We all need a good laugh sometimes, but writing funny fiction can be difficult and we don’t all find the same things funny. So we asked you, the readers to suggest the books that made you laugh out loud and you answered in your hundreds.
Some of you suggested single books, and some series, here are the top 19 chosen by you!
Stephanie Plum Series – Janet Evanovich
The clear winner is the Stephanie Plum series of books by Janet Evanovich, books you said were laugh out loud funny! Book 1 in the very long series is One for the Money.
Discworld Series – Terry Pratchett
He has to be in the list somewhere and he gets another appearance further down too, it’s Terry Pratchett with his epic Discworld series.
Suggested Discworld Reading order
Review of Equal Rites (Discworld 3)
Review of Snuff (Discworld 39)
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls – Dave Sedaris
We had a few votes for Sedaris, with Me Talk Pretty One Day also mentioned in our suggested books.
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls US
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls UK
A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson
Hugely popular is A Walk in the Woods with Bill Bryson, recommended by many and taking joint fourth place in our poll.
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
Also in fourth place is The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, a classic but still popular today for its whacky style.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy US
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy UK
The Rosie Project – Graeme Simsion
The third book in fourth place is The Rosie Project and many of you said it was simply hilarious.
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened – Jenny Lawson
Jenny Lawson was a finalist in the 2010 Weblog awards for Most Humorous Writer so we’re not surprised to find this finishing our top ten
Let’s Pretend this Never Happened US
Let’s Pretend this Never Happened UK
Shopaholic Series – Sophie Kinsella
A hugely popular ‘chick-lit’ author, Sophie Kinsella writes great contemporary fiction, suffused with both romance and comedy. he first book in the series is The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (UK)/Confessions of a Shopaholic (US).
Confessions of a Shopaholic US
The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic UK
Hell on Earth Series – David Bowen
The Hell on Earth series is punchy and very funny too, and with the third book to be released soon there’s never been a better time to check out this author.
The Martian – Andy Weir
The book of the moment and now a major movie starring Matt Damon, many of you thought The Martian was as funny as it was top-notch!
Also getting a notable number of votes are:
Jeeves and Wooster – P. G Wodehouse
Lamb/Second Hand Souls – Chris Moore
Harry Potter Series – J. K Rowling
The 100 Year old Man who Climbed out of the Window – Jonas Jonasson
Good Omens – Neil Gaiman/Terry Pratchett
Running With Scissors/Sellevision – Augusten Burroughs
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time – Mark Haddon
Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
As always we hope our list offers you some good reading recommendations and thank you to all who suggested a book!
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Funniest books ever, 3 entries. “My Family And Other Animals” by Gerald Durrell, “Fillets Of Plaice” by Gerald Durrell, and “I’ll Trade You An Elk” by Charles Goodrum.
Oh, and “Please Don’t Eat The Daisies” by Jean Kerr
Whoa. What’s funny about Catch 22? Nothing.
That one surprised me too!
Just a small correction, It ought to be “Secondhand Souls” by Christopher Moore rather than Second Hand :).
“Can you keep a secret” by Sophie Kinsella also made me laugh! Pleasant book to read over and over
Leslie Thomas’ “The adventures of Goodnight & Loving”, very funny in some places, poignant in others. A great read. Pamela Branch “Lion in the Cellar”. Surprised no mention of Graham Greene, especially “Travels with my Aunt”, or “Our Man in Havana”.
George MacDonald Fraser’s very funny and well written “McAuslan” series “The General Danced at Dawn”, “The Sheikh and the Dustbin” and McAuslan in the Rough”, though perhaps you have to be British or over forty years of ago to appreciate them!
The Spellman series by Lisa Lutz, Bloodthirsty by Marshall Carp, anything by Carl Hiaasen, they are laugh out loud funny
I thought Sisters Brothers was funny!
Anything by Bill Bryson.
There is only 18 books on this list… I counted 5 times already. Why is it like this?
How anyone could find The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime funny I don’t know. It is a great book but heartbreaking. I think Marion Keyes and Len Deighton are funny sometimes.
I think “I’ve Got Your Number” by Sophie Kinsella is also quite funny. Not a big fan of Shopaholic series.