14 Delightful Books That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud
Here are some of the funniest novels on bookshelves now, all of which will have you howling and cackling.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
It’s easy to get sucked into this winding story — the book has a clever scrapbook structure which Semple writes like a screenplay. It’s an utterly compelling, delightful novel that will have you laughing from page one.
It’s like a hypnotist put everyone from Seattle into a collective trance. “You are getting sleepy, when you wake up you will want to live only in a Craftsman house, the year won’t matter to you, all that will matter is that the walls will be thick, the windows tiny, the rooms dark, the ceilings low, and it will be poorly situated on the lot.”
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Comedy queen Fey is entertaining in all her ventures, and it’s just as fun to experience her on the page as it is to watch her on screen. If you enjoyed watching her on Saturday Night Live or tuned into every episode of 30 Rock, you’ll love her memoir.
My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne.
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Few people write personal essays as adeptly and funny as Sedaris. His excellent storytelling skills are made even better by his knack for self-deprecating humor.
Hugh consoled me, saying, “Don’t let it get to you. There are plenty of things you’re good at.” When asked for some examples, he listed vacuuming and naming stuffed animals. He says he can probably come up with a few more, but he’ll need some time to think.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Everybody has at least one friend who takes their taste in music (or books!) way too seriously — to the point that it’s comical. In that regard, everyone can relate to Hornby’s book, but you’ll chuckle even harder if you’re that friend.
She thought I was… soulful, by which I think she means that I don’t say much and I always look vaguely pissed off.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
J.K. Rowling called the protagonist Cassandra one of the “most charismatic narrators” she’d ever met. Much of that charisma comes from Cassandra’s warmth and astute, whimsical observations.
And no bathroom on earth will make up for marrying a bearded man you hate.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
This is one of those cases where a book is funny simply because its characters are so amusing. Simsion’s well-rounded protagonists are full of life and love. They’re so fun to spend time with — their missteps are charming, and it’s hard not to laugh with them.
Research consistently shows that the risks to health outweigh the benefits of drinking alcohol. My argument is that the benefits to my mental health justify the risks.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Adams’s novel is well-loved for a reason. Not only is it a great science fiction tale, but it’s also overflowing with jokes. Even people who don’t read much sci-fi will enjoy it for the quirky humor.
“What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?”“Ask a glass of water!”
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Bryson’s books are laugh-out-loud hilarious in the truest sense. His story of hiking the Appalachian Trail will have you roaring — and maybe even considering an outdoor adventure of your own. For even more laughs, check out the book’s recent film adaptation.
Black bears rarely attack. But here’s the thing. Sometimes they do. All bears are agile, cunning and immensely strong, and they are always hungry. If they want to kill you and eat you, they can, and pretty much whenever they want. That doesn’t happen often, but — and here is the absolutely salient point — once would be enough.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Think stories about war can’t be funny? Think again! Heller’s satirical novel highlights the problems with war in groundbreaking new ways, and much of its humor is still relevant today.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three. Even among men lacking all distinction he inevitably stood out as a man lacking more distinction than all the rest, and people who met him were always impressed by how unimpressive he was.
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
Because it’s written as a diary, this novel’s humor comes from likable protagonist Bridget and her first-hand observations on life as a woman in the modern world.
It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and to stand on your own looking snooty at a party. It’s like being called Heathcliff and insisting on spending the entire evening in the garden, shouting “Cathy” and banging your head against a tree.
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
Though Ephron is perhaps better known for her romantic comedy screenwriting, her humorous sensibility plays great on page, too. That’s never more true than it is in this essay collection about the experience of getting older.
When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
The plot behind Kinsella’s first stand-alone novel is the nexus for the book’s uproarious attitude. What happens when you spill all your secrets to someone, thinking you’ll never see them again, and they turn out to be the founder of the company you work for? According to Kinsella’s novel, what comes next is a lot of stumbling, bumbling hilarity.
Mummy always told me, you should never let a man see your feelings or the contents of your handbag.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Much of Franzen’s humor comes from how well he portrays the modern American family. Because he pinpoints so many of our closely held anxieties, his novel is funny in a “laugh-until-you-cringe” kind of way.
He couldn’t figure out if she was immensely well-adjusted or seriously messed up.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
We all know that the film adaptation is a comedy masterpiece, but it’s still an adventure to return back to the original and see how the jokes first landed on the page.
True love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops.
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