Subject: What's the funniest book you've read?
Posted by: alaspooryoric
Date: Dec 16 10
I would have to say a tie between Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and Tim O'Brien's "Tomcat in Love." A close second would be John Kennedy Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces." If one could count a play as a book, then I might say Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest."
Posted by: alaspooryoric
Date: Dec 16 10
I would have to say a tie between Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and Tim O'Brien's "Tomcat in Love." A close second would be John Kennedy Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces." If one could count a play as a book, then I might say Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest."
74 replies. On page 3 of 4 pages. 1 2 3 4
Emaharg 
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The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne. Definitely the funniest, most humorous book ever written in the English language. Reply #41. Nov 30 14, 8:30 AM |
Dagny1
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Probably the first book which made me actually laugh out loud was Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog) by Jerome K. Jerome. Project Gutenberg has it free in numerous formats at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/308 and there is also an audio version available. Reply #42. Nov 30 14, 12:35 PM |
Mixamatosis
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It's hard to compare funny books but I remember cracking up over a passage in "Lucky Jim" by Kingsley Amis, where there's a description of Jim (a lecturer) waking up hungover only to realise with horror the dammage he's done while he was drunk, and at the house of someone with influence over the course of his career. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is also funny and books by Tom Sharpe or Spike Milligan but Tom Sharpe's is a savage satirical humour - not to everyone's taste. Reply #43. Jul 24 15, 9:58 PM |
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Of Spike Milligan's books I'd recommend "Puckoon". Just read the reviews. Reply #44. Jul 24 15, 10:20 PM |
| Mixamatosis
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Here are some extracts from amazon reviews of "Puckoon": "My Father tried to read this book to me, as a bedtime tale when I was 8 years old. He used to get about 2 pages before falling off the end of the bed laughing. This, to an 8 year old was funnier than the book. To those over 8 who have read this book, nothing is funnier, ever." "In 1963 I was on a military Aircraft flying to South America from England. The plane was full of soldiers going to British Guiana. It was a long flight. So to pass the time I went up to the front and read this book through the address system. The pilots could hear this as well. So much laughter went on that we nearly crashed onto the runway in Gander Newfoundland. I was asked very nicely not to continue since it was too dangerous to the safety of the flight. But so funny is the book that all the passengers prevailed upon me to keep on going. I sware that this is a true story. This is simply the very funniest book ever written, and thereby one of the most dangerous." Reply #45. Jul 24 15, 10:24 PM |
Coriolanus
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Hard to choose just one, but two authors whose books always make me laugh out loud are the late great Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fford. Reply #46. Jul 25 15, 6:27 PM |
Creedy
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I prefer the classics, but for sheer humour and laugh out loud entertainment, it'd have to be "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell. Reply #47. Jun 08 16, 12:35 AM |
jon541
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"The Diary of a Nobody" by George and Weedon Grossmith ... sadly neglected but enduringly funny. Also "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy" which is an absolute tour de force, though perhaps a tough read for some. Reply #48. Jun 09 16, 6:40 AM |
samak
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Are You Experienced? by William Sutcliffe Incredibly funny satire for anyone who's ever backpacked in Asia and particularly India. Reply #49. Jun 21 16, 5:22 PM |
Mommakat
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I've read a lot of humorous books but one that I love and have read many times was sent to me by an American friend for my birthday in 1981. Its title: All My Patients Are Under The Bed....the memoirs of a New York Vet who made house calls....for obvious reasons it is one I would never lend. Reply #50. Jun 21 16, 7:30 PM |
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For people who like books about animals, the series of books written by vet James Herriot, and starting with "All Creatures Great and Small" is very amusing. A well-regarded TV series was created, based on the books. The cast included former Dr Who, Peter Davison. Reply #51. Jul 18 16, 2:00 AM |
Turps
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The Ascent of Rum Doodle - W.E. Bowman The Young Visiters - Daisy Ashford Diary of a Nobody - George and Weedon Grossmith. England Their England - A.G. Macdonnell 1066 and All That - Sellars and Yeatman Unreliable Memoirs - Clive James Reply #52. Jan 20 18, 8:16 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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A quite good series of books are by David Wishart. He wrote (still writes?) books set in Rome with a Roman detective, Marcus Corvinus. You can combine a love of history with a love of crime stories. Anyway his detective is very wisecracking and humerous, reminiscent of Raymond Chandler's detective, Philip Marlowe. Reply #53. Jan 20 18, 3:02 PM |
C30
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Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett The Good Ship Venus - John Winton Reply #54. Mar 21 18, 3:36 AM |
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I've just noticed my spelling mistakes *damage * humourous. * sware (instead of swear) was not my mistake but verbatim from the reviewer I quoted. I wish it was possible to edit notes. Reply #55. Mar 21 18, 1:37 PM |
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*humorous Reply #56. Mar 22 18, 2:50 AM |
mpkitty
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Maybe Forrest Gump and it's sequel. and always Mark Twain with his dry humor... Reply #57. May 02 18, 12:18 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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I remember reading "The Moon's a Balloon" some years ago and finding it very funny. It's an autobiographical book by David Niven, and he's very good at remembering and telling the funny stories from his life and about the other famous and not famous people he knew. Reply #58. May 02 18, 1:43 PM |
lesn
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Anything written by Clive James. I love his humor and he is missed. Reply #59. Feb 04 19, 6:08 AM |
| Mixamatosis
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He's still alive, Clive James. In October 2015 he admitted that he was embarrassed at still being alive. Apparently it's down to some experimental drug he's been taking. Reply #60. Feb 05 19, 9:32 AM |
74 replies. On page 3 of 4 pages. 1 2 3 4
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