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Original poster

What books made you weep with laughter?

115 replies

Pennies · 08/08/2009 18:54

The school hols are taking their toll on my sense of humour. I need something to make me laugh for my holidays. Nothing chick-litty though.

OP posts:
Jux · 08/08/2009 21:27

RortyDog, I think you're going to have to link to that one

cocolepew · 08/08/2009 21:16

The war books of Spike Milligan.

LovelyTinOfSpam · 08/08/2009 21:15

PG Wodehouse. Especially the blandings stories.

enprovence · 08/08/2009 21:15

Mel Giedroyc - From Here to Maternity, V V funny, in the laugh out loud sense!!!!!!

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 08/08/2009 21:00

Tom Sharpe has written many books (Porterhouse Blue was adapted for TV with David Jason - v good) but the funniest IMO was The Throwback. THere is one chapter in particular where he is (iirc) trying to get into someones house. I was hoenstly crying with laughter.

I also chuckle quite heartily at Tim Moores travel books and Terry Pratchett (particularly his earlier ones) usually raise a giggle from me.

makedoandmend · 08/08/2009 21:00

Book of Heroic Failures (both 1&2) by Stephen Pile. Not a novel just a collection of stories of failure and they're just fantastic and beautifully written. Came out in the 80s I think (you have to get them second hand now - Amazon have them), and I've reread them about 100 times since then - everytime I'm down. Every member of my family have one or other of the books and dh is now reading them for the second time.

In fact I've been seriously thinking of trying to get hold of Stephen Pile and begging him to write another. And I'm really not a 'funny book' person.

RortyDogOfTheRemove · 08/08/2009 20:58

Oh, and I had to stop reading the 'farting at inappropriate moments' thread on here as I thought I might actually expire. I think It was the funniest thing I've ever read.

YohoAhoy · 08/08/2009 20:56

Itsjustafleshwound - thankyou - "Last Chance to See" was one of the ones I'd forgotten. THe bit about the kakapo had me helpless.

RortyDogOfTheRemove · 08/08/2009 20:56

Bill Bryson on the Germans and Austrians. I rarely laugh at books, but this was so very, very funny (as it was so very, very true to life).

DuchessOfRubbish · 08/08/2009 20:54

I too can highly recommend Notes from a Small Island and Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson.

I like the Guy Browning books too. They made me snort my wine through my nose.

deaddei · 08/08/2009 20:50

Can't remember the author but it's called The tent, the bucket and me- about camping in the 70s. It made me almost wet my pants.

GentleOtter · 08/08/2009 20:50

Christopher Brookmyre's "One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night" had me weeping hysterically with laughter. (The policeman in his pyjamas scene in particular).
It is set in the Black Isle where I come from so I enjoyed it even more knowing the areas he mentioned.

James Herriot had me howl uncontrollably reading any of his books.

BitOfFun · 08/08/2009 20:48

Really Jux? I thought it had the cleverest opening chapter...oh well, we can't all like the same stuff I guess!

squilly · 08/08/2009 20:46

I love 'Not the End of the World' if we're talking about Brookmyre. It doesn't have as much scottish 'slang' as some of the other books he's written.

I like Jasper Fforde, but he's more an intellectual sniggerer rather than a weep with laughter type author.

The only book I've laughed out loud at was chick-lity, I'm afraid. Watermelon by Marian Keyes. Sorry to have mentioned it, but hey ho!

Flamesparrow · 08/08/2009 20:38

SOAS was what made me love him. I was one of the few people who read it. C'mon, the back talked about choreographed bank robbers... what's not to love??

Jux · 08/08/2009 20:34

My fave is Sacred Art of Stealing. Love that book.

Jux · 08/08/2009 20:33

That's the one I liked least BOF! His two other heroes are Parlabane (intrepid male reporter) and Angelique - intrepid female detective - both of whom I find infinitely more believable. This heroine was far more contrived and I didn't think he was comfortable writing her, iyswim.

BitOfFun · 08/08/2009 20:27

Sacred Art Of Stealing is fabulous though- do give it another go! I really enjoyed this one too- the heroine is a mum who becomes a kind of female James Bond whose killer maternal instict drives her: a must for MNers!

Flamesparrow · 08/08/2009 20:21

We had one (Brookmyre) in book swap last time that got passed over by most people based on the first few pages (Sacred Art of Stealing), then the next swap we had Ugly one morning (I think), and it seems to have been better received for some reason...

slayerette · 08/08/2009 20:21

Another vote for Bill Bryson and Janet Evanovich - although don't read too many of the latter at once because they are quite samey.

Tinker · 08/08/2009 20:18

David Lodge (and Bill Bryson...of course)

Jux · 08/08/2009 20:16

Jasper Fforde is very very funny.

Brookmyre is great but I lent my fave to a friend who returned it in disgust without having got to the end of chapter one. Suggest therefore you start with the first: Quite Ugly One Morning.

lalalonglegs · 08/08/2009 20:13

Will This Do? - Auberon Waugh's autobiography and The Poor Mouth by Flann O'Brien.

castlesintheair · 08/08/2009 19:28

Yes, The Van by Roddy Doyle v funny.

Also found the first half of A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon funny. The protagonist's neuroses really hit a nerve.

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2009 19:24

I've read most of Bill Bryson's stuff. I didn't get on with the travel stuff though for some reason. Loved his autobiography so have bought that Clive James one.

OP posts: