Can anyone recommend me some funny books?

[Molesworth]

I'm on the look out for some good comic fiction (or indeed non-fiction).

Examples of the type of thing I've already got and love:

David Sedaris
Adrian Mole
The Diary of a Nobody
Charlie Brooker
Julian Barnes' A Pedant in the Kitchen

Any ideas anyone? I need something funny as an escape from textbooks!

those hotel bab lon books are good
easy radgin
nto hilairuous

oooooh piers morgan his book is fab

This is your Life by John O'Farrell

Owt by Tim Moore.
Travel writing.
God he is soo funny.

Lucky Jim has to be fave ever though.

John O Farrell, Things Can Only Get Better

Fab book about himself, as a life long labour supporter and also writer/impersonator for spitting image.

Funny quote about when Maggie Thatcher first got into power and in front of the cameras gave the V for Victory salute the wrong way round....." She was smiling and telling the British people to fuck off at the same time. It was something we would have to get used to."

Have you tried the Sellar & Yeatman collection?

"And Now All This" nearly made me wet myself in the school library aged about 16 (but I was very immature )

do you like dave gorman
both his books have made me and dh laugh out loud
his search for other dave gomans and his googlewhacking are hilarious imo

Or what about the new Mark Haddon 'A Spot of Bother'?

apparently there is a book about Mr Gum by a guy called Andy Stanton that is very funny. But not seen it myself..

I suggest "The Young Visiters" by Daisy Ashford. It was written in 1890 by a nine-year-old girl, and has been in print ever since (complete with spelling mistakes). Here's a bit from Chapter Three:

"After dinner Ethel played some merry tunes on the piano and Bernard responded with a rarther loud song in a base voice and Ethel clapped him a good deal. Then Mr Salteena asked a few riddles as he was not musicle. Then Bernard said shall I show you over my domain and they strolled into the gloomy hall.

I see you have a lot of ancesters said Mr Salteena in a jelous tone, who are they.

Well said Bernard they are all quite correct. This is my aunt Caroline she was rarther exentrick and quite old.

So I see said Mr Salteena and he passed on to a lady with a very tight waist and quearly shaped. That is Mary Ann Fudge my grandmother I think said Bernard she was very well known in her day.

Why asked Ethel who was rarther curious by nature.

Well I dont quite know said Bernard but she was and he moved away to the next picture. It was of a man with a fat smiley face and a red ribbon round him and a lot of medals. My great uncle Ambrose Fudge said Bernard carelessly.

He looks a thourough ancester said Ethel kindly.

Well he was said Bernard in a proud tone he was really the Sinister son of Queen Victoria.

Not really cried Ethel in excited tones but what does that mean.

Well I dont quite know said Bernard Clark it puzzles me very much but ancesters do turn quear at times."

What's not to like?

Anything by James Thurber, America's finest humourist. "Let your mind alone" is a work of genius.

These are great - thank you all!

I did read the Toby Young one - amusing rather than LOL funny and ... well ... he does get on my nerves as a person iyswim

Have noted all the others though, especially Lucky Jim

Mortified that I forgot in the OP to mention Geoffrey Willans and Ronald Searle - they're hilarious, as any fule kno!

Glued to the Box, Visions before Midnight and The Crystal Bucket by Clive James. Nothing else he has written is as funny IMO.

The Plague and I , The Egg and I and Anybody can do Anything by Betty MacDonald.

Oh Julian Barnes - the Pendant in the Kitchen - I cried with laughter partic at the cherry tomato scene....
Other than that, I can't think of things.....!

Three Men in a Boat

Tim Moore's French Revolution very very funny

That guy that writes funny books about doing not much - ooh Danny Wallace, that's it. They are not hilarious but they are very amusing and 'feel good'

Alan Bennett very funny

I think Martin Millar is hilarious especially 'Milk, Sulphate and Alby Starvation'

oh and Magnus Mills, funny in a terrible way

and at the risk of sounding pretentious both Austen and Dickens very funny if you get the right book, plus Candide by Voltaire makes me want to cry laughing

PMSL @ memory of Julian Barnes and his cherry tomatoes

I love the Pedant in the kitchen, very very funny indeed

Gervase Phinn's series about being a schools inspector in rural Yorkshire are really laugh out loud funnt. this is the first one

actually that's not the first one. The first one is called The Other Side of the Dale

anything by Terry Pratchett, hes bloddy hysterical

I can't be doing with Pratchett at all

Don't know if anyone has suggested Cold Comfort Farm? Bloody priceless.

The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne is one of my favourites.