Books that make you laugh -- recommendations - Page 6

Mitch G · 12-23-2009, 06:23 PM

The Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost had me laughing out loud.
This is a memoir of his time in the South Pacific.
The sequel, Getting Stoned with Savages wasn't as good, imo, but still a decent read.

(I see there's another book about his travels in China as well. I'll have to check that one out.)

Mitch

CCLady · 12-23-2009, 07:22 PM

I haven't laughed out loud over a book for a long time - but I have now, The book is called Like Warm Sun on Nekkid Bottoms, by Chuck Austin. Be advised, this book is smut. Pure porn. I am simply loving it, but I can only read it in small doses, and need to be sure there is dry underwear close at hand...

I don't know about other formats, but this is available for Kindles - and a bargain at $1.99!

mukoan · 12-29-2009, 12:02 AM

This John Scalzi one made me laugh out loud quite a few times:

http://manybooks.net/titles/scalzijo...the_stars.html

An easy, light read... perfect for the holidays. And you can't complain about the price (free).

MelC · 12-29-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch G

The Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost had me laughing out loud.
This is a memoir of his time in the South Pacific.

I agree. Particularly the scene in the water near the beginning with the brown menace... Chuckling over it all over again.

Mel

Abelturd · 12-30-2009, 01:03 PM

The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten.
Catch XXII is my favourite.
Kurt Vonnegut's books have excellent and witty humor (Deadeye Dick, Bluebird, Timequake etc).
Richard Feynman's popular works - Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, What Do You Care What Other People Think? made me laugh quite a lot.
Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance, though I wouldn't call it directly funny, but there's some great absurd/ironic/dark humor in it.

eimert · 12-31-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Gerald Durrell's 'Corfu' books - I've recently re-read them again

Oh, I just adore his writings - he was the first author who made me laugh out loud while reading on a train. I got some strange looks from fellow passengers at that time ...
Did you find any of his works as e-books? I looked everywhere but seems I cannot find any :-(

Happy New Year to Everybody!!!

Klaus

Ea · 01-01-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eimert

Oh, I just adore his writings - he was the first author who made me laugh out loud while reading on a train. I got some strange looks from fellow passengers at that time ...
Did you find any of his works as e-books? I looked everywhere but seems I cannot find any :-(

The Corfu Trilogy at Waterstones
That plus a few more at WHSmith
And you can get "Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons" at either cyberread.com or diesel-ebooks.com, too.

Hope this helps.

Edit: It looks like WHSmith has some kind of geo restrictions that count for Britain?? only - looks odd... I haven't bought anything there, so I don't know how it works.

lilac_jive · 01-01-2010, 10:01 AM

Did anyone mention Boomerang by Alan Hutcheson? I'm reading it right now and it's cracking me up.

eimert · 01-01-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

The Corfu Trilogy at Waterstones
That plus a few more at WHSmith
And you can get "Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons" at either cyberread.com or diesel-ebooks.com, too.

Hope this helps.

Edit: It looks like WHSmith has some kind of geo restrictions that count for Britain?? only - looks odd... I haven't bought anything there, so I don't know how it works.

Hi Ea,

thanks a lot! I wasn't aware of those two shops. Seems I was a bit blind on the British side :-) Hm, indeed, the "Corfu Trilogy" is listed as restricted to the UK, so are some others by Durrell. Well, I may try it out later, anyway.

Thanks again,
Klaus

Billjr13 · 01-07-2010, 02:17 AM

I would second Boomerang by MobileRead's very own Plumboz. Do pick it up, and as a side note I believe he is working on another Ted and Jerry adventure now titled Close Enough For Jazz

plumboz · 01-07-2010, 10:28 AM

May I poke my nose in here?

I second, third and emphatically fourth all the votes for Wodehouse and Pratchett. To me they are Gods of Writing.

Much of Bryson is also wonderful, particularly Notes from a Small Island and A Walk in the Woods. Pickwick Papers? Yes! The Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich may be getting a bit past their prime, (I think she's on number fifteen or sixteen now) but they are still very entertaining. Hiassen is also a favorite, with my top pick by him being Nature Girl.

Douglas Adams, of course.

Jules Feiffer is wonderful.

When I was a kid I read and reread the marvelously funny books of Richard Armour. His takes on history and literature were hilarious.

I was late discovering Waugh, but enjoyed Scoop a lot.

The first section of T.H. White's The Once and Future King where Arthur is still a boy, has wonderful humor throughout. The fight between King Pellinore and Sir Grummore is, to me, just fall down, tears in my eyes funny.

The Dortmunder novels by Donald E. Westlake are the pinnacle of the art of the comic crime novel. Nothing ever goes right for Dortmunder and his buddies.

I turn to The Thurber Carnival frequently for short, wry, funny, perceptive writing.

Much of Twain's travel writing is marvelously funny, as are sections of his autobiography.

And may I say thank you very much for the mention of Boomerang. All of the writers I listed above, along with countless others, have left their mark on me. I hope I'm not embarrassing them.

Best,
Alan aka Plumboz

mikemck · 01-07-2010, 09:32 PM

I'm not really into non-fiction, but I love David Sedaris. When You are Engulfed in Flames, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. and Me Talk Pretty one Day are what I have read.

I can't do him justice explaining his work, but it's sad, funny, heart breaking, uplifting and wincing all at the same time. I've gone from snorting, covering my face with the book trying not to look like an idiot, to trying to hold back tears, all on the same flight.

tech_au · 01-07-2010, 11:22 PM

I am reading a really funny non-fiction ebook called Still Lost in Translation by Charlie Croker.
Its about the hilarious mangling that English gets on various signs around the world.
Some of my favorites so far are:
A Turkish car hire firm proudly boasts: "Air contagion"

In 2 different Japanese car parks were the following signs.
"Please get a punch at window No.2"

and my favorite (A prize is yours if you can work out what it meant to say)
"The area is entranse 2nd floor. Don't shit down!!"

lilac_jive · 01-08-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemck

I'm not really into non-fiction, but I love David Sedaris. When You are Engulfed in Flames, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. and Me Talk Pretty one Day are what I have read.

I can't do him justice explaining his work, but it's sad, funny, heart breaking, uplifting and wincing all at the same time. I've gone from snorting, covering my face with the book trying not to look like an idiot, to trying to hold back tears, all on the same flight.

I'm a big fan of his as well. He never disappoints.

AlexC · 01-08-2010, 01:16 PM

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Oh, sorry. Opposites day.

12-30-2009, 01:03 PM	#80
Abelturd Little Fuzzy Soldier Posts: 580 Karma: 5711 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Nowhere in particular. Device: cybook gen3, htc hero, ipaq 214	The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten. Catch XXII is my favourite. Kurt Vonnegut's books have excellent and witty humor (Deadeye Dick, Bluebird, Timequake etc). Richard Feynman's popular works - Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, What Do You Care What Other People Think? made me laugh quite a lot. Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance, though I wouldn't call it directly funny, but there's some great absurd/ironic/dark humor in it. Last edited by Abelturd; 12-30-2009 at 01:14 PM.

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12-23-2009, 06:23 PM	#76
Mitch G Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 742 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Naperville, IL USA Device: kindle	The Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost had me laughing out loud. This is a memoir of his time in the South Pacific. The sequel, Getting Stoned with Savages wasn't as good, imo, but still a decent read. (I see there's another book about his travels in China as well. I'll have to check that one out.) Mitch

12-23-2009, 07:22 PM	#77
CCLady Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 92 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Culver City, CA Device: Kindle1, Kindle 3 wi-fi 3G, Kindle basic, Kindle Fire	I haven't laughed out loud over a book for a long time - but I have now, The book is called Like Warm Sun on Nekkid Bottoms, by Chuck Austin. Be advised, this book is smut. Pure porn. I am simply loving it, but I can only read it in small doses, and need to be sure there is dry underwear close at hand... I don't know about other formats, but this is available for Kindles - and a bargain at $1.99!

12-29-2009, 12:02 AM	#78
mukoan Lord Of All That's Beige Posts: 105 Karma: 86518 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Paperwhite	This John Scalzi one made me laugh out loud quite a few times: http://manybooks.net/titles/scalzijo...the_stars.html An easy, light read... perfect for the holidays. And you can't complain about the price (free).

01-01-2010, 10:01 AM	#83
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Did anyone mention Boomerang by Alan Hutcheson? I'm reading it right now and it's cracking me up.

01-07-2010, 02:17 AM	#85
Billjr13 Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 550002 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Device: Sony PRS 700 & 650	I would second Boomerang by MobileRead's very own Plumboz. Do pick it up, and as a side note I believe he is working on another Ted and Jerry adventure now titled Close Enough For Jazz

01-07-2010, 10:28 AM	#86
plumboz Novelist Posts: 591 Karma: 452032 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Arizona Device: Nook	May I poke my nose in here? I second, third and emphatically fourth all the votes for Wodehouse and Pratchett. To me they are Gods of Writing. Much of Bryson is also wonderful, particularly Notes from a Small Island and A Walk in the Woods. Pickwick Papers? Yes! The Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich may be getting a bit past their prime, (I think she's on number fifteen or sixteen now) but they are still very entertaining. Hiassen is also a favorite, with my top pick by him being Nature Girl. Douglas Adams, of course. Jules Feiffer is wonderful. When I was a kid I read and reread the marvelously funny books of Richard Armour. His takes on history and literature were hilarious. I was late discovering Waugh, but enjoyed Scoop a lot. The first section of T.H. White's The Once and Future King where Arthur is still a boy, has wonderful humor throughout. The fight between King Pellinore and Sir Grummore is, to me, just fall down, tears in my eyes funny. The Dortmunder novels by Donald E. Westlake are the pinnacle of the art of the comic crime novel. Nothing ever goes right for Dortmunder and his buddies. I turn to The Thurber Carnival frequently for short, wry, funny, perceptive writing. Much of Twain's travel writing is marvelously funny, as are sections of his autobiography. And may I say thank you very much for the mention of Boomerang. All of the writers I listed above, along with countless others, have left their mark on me. I hope I'm not embarrassing them. Best, Alan aka Plumboz

01-07-2010, 09:32 PM	#87
mikemck Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 112976 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: British Columbia, Canada Device: Kindle, Sony PRS 300, IPod Touch (Stanza)	I'm not really into non-fiction, but I love David Sedaris. When You are Engulfed in Flames, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. and Me Talk Pretty one Day are what I have read. I can't do him justice explaining his work, but it's sad, funny, heart breaking, uplifting and wincing all at the same time. I've gone from snorting, covering my face with the book trying not to look like an idiot, to trying to hold back tears, all on the same flight.

01-07-2010, 11:22 PM	#88
tech_au Oz Bookworm Posts: 516 Karma: 4056 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Device: Sony PRS 505,PRS 650	I am reading a really funny non-fiction ebook called Still Lost in Translation by Charlie Croker. Its about the hilarious mangling that English gets on various signs around the world. Some of my favorites so far are: A Turkish car hire firm proudly boasts: "Air contagion" In 2 different Japanese car parks were the following signs. "Please get a punch at window No.2" and my favorite (A prize is yours if you can work out what it meant to say) "The area is entranse 2nd floor. Don't shit down!!"

01-08-2010, 01:16 PM	#90
AlexC Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 737 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Vancouver Device: Apple iPad; iRex iLiad	The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Oh, sorry. Opposites day.