I dont really laugh when reading ..do you?

[Sidebeforeself]

Ive read so many “funny”books but I rarely laugh out loud. Im always disappointed when being told books are funny. Books by Woodhouse and Jerome K Jerome dont raise a smile even though I like them.

I think Ive only ever laughed at two books - Love, Nina and Where D’You Go Bernadette . I did laugh at Adam Kays first book but that was because real life is funny not because of his writing.

Anyone else like this?

I was thinking about this when I laughed last night - at non-fiction.

I was reading about American history, and a president, Buchanan, was described as being a heavy man, with tiny feet and almost no backbone.

Lol.

Generally, books don’t make me laugh out loud. Though I admit there’s been the odd bit in some of Jodi Taylor’s books that has given me fits of the giggles.

I just laughed out loud at that quote. Thank you for reminding me to reread them!

I’ve also laughed at Gerald Durrell’s books, particularly the zoo collecting trips. Drunken shenanigans, being accidentally caught up in revolutions, animal behaviour…

I’ve laughed out loud at Ruth Dudley books too. And Gladys Mitchell’s Mrs Bradley. She’s unexpectedly hilariously harsh and sharp.

I’ve cried at the end of Watership Down when Hazel leaves his body by the water because he won’t be needing it any more (genuinely welling up again just typing that) and at LM Alcott’s Good Wives when poor Beth dies. Oh, and when Charlie dies in Rose in Bloom! It’s the part where he says he can at least die like a man, even if he couldn’t live like one. Blub.

Murderbot series made me laugh out loud several times. I read 5 of the 7 in a week!

Loved them so much.

Watched it on a streaming platform, Series (book) 1 and loved it so much had to buy the books.

I've 2 left which I'm saving for a long journey next week.

The only other 2 books that have made me laugh were The Martian and Sweetpea.

Never, I don't even laugh if I'm watching TV alone either. Must be a social laugher!

My DH does though, really annoying and followed by him trying to explain the puchline when we're reading in bed. I feel like a book is your own totally private space and not to be shared.

Same - although I do have The Satsuma Complex in my reading pile, so we shall see. I don't tend to be someone who guffaws through books or TV/films - it's a chuckle here and there if anything. The last time I laughed like a drain was during a Pictionary-type game played over the weekend with friends and someone had drawn 'Hang Glider' and I guessed 'Death Camp' (it was an after dark version of the game). You had to be there - but we were all crying because it was so ridiculous and you totally could read their drawing in either way!

I'm feeling a bit low at the moment. I spent some time doom scrolling through some autocorrect fails this morning and did laugh out loud at some of them. I know many are set up, but still funny. Then I got on with me day.

I also laughed (or sniggered) at You Are Here by David Nicholls.

I finished it ages ago actually. Then listened to Us Three, which I didn't enjoy quite so much. I'll try her others I think.

Dungeon Crawler Carl has had me crying laughing in parts, and sobbing in others.

A great thread for finding some good-fun reads! Thank-you.

I don't usually laugh at things written to be funny (like Wodehouse) though I do enjoy them. I get laughs from things that just tickle me. Durrell did it for me - and the first chapter of Harry Potter

I took an Antony Trollop book with me on a hostelling holiday as I was assured that 19C lit was soporific. ( I have trouble sleeping in strange places and, facing a week of rooms full of other people, was expecting the worst.)

Listening to that advice was a serious mistake! Barchester Towers really tickled me - and I was left properly awake trying not to laugh in bunk-beds all over the lake-district.

I did not regret the lost sleep and I've loved his books ever since.