Recommend some funny fiction please

[CrimbleCrackers]

I'm trying to get back into reading and wanted to put some books on my Christmas list but not sure what to read.

I enjoy fiction that's funny but not chick lit aimed at 20 somethings (I'm in my fifties).

Thing's I've enjoyed are India Knight's first two books, Sue Townsend, Mary Wesley, some Rosamund Pitcher, some Lisa Jewell (particularly the one about the house full of hoarded stuff, sorry can't remember the title), some Kate Atkinson (particularly Life after Life and Behind the Scenes at the Museum).

I'm looking for something light enough to keep my attention but not too fluffy. My concentration isn't great at the moment and I only read for short periods.

Thanks!

I loved Starter for Ten and One Day too. Preferably something based in the UK that I can relate to.

Have you read any Christina Jones?

'And Then we Came to the End' by Joshua Ferris. Hilarious caricature of office life. My DH who doesn't read a great deal also enjoyed it a lot!

Decline and Fall is pretty funny and very light.

No I haven't read any Christina Jones, any you'd recommend in particular?

I'll take a look at And Then We Came To an End, thanks!

Um, my mum has loads and I have dipped into them over the years and found them light and fun. I think Hubble Bubble is the first in the particular series I’m thinking of.

Worth trying the Agatha Raisin books by M.C. Beaton too - I read a number of those in a row when I was going through a time of not wanting anything emotionally challenging.

I loved the agatha raisin books. I recommend them to my mum when going through breast cancer treatment and she loved them as well

Ok I'll look for Hubble Bubble.

I've read a few Agatha Raisin ones, they are funny but get a bit samey after a while.

I enjoyed Simon Brett's Feathering Mysteries. Very light and fun (not overly funny) murder mysteries. The fun is found in the protagonist's introverted lifestyle.

Not based in the UK but Joshua Ferris' 'To Rise Against at a Decent Hour' was really funny.

Their Finest Hour by Lissa Evans made me laugh, great story too, set in WW2. It seems to have been renamed Their Finest as the film adaptation shortened the title.
I also liked Crooked Heart by the same author.

I loved The Wags Diary - Alison Kervin - not what I would I would have chosen but I actually loved it!! Funny !

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll check them out!

The Wags Diary is a bit fluffy for my liking.

Not so keen on historical novels, prefer present day.

I'm not a big fan of crime books either, prefer fiction about every day things.

Sorry I'm being really picky!

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. One of the funniest books of all time. The opening is a bit slow though.

I've read cold comfort farm, it's great!!

Nancy Mitford: The Pursuit Of Love; Love In a Cold Climate; The Blessing; Don't Tell Alfred.

Oh good! It's great isn't it.

I also really enjoyed Three Men In A Boat, it got a bit slow towards the end. I devoured a lot of Tom Sharpe when I was younger.

Marian Keyes is funny. The covers look very chick lit but I think the books are more humorous than they suggest.

Well it’s an autobiography set in the US so it meets neither of your criteria but Bill Bryson’s Life and Times ofthe Thunderbolt Kid is really funny

Sweetland by Michael Crummey. It’s not a comedy as such but has lots of funny lines and is a terrific book. Great story.

Thanks. I've read most Bill Bryson books and most Marian Keyes, enjoyed most of them. I'll look into the others mentioned. I've got lots in my Amazon shopping basket already now!