I know I have resurrected a very old post, but...

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I also love "House Of God" - but for the life of me I can't remember who wrote it. It's a spoof of hospital administration and doctors.

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The House of God was written by Samuel Shem. As a nurse, I am forever muttering about the GOMERS and the Buff & Turf. (You'll understand what I mean!!!). Definitely a classic for anyone in the health care profession!

Almost everything by Tom Holt, Expecting Someone Taller is especially good

Oh, Vogon, I dug up my copy of 'The House Of God' by Samuel Shem earlier this year, and loaned it to a friend.

I do know all about the Gomers (and Gomeres), and I've seen the Buff & Turf game over and over again - I get asked to 'Treat and Street' more often than not some nights, rather than bring them in.

It's truly scary the first night you realise 'BUN + Age = Lasix', or the night you realise that rule number 1 supercedes all other rules of the House.

*sigh* Don't you just love medicine?!

Haven't seen mention of the first book which actually brought forth a LOL moment for me - "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey. You really don't know who is crazier, the inmates or those running the asylum.

The second time I found myself bursting into audible laughter was while reading "The World According to Garp" by John Irving. I don't think any of his subsequent novels ever were as enjoyable for me.

Without a doubt it's got to be "The Baby in the Bag, A Politically Incorrect Tale." The characters, names, dialogue and situations are hilarious!

I don't think I can name a funniest book but when I look for an author that is always good for a laugh I turn to T. R. Pearson, Bill Bryson, and David Rosenfelt.

I have to agree with the people who say P.G. Wodehouse is the funniest. Terry Pratchet is also a favourite of mine. I just love books that make me laugh. I have picked up a few ideas from this thread for other books to read, thanks.

I'm about half-way through "Nobody's Fool" by Richard Russo and it is a hoot. Perhaps you've seen the wonderful film starring Paul Newman, Jessica Tandy, Bruce Willis, and Melanie Griffith, if not I recommend both.

'The Ascent of Rum Doodle' by W. E. Bowman, with foreword by Bill Bryson, takes some beating for hilarity.

I think they are already on this list, but due to his recent death it bears repeating - Donald E Westlake's Dortmunder books are pure comedy. Many of his stand-alone caper novels are wonderful too. "Castle in the Air" is a perfect example - an international band of thieves conspire to steal a castle, with each one of them planning to double cross the others.

I'll agree with several others here and pick "Catch 22" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". For non-fiction, I really enjoyed Michael Palin's biography.

"The Baby in the Bag" is my favorite funniest book of all time. Next would be "Gravity's Rainbow."

Good as Gold and Portnoy's Complaint. I also had a good laugh at the How to be Topp series when I was younger. You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate the first two, just human

I would have to go with 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy' by the late Douglas Adams. A close second would be the 'Discworld' series by Terry Pratchett.

Here is the UK 's top ten list according to Abe
Top 10 Funniest Books According to AbeBooks.co.uk Customers
Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1933)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome (1889)
Wilt by Tom Sharpe (1976)
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (1938)
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (1996)
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan (1971)

I just finished a book that needs to be added to this thread. "Man of the Century" by James Thayer is the life story of 108 yr old Woodrow Lowe. It's part "Little Big Man" part "Forrest Gump" but mostly a hilarous, romping adventure. I highly recommend it.

Hi! My list of books I need to read just doubled... great thread.

I know it's old and non-fiction (but was recently reprinted), but "Kids Say The Darndest Things" by Art Linkletter was one of the funniest things I've ever read.

It was based on a TV show, some of which is also on DVD. But the book - with Charles Schulz's illustrations - is a real treasure IMHO.

Y

I agree with all the Wodehouse fans... discovered a couple on my parents' bookshelf when I was a young teen.

Shel Silverstein is quite funny, especially "Uncle Shelby's ABC Book," which is 'a primer for adults only.' (Not adult content... ways to bug your siblings, parents, etc.)

Couldn't get my eyes out of it. It is very funny, mostly because of it's hay-wired spellings.

The-"Pickoo's Diary" from The Best of Satyajit Ray.
Here is 1 extract from it:
'I will aim and pull the triger bang bang it will definitly die. Last nite a bomb went off it made bang bang. Baba sed has to be bomb, thees days I hear bang bang offen thru my window. Hey thats a car horn.'
Well, a 10 year old's(Pickoo) diary wouldn't have been much better.

The Double by Dostoevsky.

I am a voracious reader and have read many books that made me giggle, titter, snigger, but one book I read many years ago, (35), made me guffaw!!!! I can't remember the author but it was a series about a young Canadian flyer who goes to Britain to fight in the war, (can't remember which one), and cannot do a single thing right! He is described as having a "long horse-face" and the title of the series of books was, "The Bandy Paper". My kids disowned me on the beach that day!!

Bill Bryson and Terry Pratchett are up there for me but the funniest book(s) I ever read are by an Irish journalist, Paul Howard, but written under the name Ross O'Carroll Kelly, who is the lead character.

It's pure genius although I suspect for readers outside Ireland, it would be hard to 'get', as it is written how Ross speaks - right is spelled roysh. It started as a column in a newspaper but there are now 7 or 8 books in the series. Hilarious.

I'd have to agree with a few people: "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul" is definitely one of my favorites.

Also, "Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth": one where you'll want to read every detail of the book, not just skim through it.

Sherman Alexie's Reservation Blues

I picked up a copy of "Up to No Good: The Rascally Things Boys Do, as Told by Perfectly Decent Grown Men", a book of anecdotal reminiscences, at a bookshop in the mall, then started to read it while I ate lunch in a nearby cafe. It had me in absolute stitches, no way could I hold my laughter in, much to the amusement of nearby diners.

Anyone who has brothers or sons, or is male will relate to a lot of the extremely funny true stories in there.