I love Jasper FForde, Carl Hiesen books.

The "hitchhikers..series" and a short history of tractors in Ukrainian are also fine

Personally My favourite has been (and I guess, will remain)
"Catch -22" - it is a beautiful read in absolute nonsense...

and yes, Yossarian Lives...

I would have to say the funniest book I have ever read is "A Confederacy Of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. The book actually has the ability to evoke every emotion in me, despite the complete hopelessness and eccentric qualities of the main charater Ignatius Reilly, I find myself caring for the character whilst laughing my way through his various escapades. It's just a shame that the author felt the need to take his own life at such a young age, it was his mother that battled to get both this and his other novel "The Neon Bible" published posthumously.

I think Dave Barry is very funny. Also, one of the most funny books I've ever read is by David Brenner and it's called Soft Pretzels With Mustard. The Bryson books are quite funny also, I agree.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed "A Confederacy Of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole too. So funny and so poignant. I agree.

really into Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Starting with One for the Money. I find them such a laugh and very addictive.

Actually, Bandy was from the Ottawa Valley, in Ontario, and there are nine books in the Bandy Papers series by Donald Jack (the first three were set during the First World War). The first two books are still in print, as are the last two. Book three, It's Me Again, is going to re-issued next year, along with some of the other volumes. Three books from the series won Leacock Medals for Humour.

There's more about the Bandy series at:
http://www.sybertooth.com/bandy/

I also thought My Family and Other Animals was hysterical. I love all Gerald Durrells books. Besides the question was funniest book ever? Not funniest work of fiction? I mean just because they are fact doesn't make them less worthy of praise. They are good books and funny books.

I also adore the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy!

Enough is Too Much Already
Nothing to be Afraid Of

Both these are books of short stories by Jan Mark, and three of the stories always make me laugh a lot.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams was pretty darned funny. I liked it much better than Hitchhiker's Guide.

If you wish to stone me for this, you may do so - I go to my grave with no regrets.

The one I like is probably considered pointless and tastless by many,but "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas",by Hunter S. Thompson,is the one book I've read that made me stop and have a good gut bust numerous times.Also I have recently ordered Tooles ,"A Confederacy Of Dunces" and anxiously await it,along with a book titled ,"A Working Stiffs Manifesto...",the author eludes me and also "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac.

Terry Pratchett is the funniest ever. hard to pick one book... I love Rincewind... But then Vimes has gotta be the best... but granny has so much style! oh but monstrous regiment is pretty funny... (stares blankly into the distance)...How... do... you... choose??

The book that makes me laugh the most is the A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, others would be Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain and the zanny collection of Lewis Grizzard e.g. Shoot Low Boys They're Riding Shetland Ponies, How do They Pick Up Grits From Trees, My Daddy Was A Pistol and I'm A Son of A Gun. Good stuff indeed!

Any of the "MYTH" seris by Robert Asprin are always good for laughs.

As a teenager, I read the "Don Camillo" books, by Giovanni Guareschi.

"Don Camillo is a priest whose constitutional tendency is to "call a spade a spade," and the most frequent targets of his fiery sermons (not to mention his occasional well-aimed blows) are the local communists. Their equally fiery leader, Peppone, is a plain man of conscience who once fought against the Fascists alongside Don Camillo but who now fights against the big priest for the hearts and souls of the people in their unnamed Po Valley town. Don Camillo, however, is able to draw on a Resource that his opponents' ideology denies them, and in his conversations with Christ (Who answers back) he carries on the most crucial battle of all: the struggle within himself to love and care for those whose politics he opposes.

Yes, their skirmishes are exaggerated and the deck is always stacked in favor of the Christians, but The Little World manages to avoid being a one-dimensional political cartoon. It instead defies easy classification ... except as a delight."
from http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doncamillo/cambooks.htm

Sadly, these are probably out of print, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Another favourite for a good laugh is "Cold Comfort Farm" by Stella Gibbons. Wonderful stuff, with hilarious portraits of the Post family.

Agree with James Thurber. His essays and stories were a delight. I loved "How to name a dog" which I read at quite a young age and can still recall for the humour.

I dont tend to buy or read books that look full of humour, but i did enjoy the hitchhikers series, several pg wodehouse, gerald durelle. etc.

A book that i havent noticed being mentioned is the first harry potter that had me in stiches,lol. all those letters flying around and stuff.

but the book i most recently read and made me scream with laughter, was Marly and me. i will have to look the authors name up another time and edit it, a wondefully funny book,

sunday

Douglas Adams is always good for a laugh. I loved every one of his books.

P.G. Wodehouse is one of the funniest writers ever. I just adore his way with words.

I think the book that actually made me laugh out loud the most was "Why Not Me? The Inside Story on the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency" by Al Franken. It's about him running for president and all the stupid stuff he does to get himself in trouble before and during his presidency. It was just silly and hilarious.

Also, collections of articles from Lewis Grizzard are funny. Dave Barry collections and books are also great.

There is a little-known book out there called Lamb by Christopher Moore. You must be fairly open minded to enjoy this book... It is kind of an alternate history fiction book about the life of Jesus and, since about thirty years of his life is missing in historical record, what happened during his childhood and teen years. It is told from the point of view of his fictional best friend named Biff and follows their travels all over the world.

Not only is it ABSOLUTELY one of the funniest books I have read, but it also gives a very personal and human perspective to the life of jesus.


I HIGHLY recommend it if you can keep an open mind about
Christianity!!!

For obvious reasons, my vote will go to to the Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy (all five parts).

However, for the girls, I gotta say, only one series of novels has ever caused me to have distinct belly laughs... Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, starting with One for the Money. Unputdownable, and very easy reading. Hysterical, but definitely for the girls.

I like most books by P.G. Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett. "Mort" and the Death books are my favorite Pratchetts and the Blandings Castle books are my favorite Wodehouses.

I have to say "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. For my money, nothing is funnier than a tape deck that changes every tape to Queen's Greatest Hits. I love both Gaiman and Pratchett for their wit and humor. Having them write together is like my idea of heaven.

I agree most strongly with 1066 and All That and Three Men in a Boat (especially 'Uncle hangs a picture')and would add Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis and Handles by Jan Mark (the marrows!).
If you have children read them Mrs. Lather's Laundry by the Ahlbergs.

Curious George-the part where he calls the Fire Department!

Yep, put me down for the 4th book of the Hitchhiker Trilogy.

Although Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favorites, I didn't find it particularly "laugh out loud" funny, more poignant than anything else. Still a great read, though.

The only books I can think of that I thought were funny were the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish that I read when I was a kid. Those were hysterical!