20

Or a few of the funniest if you just can't choose.

top 14 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] nukeworker10@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

Hitchhikers guide 4 book trilogy, and the Dirk Gently books. All by Douglas Adams.

[-] rImITywR@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Have you read anything by Terry Pratchett? I just finished The Colour of Magic, the first book in the Discworld series. It reminded me quite a bit of Hitchhikers in its tone and style of comedy.

[-] james1@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Have you read any Robert Rankin? His Brentford trilogy might be your cup of tea too.

[-] mo_ztt@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

Kurt Vonnegut - God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces

Carl Hiaasen - Tourist Season

[-] jimmyjazx@lemmy.one 2 points 2 years ago

Since I love the first 2 I'm trusting your taste and grabbing the 3rd

[-] AngryHippy@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. Imagine a world in which EVERY SINGLE conspiracy theory was true and where "The history of the world is the history of the warfare between secret societies".

[-] kerr@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago

Bill Bryson’s travel books, especially A Walk in the Woods and Down Under.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Like the whole thing. Can’t pick a favourite.

David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day

John Birmingham - He Died With a Felafel in his Hand

[-] HelixDab@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Like the whole thing. Can’t pick a favourite.

I would disagree with that. The last 3-4 books were... Not good. He was already showing signs of Alzheimers by then, and it was reflected in his writing. He died shortly after the final book, and, while it had flashes of his brilliance, it was clear that he was having a very hard time writing anything coherent by that time. Up to that point, he was fantastic. "Small Gods" is one of my favorite books about religion and belief, and he disguised it as comedic fantasy.

[-] quintinza@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

All Creatures Great and Small (and others in the series) by James Herriot.

[-] feralsapiens@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Fifthing (can't second) Douglas Adams.
Especially love the Dirk Gently books. Seconding Bill Bryson.
In no particular order:
Donald E Westlake, Dortmunder series
Dave Barry, Big Trouble
*Janet Evanovich, One for the Money and etc.
Donna Andrews, Murder with Peacocks and etc.
Early Carl Hiassen

[-] opheliaswamaway@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

anything by Christopher Moore

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg

[-] markovianparallax@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I haven't read that particular book, but I love Frannie Flagg.

[-] Audalin@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Some candidates:

  • Calvino's The Non-Existent Knight;
  • Nabokov's Pale Fire;
  • Nabokov's Ada, or Ardor.

I don't know whether Finnegans Wake is funny (and I don't know whether I'll be able to know that after finishing it), but I certainly extract quite a bit of fun from reading it.

[-] HelixDab@kbin.social 1 points 2 years ago

Almost everything by Terry Pratchett. Just beware the last few books, where he was clearly suffering from Alzheimers. "Good Omens" (with Neil Gaiman) is a fantastic starting point. In the laster books, Pratchett was using his fantasy setting to dissect current social problems, usually very effectively; the 'boot theory' comes directly from Pratchett.

Everything by Douglas Adams.

Charles Stross' "The Laundry Files" series; how bureaucrats deal with Lovecraftian horrors.

Glen Cook's "Garrett P.I." series. Not really comedy, but has a strong element of the ridiculous, and plays off of the tropes established by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler in a high fantasy setting.

this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2023
20 points (100.0% liked)

Bookclub

761 readers
1 users here now

A place to discuss books!

You can join us on discord: https://discord.gg/KgFF9j3GTh

We have 10 separate book clubs! There's something for everyone.

Our Book Clubs include: Fiction, Non-fiction, Graphic Novels, FOMO, Cozy Reads, Mystery, Short Reads, Long Reads, Romance, and WTF Book Club

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS