The Next Best Book Club discussion

I thought I had seen this topic before, but I couldn't find it. So, I'm starting another.

I love the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.
You can't beat the Hitchhiker'series by Douglas Adams.
While I don't call myself a romance reader, I adore Susan Elizabeth Phillips--there are moments from a couple of her books that I giggle about just remembering.

How about you? Has anything given you a belly laugh?

Bill Bryson - Travels in Small Town America. He basically just bluntly says what everybody is thinking. I've also read A Short History of Nearly Everything and aside from the fact that it is very interesting and educational he is still hilarious in that book.

Other than that I don't read much humor books. I've laughed at books because they were stupid but I haven't read many funny books.

Anything by Celia Rivenbark is good for several laughs. I've read We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle and Bless Your Heart, Tramp. She has another called Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series are also favorites of mine.

For memoirs, I really enjoyed But Enough About Me:A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous by Jancee Dunn and A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson. A little strange and warped in some places but funny throughout.

How do I number my message? ie;message5

Okaayyy!!!
Now, any of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series when she is writing about Grandma Mazur...

Garrison Keillor 'Lake Woebegon Days'

still don't know how to do that.....

Anything by David Sedaris cracks me up.

I agree with the Stephanie Plum Series being a hoot. Usually anything with Christopher Moore has me cracking up, except his latest I didn't find that funny. The Shopaholic Series and Amelia Peabody Series had me laughing as well. For funny light romance I have enjoyed Judy Garwood. Her earlier books have humor in them making the characters more endearing.

Suzanne wrote: "Okaayyy!!!
Now, any of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series when she is writing about Grandma Mazur...

Garrison Keillor 'Lake Woebegon Days'

still don't know how to do that....."

Have you met Stacy- the straight drag queen with the psycho roomie? He/she appears in book 3 or 4. That one had me laughing the loudest.

David Sedaris - I literally have tears running down my face when I read him because I'm laughing so hard. My boyfriend thinks I'm nuts.

Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs was really funny. Sellevision A Novel was also good. The rest of his books are darker.

I second the Shopaholic books. I also really enjoy the Stephanie Plum series, but rarely find myself laughing out loud at them.

Oh, and Dave Barry is pretty funny, too.

I want to re-read the first few...that would be fun to do on the long hot summer nights!
There is something about the basic reality of her characters that is so appealing....

SUzanne, what the heck happened to your post? Did you hit enter a hundred times :)

btw, I am relocating this to the Book related topic.... its not exactly a recommendation request....

I have recently read Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and couldn't wait to get to the next, and the next in the series. I was literally laughing out loud like a loon! My daughter is in the middle of the first and is also laughing out loud. I love it!

Kandice I just added all of these books to my TBR...Thanks for letting me know about them...love YA and love to LOL!

The Thursday Next books. First Among Sequels was maybe not quite as good as the others, but what a fun series.

I loved Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. The flashing part had me in hysterics! I also giggled quite a bit at her Patty Jane's House of Curl.

Anything by Stuart McLean - Vinyl Cafe books are great.

I don't know if you count these as books because they are just pictures with captions, but they are definitely LOL-worthy You Say I'm a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing and That's Queen Bitch to You.

Lucky Jim made me howl with laughter.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the funniest book I ever read.

1)Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is very funny...I love Death trying to do "human" things.
2)Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers Guide series... I've gotta stop calling 5 books a trilogy.
3)Erma Bombeck is still a classic.

Abbie K. wrote: "1)Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is very funny...I love Death trying to do "human" things."

Abbie, the Death of Rats makes me laugh every time he appears.

Epee wrote: "I don't know if you count these as books because they are just pictures with captions, but they are definitely LOL-worthy You Say I'm a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing and [book:That's Qu..."

I have You Say I'm A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing in my bookshop. Its a flip-over book and I had it open at this page http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g19... over Christmas. A LOT of people laughed out loud.

Dorie wrote: Abbie, the Death of Rats makes me laugh every time he appears.

I can't decide whether I like Death or Death of Rats. Both are hysterical. I want Pratchett to outlive me so I never run out of books.

I Love You Beth Cooper- Larry Doyle
Lamb-Christopher Moore
Good Omens- Terry Pratchett

Stephanie plum books
Jen Lancaster books

Yes, Jen Lancaster is one of my favorite lol authors!

Emily wrote: "Anything by David Sedaris cracks me up. "

Emily-
I was about to say the same thing! He is one of the few authors that I have to read in a room by myself with the door shut because I cannot stop laughing. Still have to read Engulfed in Flames. Heard it was good.

I don't read a lot of funny/humourous books but the following books had moments where I started cracking up:

- Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason
- Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep a Secret?
- Stephen Clarke's A Year in the Merde

In response to Li, neither do I.

However, I just finished reading (finally) "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole, and it definitely had me laughing throughout the book.

David Sedaris can usually make me laugh out loud, and even though I didn't really like "Rant An Oral Biography of Buster Casey" by Chuck Palahniuk and didn't even finish reading it, there was one childhood scene that was gross but made me laugh on and off for days just thinking about it.

Also, "Mr. Perfect" by Linda Howard definitely has moments that caused me to LOL.

I know there are more, but I can't think of them at the moment. Plus I am sure this comment is long enough as it is. :)

I just realized that I read too much, but not nearly enough.

To pile on what has already been said - All of the Stephanie Plum series.


High Fidelity
A Walk in the Woods Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

My Life and Hard Times, by James Thurber.

Oh, I loved Hitchiker's! I got a copy with a huge 'making of the movie' section in the back, so I thought I was only halfway through it when it finished. Boo. David Sedaris doesn't really do it for me. I'm sure I have others, but it's all slipping my mind right now.

Confessions of Georgia Nicolson.

aka the Angus Thongs books.

1. Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
2. It's Okay, I'm Wearing Really Big Knickers
3. Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas
4. Dancing in My Nuddy Pants
5. And That's When It Fell Off in My Hand
6. And Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers
7. Startled By His Furry Shorts
8. Luuuuurve is A Many Trousered Thing
9. Stop in the Name of Pants!
10. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?

They are hilarious.

Oh, and there's a world book day book called "Let the Snog-Fest Begin!"

Denis Leary's Why We Suck definitely has a lot of LOL moments. So funny but also so true.

Fiona, Shogun? Really? I haven't read it since high school. Maybe I should read it again with older eyes.

I agree with all who have mentioned David Sedaris and must also add anything by Joe Queenan.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman has very funny parts in it.

I just recently read How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely. I laughed out loud a bunch of times, it is smart and funny.

I also love David Sedaris, he narrates audiobook versions of his books, and I think they are evn better.

Tammy wrote: "
A Walk in the Woods Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail"

Is that the one about Mark Sanford?

Allison wrote: "My Horizontal Life A Collection of One-Night Stands and Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea are HILARIOUS

-Allison, http://readintothis.blogspot.com/"

YES!!

Me of Little Faith

Always Looking Up The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
Actually, kind of a serious book, but definitely some laugh out loud parts...

For me my two favourite funny writers would be Terry Pratchett and David Sedaris. People think I am insane when I read them on the train. Bridget Jones had me in hysterics, and always giggle when I read P G Wodehouse.

Jean wrote: "Tammy wrote: "
A Walk in the Woods Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail"

Is that the one about Mark Sanford?
"

Snort!

Lindz wrote: "For me my two favourite funny writers would be Terry Pratchett and David Sedaris. People think I am insane when I read them on the train. Bridget Jones had me in hysterics, and always giggle when..."
I love Terry Pratchett too! He's probably one of my favorite authors! But speaking of people thinking your crazy in public, I was reading the third book of Maximum Ride at the gym. I was at the scene where the kids are getting interrogated and where they were talking about the Snicker Bars and I burst our laughing. I got some really weird looks after that.

Susanna wrote: "Jean wrote: "Tammy wrote: "
A Walk in the Woods Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail"

Is that the one about Mark Sanford?
"

Snort!"

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

I also like the humor in the Dortmunder series by the late, great Donald E Westlake and the Maggody series by Joan Hess.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It also made me cry,

I thought You Suck A Love Story by Christopher Moore was hilarious!