Welcome to our funny fiction series. We’re highlighting a variety of humorous fiction novels to help our readers find that next great read (and hopefully a few laughs along the way).
Humor is a funny thing (pun intended). Pinpointing what an individual will find funny isn’t an exact science. There are so many different types of humor, but what constitutes funny is a matter of opinion. David Sedaris is fairly popular, but his type of humor may not be everyone’s cup of tea (even though he is a comedic genius). After all, tastes, preferences, likes and dislikes develop over a lifetime based on a variety of life experiences.
Looking for reading recommendations? Below, you’ll find a small selection hand-picked, entertaining and utterly enjoyable books. Hopefully you’ll think they’re funny too! Stay tuned for more blog posts featuring funny fiction.
Funny Fiction Recommendations
1. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich A crossover series by the best-selling author of the Stephanie Plum mysteries introduces pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, who is recruited by Diesel to track down a cache of priceless ancient relics while keeping them out of the hands of his criminal mastermind cousin. Borrow it from the library: Book, Large Print, Audio, eBook or eAudio |
2. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding A hilarious journal chronicles a year in the life of Bridget Jones, a single, thirty-something woman on a perpetual quest for self-improvement, as she struggles to cope with relationships, weight control, and the other baffling complexities of modern life. |
3. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Foer Hilarious, energetic, and profoundly touching, a debut novel follows a young writer as he travels to the farmlands of eastern Europe, where he embarks on a quest to find Augustine, the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis, and, guided by his young Ukrainian translator, he discovers an unexpected past that will resonate far into the future. |
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Chronicles the journeys, notions, and acquaintances of reluctant galactic traveler Arthur Dent, accompanied by never-before-published material from the late author’s archives as well as commentary by famous fans. |
5. Insane City by Dave Barry Astonished by his imminent marriage to a woman he believed out of his league, Seth flies to their destination wedding in Florida only to be swept up in a maelstrom of violence involving rioters, Russian gangsters, angry strippers, and a desperate python. |
6. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris The author presents a collection of three animal-themed essays. In The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck, a group of complete strangers bitterly discuss the order of things within the animal kingdom. In Hello Kitty, a miserable alcoholic cat attends AA. In The Squirrel and the Chipmunk, two lovers are torn apart by their quarreling families. |
7. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman The world is going to end next Saturday, just before dinner, but it turns out there are a few problems–the Antichrist has been misplaced, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse ride motorcycles, and the representatives from heaven and hell decide that they like the human race. |
8. The Idiot by Elif Batuman Embarking on her freshman year at Harvard in the early tech days of the 1990s, a young artist and daughter of Turkish immigrants begins a correspondence with an older mathematics student from Hungary while struggling with her changing sense of self, first love and a daunting career prospect. |
9. At Freddie’s by Penelope Fitzgerald “Freddie’s” is the familiar name of the Temple Stage School, which supplies London’s West End theaters with child actors for everything from Shakespeare to musicals to the Christmas pantomime. Its proprietress, Freddie Wentworth, is a formidable woman of unknown age and murky background who brings anyone she encounters under her spell — so common an occurrence that it is known as “being Freddied.” At her school, we meet dour Pierce, a teacher hopelessly smitten with enchanting Hannah; Jonathan, a child actor of great promise, and his slick rival Mattie; and Joey Blatt, who has wicked plans to rescue Freddie’s from insolvency. Up to its surprising conclusion, “At Freddie’s” is thoroughly beguiling. |
10. One More Thing : Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak B.J. Novak’s “One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories” is an endlessly entertaining, surprisingly sensitive, and startlingly original debut that signals the arrival of a brilliant new voice in American fiction. Finding inspiration in questions from the nature of perfection to the icing on carrot cake, “One More Thing” has at its heart the most human of phenomena: love, fear, hope, ambition, and the inner stirring for the one elusive element just that might make a person complete. Across a dazzling range of subjects, themes, tones, and narrative voices, the many pieces in this collection are like nothing else, but they have one thing in common: they share the playful humor, deep heart, sharp eye, inquisitive mind, and altogether electrifying spirit of a writer with a fierce devotion to the entertainment of the reader. |
You May Also Enjoy These Great Library Blog Posts
How to Find a Good Book to Read
Includes tips on how to find books you’ll truly enjoy.
Clever With A Side of Sarcasm
Books for fans of clever, absurd and sarcastic humor.
10 Entertaining Novels That Will Put a Smile on Your Face
Novels with light humor and likable characters.
Looking for your next great read?
Let us help you!
Tell us what you’ve enjoyed reading, watching or listening to, and our librarians will give you personalized recommendations.
No algorithms, cookies or data mining – just real experts in your community sharing their love of great books, music and movies with you. We call it Give 3 Get 3.
Get started today at
toledolibrary.org/Give3Get!
