MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Victorian humour recommendations, please!

Pamplemousse · 06-18-2015, 07:21 AM

Lately I've gotten hooked on late 1800s / early 1900s comedy books and would love recommendations for some more.

I love Three Men In A Boat (to say nothing of the dog). I've read all of Jerome K Jerome's other books, although none of them are quite as good as that.

I'd be happy for recommendations for any good books written 1850-1920, but particularly funny ones.

Off the top of my head, other books from the period that I've read in the last year and a half:

Everything by PG Wodehouse

Diary of a Nobody

Edith Nesbit books (I like children's books too - The Children of Green Knowe is amazing, although not from the period I'm talking about)

Mark Twain stories: Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn etc. Some of his stories aren't that funny though.

Robert Louis Stevenson (not funny but amazing)

Wizard of Oz books - I gave up after the second one as they got really boring.

Alice in Wonderland / underground

Oscar Wilde - all his work

Dickens funnier stories

Most Gothic Literarure greats - Frankenstein (I was surprised how annoying the main character was), Dracula etc

Conan Doyle's Sherlock books

Houseboat on the Styx - funny, but more satire than I like - I don't know enough about politics from the period to get too much from it. I read a couple more by Bangs but they weren't amazing.

A man called Thursday - enjoyable, even if the ending wasn't

Pride and Prejudice

Monkey: a journey to the West (okay, that's a lot older and not Western lit, it was still funny though at times it was trying to go for political satire which doesn't really work 500 years later in a different continent)

H G Wells books - generally enjoyable

Jules Verne - he's too obsessed by numbers and not interested in how people feel, so I find him tiresome. I've read four of his books but won't be reading any more.

Saki's complete short stories - some gems in there, very Oscar Wilde. He's a bit of a woman hater and animals always seem to get hurt horribly in his stories though!

History of Tom Jones: A Foundling - had its moments but got dull before the halfway point and never recovered.

Shakespeare's funnier plays can be fun but I find reading a play less involving than reading a novel. I know that's not the right period either!

Probably more, but my mind's gone blank now!

Any suggestions for less well known gems out there?

06-18-2015, 07:21 AM	#1
Pamplemousse Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 253864 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Victorian humour recommendations, please! Lately I've gotten hooked on late 1800s / early 1900s comedy books and would love recommendations for some more. I love Three Men In A Boat (to say nothing of the dog). I've read all of Jerome K Jerome's other books, although none of them are quite as good as that. I'd be happy for recommendations for any good books written 1850-1920, but particularly funny ones. Off the top of my head, other books from the period that I've read in the last year and a half: Everything by PG Wodehouse Diary of a Nobody Edith Nesbit books (I like children's books too - The Children of Green Knowe is amazing, although not from the period I'm talking about) Mark Twain stories: Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn etc. Some of his stories aren't that funny though. Robert Louis Stevenson (not funny but amazing) Wizard of Oz books - I gave up after the second one as they got really boring. Alice in Wonderland / underground Oscar Wilde - all his work Dickens funnier stories Most Gothic Literarure greats - Frankenstein (I was surprised how annoying the main character was), Dracula etc Conan Doyle's Sherlock books Houseboat on the Styx - funny, but more satire than I like - I don't know enough about politics from the period to get too much from it. I read a couple more by Bangs but they weren't amazing. A man called Thursday - enjoyable, even if the ending wasn't Pride and Prejudice Monkey: a journey to the West (okay, that's a lot older and not Western lit, it was still funny though at times it was trying to go for political satire which doesn't really work 500 years later in a different continent) H G Wells books - generally enjoyable Jules Verne - he's too obsessed by numbers and not interested in how people feel, so I find him tiresome. I've read four of his books but won't be reading any more. Saki's complete short stories - some gems in there, very Oscar Wilde. He's a bit of a woman hater and animals always seem to get hurt horribly in his stories though! History of Tom Jones: A Foundling - had its moments but got dull before the halfway point and never recovered. Shakespeare's funnier plays can be fun but I find reading a play less involving than reading a novel. I know that's not the right period either! Probably more, but my mind's gone blank now! Any suggestions for less well known gems out there?