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Now I've thought about it there are two although I can;t remember the titles. 😉
One was written by a french guy about a professional scapegoat.
The other was about a record producer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Throwback-Tom-Sharpe/dp/0099435527#_
(sorry for advert but wanted to check title)
this was a laugh out loud for both me and a mate, some of same authors others at about same date - the ones set in South Africa were also good
I can't recall titles but, in the distant past, I seem to recall Willie Rushton writing some good stuff.
I also find Bill Bryson's sense of humour good. I dread to think how much research goes in to his more factual books (which also show humour) such as At Home.
"The Throwback" is the 2nd funniest Tom Sharpe IMO. Unfortunately I recognise some characteristics in that book that may apply to myself....
I'd rate them
1. Indecent Exposure
2. The Throwback
3. Riotous Assembly (sequel to Indecent)
4. then the rest.
Three Men in a Boat
French Revolutions
To hell in a handcart... Such a true reflection of the UK written into a hilarious story.
I read "Adolf Hitler: My part in his downfall" by Spike Milligan when I was about 13 and thought it was the funniest thing in the World.
By the end of page one I was unable to breath I was laughing so hard.
Milligan's War Memoirs for me too.
I stopped reading French Revolutions, I just didn't like the way he told the story and thought he was a bit of a knob. I might have to try it again.
A big +1 for PJ O'Rourke's Batchelors Home Companion from me. The first book of his I've read and still probably the funniest although he has some great pieces in Republican Party Reptile.
I like Pratchett, have been a fan for 20 years now - the only author to have mad me actually laugh out loud, although his later books don't quite have the edge that the earlier books did. I'd say books 3-15 from the discworld series are his better stuff
Can I plug my brother-in-law's book here, I genuinely did enjoy it, very amusing and very well written
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teachers-Great-Small-Andy-Seed/dp/0755362128
go on, buy it for your mum. She'll love it.
[i]How I Escaped My Certain Fate[/i] - Stewart Lee.
Bit old fashioned but -
Go to book shop, online or real - ask for PG Woodhouse section - select book at random - laugh til you cry.
Works every time.
Magnus Mills - The Restraint of Beasts. Very funny.
I love that book, but is it funny? I thought it was a bit depressing, maybe it was my mindset at the time.
My suggestion is What a Carve Up by Jonathan Coe. If I was writing the blurb for the back cover I'd say "A devastating and devastatingly funny critique of modern Britain and a perceptive comedy of manners - even more relavant now than when it was written in the 1980s."
The Thought Gang by Tibour Fischer is actually laugh out loud funny.
Thomas Pennman! Without a doubt the funniest book for me, got to have a perverse sense of humour though!
STW is great sometimes. Just bought a load of books recommended here both in paper and on the kindle, thanks chaps.
+n for Milligan, Bryson, Douglas Adams (The meaning of Liff is superb).
There's a cycling based sequel to Three Men in a Boat called Three Men on the Bummel (which is German for 'pointless journey'!). Well worth a read, still relevant.
Wodehouse is hilarious. The Golf stories are great, even if you hate the game.
Rogers profanisaurus is probably the funniest of the lot, though.
chakaping - it is a bit bleak, but that's why I found bits of it so funny I think, totally deadpan and absurd.
Orange Crush - MemberI can't recall titles but, in the distant past, I seem to recall Willie Rushton writing some good stuff.
Good call, I remember one book about decorating almost had me in hospital from laughing. It was years ago so might not be so funny now.
Found it!
Practical Decorating for Practically Everyone (essay and illustrations by Rushton) (Polycell, 1976, 1977?)
Tea & sympathy, can't recall author but he is/was a serving London ambulance service paramedic.
STW is great sometimes. Just bought a load of books recommended here both in paper and on the kindle, thanks chaps.
+1, just downloaded a couple of suggestions from the Kindle store on Amazon.
I found Mil Millington's stuff hilarious as well. A mate lent me a book when I was recovering from a fractured pelvis and I had to stop reading after a while cos I was laughing so much the pain was unbearable!
Runiair by Paul Kilduff is very good - story about the authors travels round Europe using Ryanair and other budget airlines, that's got some hysterically funny observations and phrases.
An old one;
Diary of a Nobody.
"The Throwback" is the 2nd funniest Tom Sharpe IMO. Unfortunately I recognise some characteristics in that book that may apply to myself....I'd rate them
1. Indecent Exposure
2. The Throwback
3. Riotous Assembly (sequel to Indecent)
All brilliant 🙂
This thread has also inspired me to get some more books (despite only managing about two a year nowadays), think I'll investigate Douglas Adams' non-Hitchhikey work.
I realise with mild horror that I own hundreds of books, of which none are (or are intended to be) funny. 🙂
The Thought Gang by Tibour Fischer is actually laugh out loud funny
+1
I got a lot of funny looks a few years ago on holiday when I properly laughed out loud plenty of times whilst reading this beside the pool 😀
I can't believe we've got this far and no one's mentioned A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy O'Toole!
It was good but not [i]hilarious[/i], I thought.
People recommending The Thought Gang: Do you have a working knowledge of philosphy? I liked it a lot but wondered if it would be funny to anyone who hadn't studied the subject.
PJ O'Rourkes early books I found laugh out loud funny. Considering I'm at the other end of the spectrum politics wise that was a fair achievement.
The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle
Kitchen Confidential with chef Anthony Bourdain
Really well written, very real, and made me burst out laughing.
I found a lot of "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson to have a lot of laugh of loud parts. Even on the 3rd reading that are parts that made me laugh.
Yes Man.
Not the best book I've read, but definitely the funniest.
Just bought a load of books recommended here both in paper and on the kindle, thanks chaps.
What did you get, out of interest?
The first four brentford books, a spike milligan, the throwback which I'm sure I've read but happy to read again and the four men in a boat one.
I also saw that the latest Neal Stephenson's book is out so I got that too.
Funniest book I've ever read is;
"Don't Tell Mom I Work on the Rigs: She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse"
Just read it.
I found a lot of "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson to have a lot of laugh of loud parts. Even on the 3rd reading that are parts that made me laugh.
Ha! The set piece about the diner where they used to wind up the owner by putting insects in the soup. I thought I was going to have a seizure.
The Thought Gang by Tibour Fischer is actually laugh out loud funny.
+1. "Under the Frog" is also very good.
Most P. J. O'Rourke books are great (despite his republican leanings) - "Parliament of Whores" would be my favourite.
"Scoop" by Evelyn Waugh.
Any of the "South American" novels of Louis de Bernieres. Better known for Captain Corelli's Mandolin but not many laughs there. Try:
"The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts"
"Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord"
"The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman"
Full of outrageous Latin-American stereotypes but very funny.
It's a toss up between Charlie Richardson or Ronnie Woods autobiographies. Ronnie was comical but Charlie had me almost pee my pants at the end.