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Funny books

croydonaddick
croydonaddick Posts: 643
in Not Sports Related
Can anyone recommend any funny books- novels that is! Can't trawl through the what at you reading thread as it's massive

Comments

  • Bedsaddick
    Bedsaddick Posts: 24,964
    Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan

    Is hilarious
  • Big William
    Big William Posts: 3,865
    A lot of Christopher Brookmyres' stuff is very funny, a mixture of comedy and crime/violence. I think he also did one straight thriller, I suspect all the gen is on his website.
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,264
    Bill Bryson.
  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,087
    Incompetence by rob grant had me in stitches
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 11,098
    A White Merc with Fins by James Hawes.
  • cafcfan
    cafcfan Posts: 11,233
    edited April 2014
    Puckoon - a novel by Spike Milligan about a fiction Irish village of that name and its inhabitants. It's now ancient, it was published in 1963 I believe but still managed to have me cracking up at times. (But I've always liked Spike's oddball sense of humour.)
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 11,098
    The Aberystwyth series by Malcolm Pryce; Last Tango in Aberystwyth, The Unbearable Lightness of being in Aberystwyth, Don't Cry for me Aberystwyth etc.

    Even funnier if you've ever been there.
  • aliwibble
    aliwibble Posts: 27,148
    What's your sense of humour like croydon? Do you prefer one liners, attrocious puns, parodies of familiar books/films, gentle whimsy, or familiar situations spun out to utterly absurd conclusions? Reccomendations will vary depending on your answer
  • Bournemouth Addick
    Bournemouth Addick Posts: 16,300
    Big William said:

    A lot of Christopher Brookmyres' stuff is very funny, a mixture of comedy and crime/violence. I think he also did one straight thriller, I suspect all the gen is on his website.

    IdleHans said:

    A White Merc with Fins by James Hawes.

    Both good shouts. I'd also recommend Colin Bateman in a similar vein or Carl Hiaasen for an American version of the comedy/crime genre.
  • LenGlover
    LenGlover Posts: 31,716
    edited April 2014
    The late Peter Tinniswood is a funny writer. His book about the MCC (can't think of the title right now) is amusing to cricket fans.

    EDIT: Tales From The Long Room is the book I was thinking of.

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  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,292
    Portnoy's Complaint - The funniest book ever. Bar none.
  • SilentAddick
    SilentAddick Posts: 1,603
    Jeremy Clarkson that pompous twit writes surprising funny books...
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,339
    For such a literary lot, the difficulty in reading the OPs request is surprising?

    He asked for "novels".
  • Hornchurch
    Hornchurch Posts: 902
    Tom Sharpe - his stuff from the 1970's rather than the more modern books
  • kigelia
    kigelia Posts: 2,583
    I have read a couple of Christopher Moore's novels. They are pretty good. If you have not read them the Adrian mole books by Sue Townsend are recommended as is Tue back catalogue of Douglas Adams.
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 96,047
    SilentAddick said:

    Jeremy Clarkson that pompous twit writes surprising funny books...

    I've had to stop myself from reading these on trains as hate laughing out loud and being unable to stop with people giving me funny looks
  • AddickUpNorth
    AddickUpNorth Posts: 8,326
    The Bible and the Koran are both funny little reads but I think they're more fairytales rather than full-on comedy.
  • TelMc32
    TelMc32 Posts: 9,162
    Some good shouts already...Used to read Tom Sharpe's novels back in the 80s on way into work on the train and struggled not to laugh out loud...a lot.

    Big William is right with Chris Brookmyre, some great Jack Parlabane novels. Dark and very funny!

    Colin Bateman also has a series of books, mostly set in Belfast and again dark and funny, such as Dr Yes, Mystery Man & The Prisoner of Brenda.

    More recently The 100 Year Old Man who climbed out of the window & disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. Really loved this one.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,292
    Agree with Tel, 100yo man is very good.
  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,087
    Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is funny, and so are the Red Dwarf books, if that's your thing.

    The Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser is pure comedy genius

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  • Plumstead_Micky
    Plumstead_Micky Posts: 932
    Spike Milligan's 'Adolf Hitler - My part in his downfall' is hilarious.
  • thenewbie
    thenewbie Posts: 11,057
    Terry Pratchett is normally very good for a laugh, though not purely a comedic writer. Try and go for the earlier stuff though, his work has got a lot more serious since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and has suffered for it IMO. (Which is not a criticism before anyone jumps on me...)
  • robinson crusoe
    robinson crusoe Posts: 91
    Agree with Bournemouth about Carl Hiaasson.

    Also really enjoyed The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
  • Northstandpieeater
    Northstandpieeater Posts: 730
    I second Pratchett great author deals in real life issues in humorous way. Has his books worsened on reflection yes they probally have still quality through.
  • Cafcspud
    Cafcspud Posts: 187
    Steven Clarkes "Merde" series is well worth a read.
  • Shrew
    Shrew Posts: 5,758
    edited April 2014
    The 'Thursday Next' series by Jasper FForde is worth a go on the fantasy comedy front as is The Rivers of london novels by Ben Aaronovitch. The Aberystwyth novels mentioned earlier in the thread are also very clever and funny.
  • stonemuse
    stonemuse Posts: 34,220
    thenewbie said:

    Terry Pratchett is normally very good for a laugh, though not purely a comedic writer. Try and go for the earlier stuff though, his work has got a lot more serious since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and has suffered for it IMO. (Which is not a criticism before anyone jumps on me...)

    agreed ... great fun
  • PeteF
    PeteF Posts: 1,698
    Has to be Tom Sharpe, Wilt, Blott on the Landscape, Ancestral Vices are just a few, avoid the later stuff, he went of the boil a bit.
  • Swisdom
    Swisdom Posts: 14,980
    Luke Rhinehart - the dice man

    Matt Beaumont - e

    Both very entertaining
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 11,098
    Another vote for e and Incompetence from me.

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