I'm in the process of splitting up with my partner and really need some funny books to make me laugh right now? Any suggestions for books that will make me weep with laughter? Fiction or non fiction fine.
Alexander McCall Smith's Scotland Street series always make me laugh out loud. As did A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (intermingled with a tear or two).
It depends on what you like of course but these are my go tos for a light, fun laugh: - Carl Hiaasen's novels, particularly Skinny Dipping - Neil Gaiman's novels, favourites are Stardust and Neverwhere - Evelyn Waugh, particularly Vile Bodies - Caitlin Moran, pretty much anything but both Moranthology and How to Be a Woman are great for a quick laugh
The Chronicles of St Mary's are a light and fluffy historical research/ time travel series and there's quite a few of them so you can immerse yourself in their world for a while.
Rivers of London - supernatural police procedural but just so funny.
I'd second Harry Potter actually, and Artemis Fowl, and Percy Jackson, and on a more adult note the obscure but very funny detective stories of Sarah Caudwell.
I second Janet Evanovich - Must reread them myself. Also PG Wodehouse never disappoints. I'm always on the look out for genuinely funny books - they're surprisingly hard to find. Have been considering this mobile library series: www.goodreads.com/series/41306-mobile-library-mystery Looks promising, but haven't read any so can't say for sure. Sorry you're going through a shitty time. IME reading can really help [book]
Anything by Bill Bryson. Notes from a Big Country is my quick fix when I need a good laugh. Down Under, Notes from a Small Island and Neither Here Nor There are also hilarious.
Christopher Brookmyre - always good for entertaining crime capers full of darkly brilliant sarcasm. Attack Of The Unsinkable Rubber Ducks is a perennial favourite.
Douglas Adams makes me howl. I actually prefer the Dirk Gently books to Hitchiker's but there is much hilarity to be found in everything he wrote.
And for whimsical, satirical fantasy with everything from gentle chuckles to painful, breathless Sprite-Zero-Up-Your-Nose guffaws...there's the late, great Terry Pratchett and his Discworld. You might love it, you might not. But if you do, there's enough there to see you through a dozen breakups.
Good luck. Hope a worthy distraction comes your way. Please do report back with your best finds!
Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh had me laughing out loud. My best recommendation for proper per yourself laughing, though, is Alan Partridge's autobiography I, Partridge. It is absolutely hilarious. I'm reading his second book, Nomad, just now and am laughing so hard in bed every night.
and for you, OP, I really hope you are feeling better soon.
Brilliant! Thanks for these. I've just finished Rob Delaney (he of Catastrophe) autobiography which made me howl with laughter in parts. Just started one of David Sedaris (American hunourist) books too which is also quite good. And have ordered Sara Pascoes book Animal too.
I need it after the day I've had - epic tantrums (not mine), dose of worms from nursery, gammy twisted knee and didn't get job I thought I was a shoe in for. Finding my pleasures where I can.
All Bill Bryson books. I also like the Mr Gum series. They're children's books though! Also I'd recommend watching Deadpool. Ryan Reynald's easy on the eye and it was so funny I laughed until my face hurt and my eyes watered.
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