Lois’s answer to “One thing I value very much in books is if they make me laugh or smile, but I'm very rarely amused …” > Likes and Comments
11 likes · Like
In answer to this 'This seems a good question to throw open to the readers at large -- more suggestions in the comments, folks?', Marie Phillips Gods Behaving Badly is pretty funny :) I love the Ben Aaronitch series too, even if the sense of humor is a bit unusual
For great humor along with excellent storytelling, I love Seanan McGuire (especially the InCryptid series) and Tanya Huff (especially the Keeper trilogy). Jim Butcher's Dresden series often cracks me up as well, although it for sure has its dark moments.
Neil Gaiman's *Anansi Boys* is a very funny book and the audiobook by Lenny Henry is one of the 2 best audiobooks I have ever heard.
I rather find Neil Gaiman's works to be slyly amusing too, in their weird way. When I'm feeling in the mood for a Shakespearean laugh though I dig out my copy of The Taming of the Shrew (the one with Elizabeth Taylor in it).
I heratily recommend some of the earlier novels of Connie Willis (To Say Nothing of the Dog) and her collected short stories. Be careful though because some of her stories make me bawl my eyes out.
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome is, imho, the funniest book in the English language.
I have to comment because you listed such a chunk of my favorites including some like "the thief" is sometimes feels like no one else has ever heard of! I'm even more compelled to add my two cents when the comments included so many more favorites like Seanan Mcguire!
Any chance of your coming to Houston for a book signing at any point?
I'm fond of Patricia Wrede for light and fluffy, or for romance Julia Quinn as well. I would also recommend Gail Carson Levine, Donna Andrews (particularly "Murder with peacocks as one of the funniest murder mysteries I've ever read) Elliot James (Pax Arcana series) or Althea Kontis (Enchanted) , Gail carriger (her Etiquette and Espionage series in particular), or for more classic, Oscar Wilde always makes me laugh with his absurdity!
Thanks for replying my question! I actually read the Rivers of London books on your recommendation some time ago, and Heyer (after you wrote Civil Campaign) But I haven't tried The Thief, will hunt it down asap along with other mentions, and also the recommendation by your readers. Huge Miyazaki fan as well :) And funny everyone is mentioning Shakespere, I'm right in the middle of the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet (though not particularly funny ...) Still, I am beginning to rethink my opinion of Polonius ...
I'm with you on the Heyer. P.G. Wodehouse is also good for light, frothy comedy. Witty thrillers by Elizabeth Peters. The funniest SF ever may be Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson's Hoka stories (Earthman's Burden). For "cheer" in a more substantial sense, Tolkien, Narnia, Spider Robinson's Callahan stories, Zenna Henderson's People stories. (I'm omitting the obvious, of course: A Civil Campaign stands at the top of the list. Great Christmas reading, for some reason.)
After A Civil Campaign Ethan of Athos for humor. For Connie Willis another humorous book is Bellwether. A favorite movie for laugh out loud humor is Galaxy Quest 1999. Glad I founds these comments for all the suggestions of authors & movies to check out .
If you haven't read the Villiers series by Alexei Panshin (Star Well; The Thurb Revolution; Masque World; collected as a Kindle e-book called New Celebrations for some reason), do so. I strongly recommend them.
I rate these as the best Comedy of Manners of the 20th Century. There was to have been a fourth volume (The Universal Pantograph) but it was never written. If you enjoy the first three as much as I did (and do; I reread them every few years, just as I do LMB's books - thank you for all you have written and will write, LMB!) please encourage Alexei to consider tackling the fourth book.
Just as many people claim that All Wisdom can be found in the Godfather series of movies (Leave the gun; take the cannoli), I claim that All Wisdom can be found in the Anthony Villiers series: (Company always improves travel, as Temujin is reputed to have remarked,) and (The trouble with traps as an instrument of policy is that they lack the ability to discriminate) and (Tastes can be educated. Exposure is the important thing.) and ("I'm a pragmaticist," he would say, meaning that he had no education and he was selective about his principles.)
Oh, and for the OP (original poster), these books are excruciatingly funny (although not directly intended as comedies). Deadpan humor (much of as throw-aways or asides), much like good Pratchett.
For video, you MUST see the Commedia delle Arte version of Taming of the Shrew. (Look for the one starring Marc Singer.) If this doesn't get you laughing until you get a stitch in your side, I will be astounded.
Oh, and Dorothy Dunnett's historical novels have some pretty funny asides, as well. (The price of æsthetic education is never small.)
I also like to find some humour in the fiction I read, but unfortunately it seems to be relatively uncommon. Apart from the authors already mentioned, I can think of the popular Murderbot series by Martha Wells (serious sf but with traces of humour) and Roger Zelazny’s _Doorways in the Sand_ , a slightly bizarre sf novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously and might raise a smile here and there.
back to top
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Alealea
(new)
Dec 07, 2015 12:25AM
In answer to this 'This seems a good question to throw open to the readers at large -- more suggestions in the comments, folks?', Marie Phillips Gods Behaving Badly is pretty funny :) I love the Ben Aaronitch series too, even if the sense of humor is a bit unusual
reply
|
flag
For great humor along with excellent storytelling, I love Seanan McGuire (especially the InCryptid series) and Tanya Huff (especially the Keeper trilogy). Jim Butcher's Dresden series often cracks me up as well, although it for sure has its dark moments.
Neil Gaiman's *Anansi Boys* is a very funny book and the audiobook by Lenny Henry is one of the 2 best audiobooks I have ever heard.
I rather find Neil Gaiman's works to be slyly amusing too, in their weird way. When I'm feeling in the mood for a Shakespearean laugh though I dig out my copy of The Taming of the Shrew (the one with Elizabeth Taylor in it).
I heratily recommend some of the earlier novels of Connie Willis (To Say Nothing of the Dog) and her collected short stories. Be careful though because some of her stories make me bawl my eyes out.
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome is, imho, the funniest book in the English language.
I have to comment because you listed such a chunk of my favorites including some like "the thief" is sometimes feels like no one else has ever heard of! I'm even more compelled to add my two cents when the comments included so many more favorites like Seanan Mcguire! Any chance of your coming to Houston for a book signing at any point?
I'm fond of Patricia Wrede for light and fluffy, or for romance Julia Quinn as well. I would also recommend Gail Carson Levine, Donna Andrews (particularly "Murder with peacocks as one of the funniest murder mysteries I've ever read) Elliot James (Pax Arcana series) or Althea Kontis (Enchanted) , Gail carriger (her Etiquette and Espionage series in particular), or for more classic, Oscar Wilde always makes me laugh with his absurdity!
Thanks for replying my question! I actually read the Rivers of London books on your recommendation some time ago, and Heyer (after you wrote Civil Campaign) But I haven't tried The Thief, will hunt it down asap along with other mentions, and also the recommendation by your readers. Huge Miyazaki fan as well :) And funny everyone is mentioning Shakespere, I'm right in the middle of the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet (though not particularly funny ...) Still, I am beginning to rethink my opinion of Polonius ...
I'm with you on the Heyer. P.G. Wodehouse is also good for light, frothy comedy. Witty thrillers by Elizabeth Peters. The funniest SF ever may be Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson's Hoka stories (Earthman's Burden). For "cheer" in a more substantial sense, Tolkien, Narnia, Spider Robinson's Callahan stories, Zenna Henderson's People stories. (I'm omitting the obvious, of course: A Civil Campaign stands at the top of the list. Great Christmas reading, for some reason.)
After A Civil Campaign Ethan of Athos for humor. For Connie Willis another humorous book is Bellwether. A favorite movie for laugh out loud humor is Galaxy Quest 1999. Glad I founds these comments for all the suggestions of authors & movies to check out .
If you haven't read the Villiers series by Alexei Panshin (Star Well; The Thurb Revolution; Masque World; collected as a Kindle e-book called New Celebrations for some reason), do so. I strongly recommend them.I rate these as the best Comedy of Manners of the 20th Century. There was to have been a fourth volume (The Universal Pantograph) but it was never written. If you enjoy the first three as much as I did (and do; I reread them every few years, just as I do LMB's books - thank you for all you have written and will write, LMB!) please encourage Alexei to consider tackling the fourth book.
Just as many people claim that All Wisdom can be found in the Godfather series of movies (Leave the gun; take the cannoli), I claim that All Wisdom can be found in the Anthony Villiers series: (Company always improves travel, as Temujin is reputed to have remarked,) and (The trouble with traps as an instrument of policy is that they lack the ability to discriminate) and (Tastes can be educated. Exposure is the important thing.) and ("I'm a pragmaticist," he would say, meaning that he had no education and he was selective about his principles.)
Oh, and for the OP (original poster), these books are excruciatingly funny (although not directly intended as comedies). Deadpan humor (much of as throw-aways or asides), much like good Pratchett.
For video, you MUST see the Commedia delle Arte version of Taming of the Shrew. (Look for the one starring Marc Singer.) If this doesn't get you laughing until you get a stitch in your side, I will be astounded.
Oh, and Dorothy Dunnett's historical novels have some pretty funny asides, as well. (The price of æsthetic education is never small.)
I also like to find some humour in the fiction I read, but unfortunately it seems to be relatively uncommon. Apart from the authors already mentioned, I can think of the popular Murderbot series by Martha Wells (serious sf but with traces of humour) and Roger Zelazny’s _Doorways in the Sand_ , a slightly bizarre sf novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously and might raise a smile here and there.
