What books made you weep with laughter?

[Pennies]

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.

Christopher Brookmyre and David Lodge do it for me.

Carl Hiaasen
Bill Bryson
Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum books

High Fidelity
Most things by Bill Bryson
The Wilt books (early ones at least) by Tom Sharpe

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, but only up to about no. 7

she's not really chick-lit, don't be put off by the cover here

Oh, god yes, Carl Hiaasen - he is a genius.

And Cider with Roadies - Stuart Maconie.

Bill Bryson, particularly Notes from a SMall Island.

Clive James Unreliable Memoirs.

And there are at least 2 more which I am know really annoyed at not being able to remember......

BOF- which Christopher Brookmyre would you say was the best - they look quite good but there are so many to choose from.

Lots of lovely suggestions here. Keep 'em coming!

Bill Bryson - the book about his trip around America and his autobiography (Thunderbolt Kid)

The Wrong Boy

Douglas Asams & Mark Carwardine - Last Chance to See

Sorry Adams - author of HH Guide to Galaxy ...

Various bits of Danny Wallace ones.

I love Brookmyre too (only read 2 so far)

Lucky Jim has made me laugh more than any other book I have ever read but it is a bit awful and misogynist in retrospect. Still hilarious, though. Stephanie Plum is fab.

Derec Longdon autobiographical books are very funny. The first one Diana Story about this wife long fight against a mystery illness is very sad, but hilarious at the same time.

Sorry spelt his name wrong, should be Deric Longden

anything by bill bryson.

The Van by Roddy Doyle

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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...

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!

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.

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