced at one time or another.

3) Round Ireland with a fridge - Tony Hawks. Bizarre concept, but quite a funny read as well. A little slow in places, but i personally found it easy to picture the scenarios he got himself in to. The follow ups were not as good as far as i'm aware but not read any of them myself.

Has to be : Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Each page brought another hysterical smile to my face. What I liked most about this book, is that I can imagine it was just as funny to write, as it was to read!

What We Did On Our Holidays is very black, quite offensive and insanely funny. Not in a bizarro way, but just the 'normal' black humour way. I wrote a short review of it but essentially it is about a family holiday where all the main characters are almost normal, at least superficially. It was snorking, spluttering funny.

and

Both of these had me laughing so hard I stopped reading them in public, but felt like reading them to other people under convulsions.