Hello
I was going to make my first post here a proper review, but due to a heavy week at work I haven't finished the book I'm on at the moment (the Tomalin biography of Samuel Pepys) and I don't think anyone would appreciate a review that went 'good so far'. I will post properly as soon as i finish it.
In the meantime, I thought I would call on all your super powers of recommendation. I've been reading through the recent requests for genres/specific character-types, and I'm incredibly impressed by the breadth of everyone's reading. I was wondering if this would stretch to a slightly unfashionable book type - comedy. I really enjoy books which make me laugh. Or at least chuckle quietly to myself. The good thing about this is that it transcends other genres. I love period classics such as P.G.Wodehouse or Jerome K Jerome, or the contemporary court stories of John Mortimer, as much as modern fantasy such as Terry Pratchett, Stephen Brust and Jasper Fforde. Can anyone add any authors or titles to this list?
Many thanks in advance.
I was going to make my first post here a proper review, but due to a heavy week at work I haven't finished the book I'm on at the moment (the Tomalin biography of Samuel Pepys) and I don't think anyone would appreciate a review that went 'good so far'. I will post properly as soon as i finish it.
In the meantime, I thought I would call on all your super powers of recommendation. I've been reading through the recent requests for genres/specific character-types, and I'm incredibly impressed by the breadth of everyone's reading. I was wondering if this would stretch to a slightly unfashionable book type - comedy. I really enjoy books which make me laugh. Or at least chuckle quietly to myself. The good thing about this is that it transcends other genres. I love period classics such as P.G.Wodehouse or Jerome K Jerome, or the contemporary court stories of John Mortimer, as much as modern fantasy such as Terry Pratchett, Stephen Brust and Jasper Fforde. Can anyone add any authors or titles to this list?
Many thanks in advance.
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- 9 Mar 2023, 23:05Hope you enjoy it!
- 9 Mar 2023, 17:48Thanks for sharing! I added this to my Reading List.
- 26 Dec 2022, 00:07This is a great manga series. Couldn't recommend it more.
- 24 Nov 2022, 05:06Hope you enjoy it!
- 24 Nov 2022, 00:10Love the title. I am going to see if my library has this book.
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There's also Jim Hines's goblin trilogy (Goblin Quest, Goblin Hero, and Goblin War).
*starts shopping list*
Then there's Slam by Nick Hornby which I thought was pretty funny in a lot of parts and Demonkeeper by Royce Buckingham which had its amusing parts.
I had ummed and arred about getting the Hornby when it first came out, but heard some reviews that were less than complementary. If you think its worth it I'll definitely read.
Joe Keenan also writes a delightful series of books about a couple of very funny gay bon vivants that you might like..."Blue Heaven", "Putting on the Ritz", and "My Lucky Star". In fact, I'm offering a copy of "Putting on the Ritz" for trade over at
And continuing with frothy gay comedy, Orland Outland's Doan and Binky books are also a delight..."Death Wore a Smart Little Outfit", "Death Wore a Fabulous New Fragrance", "Death Wore the Emperor's New Clothes".
Edited at 2009-11-13 02:11 pm (UTC)
Will get a Joe Keenan and Orland Outland (real name? v.cool) as well - do you recommend any particulr one, or is it just a case of starting at the beginning of the series?
That's exactly the reaction I'm hoping for. Er, in a _good_ way, obviously.
Also, you might like Tom Holt and Robert Rankin, who write more or less in the same genre as Pratchett. I personally don't like them much, but you might.
I did like Hiaasen, who writes humourous novels. It's American through and through though, with a lot of violence, sex and, well a lot of US.
Will definitely get a Hiaasen (no problem with sex and violence as long as its in a good cause, although I realise that's a quotation i wouldn't want taken out of context). Do you recommend any particular one?
Love and Freindship by Jane Austen (yes, it IS spelled that way)
Rosy is My relative by Gerald Durrell (hilarious and "an almost true story")
The Devils' Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
A Herd of Yaks by Eric Nicol
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
All creatures great and Small by James Herriott
Also, Catch-22 is probably the funniest book I have read in my life. There are some very serious moments, but the funny parts will have you laughing out loud - no matter where you are, so take caution. :P
One I just finished reading is Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was written in 1925, and mocks an American socialite travelling abroad and seeing how much she can get men to spend for her. It's absolutely hysterical. Lorelei's cultural ignorance is priceless, really, and her narration is so lighthearted.
You can read all of these as purely humorous pieces, but they also hold up really well under careful analysis. There are so many layers of social commentary in all of these pieces. :)