Need an upbeat/funny book. Can you recommend one?

[Wills]

Hi,

Life is scarey/blue at the moment as I've issued a grievance against my old boss as he went too far. Being 25 weeks pregnant I could really do without the stress but can't leave his slur on my file unchallenged! Along with other tensions going on I could really do with an escape book to disappear into that makes me smile. I travel for approximate 150 minutes by tube and train each day and could really do with just emersing myself in a good book.

Join Me - Danny Wallace... true story about a guy who wrote an advert in Loot asking people to "Join Me" with no more description than that... and they did!

Complete madness. Makes you remember there are kind people in the world too.

Wills, if you have done the Janet Evanoviches, how about a series by Sarah Strohmeyer about a useless beautician turned PI called Bubbles Yablonsky? Haven't read them, but my mum and sister (who both like J.E.) say they're good and v funny. Get thee to a library!

bill bryson's earlier stuff is quite funny

Oooh, Tom Holt is good - only read a couple, but loved Open Seasame

Personal laugh out loud favourite is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O'Toole. That's if you have a dark sense of humour...

Travels around Ireland with a fridge, now that is one funnny book.

On his only prior visit to Ireland, songwriter/comic Tony Hawks had seen a man hitchhiking with a refrigerator. For years, he was wont to tell the tale during late-night drinking matches, and after one particularly heavy-duty night of partying, he awoke to find a bet scrawled pillow-side: a friend wagered 100 pounds that Hawks wouldn't travel Ireland for a month with a refrigerator at his side.

Out of this stupid premise, a ridiculously amusing book was born. Quickly discovered by the Irish media, the thumbing Englishman finds that he and his box fridge are elevated to celebrity status, and there's no dearth of rides, places to stay or goofy people to meet, from kings to spoons players to locals who take his fridge surfing. As insightful about the strange inner workings of Hawk's mind as it is about charming peculiarities of Irishmenit's doubtful that Hawks would have been similarly embraced by Germans, Italians, or the FrenchRound Ireland with a Fridge is an entirely silly, heart-warming tale told in a rollicking funny and refreshing style. --Melissa Rossi

Buddah of Suburbia, fab for laughing out loud

I loved Conderacy of Dunces. I know hardly anyone else who's heard of it - great choice Cha!

Also love Bhudda of Suburbia, Spykid.

Other faves include anything by James Thurber; London Fields by Martin Amis; Falling Towards England by Clive James

If you liked Janet Evanovich you may like the Sue Grafton Alphabet series - 'A is for Alibi', 'B is for Burglar' etc. Easy reading and some humour too.

ConFEDeracy of Dunces.

Also the Wilt books

Ooh yes another vote for Join Me, and also by Danny Wallace "Yes Man" - very silly, sweet and inspiring. Plus I spent quite a long time admiring the nice photos of D. Wallace on the cover

Tony Hawks - One Hit Wonder/Playing Tennis against the Moldovans

Bill Bryson.

Paul Theroux travel books - Kingdom by the Sea

Another vote for Travels Iwth My Fridge! Must read his other books!
I've also just recently read Starter for Ten by David Nicholls (creator of Cold feet) which is very entertaining! About guy who'se lifelong ambition is to be on Universiry Challenge!

The fish finger years by fiona gibson, absolutely hillarious. I laughed out loud in front of a full waiting room and i was maning the front desk

I enjoyed Around Ireland with a Fridge a bit but his other books were dismal.

Haven't read all the replies so hope I'm not repeating anything.

Get Frank Skinner's autobiography - it will make you laugh out loud. Hilarious even if you don't like the bloke that much.

Ps wills sorry about your troubles, stand up to the boss and go for it. Good luck

I like Tony Hawks's books too, the fridge one is the best. Bill Bryson can sometimes make me weep with laughter.
An old fave of mine for cheering me up and inspiring me to new levels of bad parenting is Hens Dancing by Raffaella Barker. I think I am the only one to have actually read it but it's a funny story of woman and 3 kids rebuilding life after divorce. Libby Purves parenting books are funny- not her novels- never read those.
Good luck with it all.

pruni, i was going to suggest david sedaris! also, you can buy him reading his books on cd which you can then upload onto your ipod (if you have it or similar) and listen to on those long tube journeys... beware, you will laugh out though!

"And God created the Au Pair"-you will laugh out loud. I alomost woke the baby lauging while reading it in bed.

Message withdrawn

sorry life sounds grim at the moment for you. sorry about suspect typing have small person on knee at moment. the old girl network by catherine alliott was fab - chick lit - seem to remember reading in on the tube in my london days! take care.

wills have you read Nancy Mitford's Love in a Cold Climate? sorry things are grim, look after yourself, x

No wonder I take a drink
Nobody loves a ginger baby
by
Laura Marney

Guaranteed to raise a laugh!

Has anyone mentioned "Things Snowball" by Rich Hall? He's the American one often on QI. A joy to read. And read again.