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Original poster

Recommendations for really funny books

66 replies

christie2 · 14/09/2010 19:35

I got from mumsnet the link to the top 20 BBC recommended funniest books and read alot of them. And they were, funny, more often ironic or wry humour, sometimes dark. More like the ricky Gervais "The Office" kind of funny. Brilliant, but I was looking for laugh out loud funny without the darkside. Any recommendations??? It has been a tough year and I need a good but light belly laugh.Chick lit is ok as long as it is heavy on funny and light on romance.

OP posts:
thegirlwiththemouseyhair · 15/09/2010 17:07

Gabriel's Angel by Mark A Radcliffe.
Very VERY funny Grin

cyteen · 14/09/2010 22:13

Another Tim Moore fan here Grin but must disagree with you maktaitai - Frost On My Moustache is the pinnacle of his achievements IMO. French Revolutions also great and Continental Drifter, although I think you need to read Frost first to get the flavour of his humour.

I've read FOMM many times and it still makes me laugh almost until I am sick.

Confessions Of A Failed Southern Lady is hilarious. I've lent (and lost) three copies so far.

Didn't get on with A Fraction Of The Whole at all, but it does have some very amusing moments.

Rollergirl1 · 14/09/2010 22:09

Laugh out loud funny without any kind of darkness? Has to be "The Timewaster Letters" by Robin Cooper. Not a novel but a collection of spoof letters and their responses that were really sent to publishers. Utterly uttterly hilarious.

sfxmum · 14/09/2010 22:07

Bill Bryson crossing a road in Paris, it hurt

The Thought Gang is a kind of funny

some really silly Colin Bateman novels starting with Divorcing Jack

Tippychoocks · 14/09/2010 22:01

India Knight - Don't you want me.Snortingly funny.
Rafaella Barker - Hens Dancing or Summertime

Agree with the Nancy Mitford

I like Stephen Fry's novels, the earlier ones are more fun IMHO.

jonicomelately · 14/09/2010 21:56

Stuart Maconie 'Pies and Prejudice' amd 'Cider with Roadies.'

ladymariner · 14/09/2010 21:56

saw the title of this thread and was about to post french Revolutions and saw maktaitai had beaten me to it, so I'll just totally agree with them - it's brilliant Grin

MaryAnnSingleton · 14/09/2010 21:55

David Sedaris

maktaitai · 14/09/2010 21:54

OK also personally The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford - chick lit of another era.

maktaitai · 14/09/2010 21:54

French Revolutions by Tim Moore. I force copies of this on everyone I meet. Don't bother with his other books (sorry TM).

CDMforever · 14/09/2010 21:51

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz. As well as being extremely amusing, a brilliant story.

grendel · 14/09/2010 21:37

I read 'The Tent, the bucket and me' by Emma Kennedy recently and at one point was laughing so much - albeit silently as we were in bed - that my shaking shoulders alone managed to wake DH.

I tried to read him out another particlarly funny bit and we both ended up crying we were laughing so much.

I highly recommend it - especially if you ever went camping as a child.

www.amazon.co.uk/Tent-Bucket-Me-Emma-Kennedy/dp/0091926785

GerMom7 · 14/09/2010 20:39

This is non-fiction but had me in tears of laughter - Shit My Dad Says - Justin Halpern.

Fiction - Starter for Ten was cringingly funny
The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
James Herriot

Dysgu · 14/09/2010 20:39

Another vote here for Bill Bryson. I always reread them when things feel dull - and I still laugh out loud even when I know what is coming!
Can't recall which book it is but my absolute favourite laugh-out-loud moment is when he is stuck in a queue with loads of old folk and he copes with the situation by reminding himself that at least they will all be dead soon! Of course, he puts the whole thing better!

Do go for the travel books though and not the non-fiction stuff on language or science. Great as those are, they are not ha ha funny!

usualsuspect · 14/09/2010 20:28

I second Bill Bryson ..real laugh out loud funny

bumbums · 14/09/2010 20:27

Try a Bill Bryson book. I laughed my way through 'Notes from a small Island'