70 of the Funniest Books of All Time (original) (raw)
Laugh-out-loud funny books
Between the usual life stress and geopolitical angst, we need laughter now more than ever. But good comedy doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. No, many of the best humor authors dive right in. Well-written humor often includes profound perspectives and self-aware stories about the author’s own foibles. And we firmly believe that some of the best books of all time are also incredibly funny books.
Ask Reader’s Digest Book Club members about the authors that leave them in stitches, and they’ll point to the masters: Erma Bombeck, David Sedaris and Jenny Lawson. And you can’t go wrong with the entire Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich—more than a handful of book clubbers cite them as some of the funniest books they’ve ever read.
To compile a list of books guaranteed to make you chuckle or even fall out of bed laughing, we thumbed through bestseller lists, reader ratings and critical reviews, and we asked the bookworms of the Reader’s Digest Book Club for their favorites. Whether you enjoy fiction or nonfiction, memoirs, feel-good stories or something in between, there’s a winner for you among these hilarious and heartwarming picks.
Join the free Reader’s Digest Book Club for great reads, monthly discussions, author Q&As and a community of book lovers.
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A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Genre: Humorous fiction
For fans of: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
John Kennedy Toole won a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his epic 1987 novel. In short, A Confederacy of Dunces is a modern masterpiece and hands down one of the greatest comedy books of all time. Prepare for a madcap adventure with hilarious descriptions, funny sayings and a brilliant plot that follows the tragicomic hero, Ignatius J. Reilly, through a series of zany scenes and exploits.
Looking for your next great book? Read four of today’s most compelling novels in the time it takes to read one with Fiction Favorites. And be sure to join the community!
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Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West
Genre: Nonfiction
For fans of: I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily Nussbaum
In 2020’s Shit, Actually, Lindy West goes back to her movie-critic roots to hilariously critique well-known films in pop culture, from Twilight to The Notebook to Forrest Gump and The Lion King. And let’s just say you’re going to want to add this one to your TBR list immediately. When I tell you this book is full of literal laugh-out-loud commentary, believe me. (I swear, I was laughing nonstop.) Or read for yourself to find out.
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This Is Really Happening by Erin Chack
Genre: YA personal essays
For fans of: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
I truly think this incredibly humorous and heartfelt personal essay collection deserves more recognition. In 2017’s This Is Really Happening, Erin Chack explores her first chemotherapy session at age 19, studying abroad in London, meeting her soulmate in high school, using a menstrual cup for the first time—and so much more. With fresh humor, laugh-out-loud introspection and an enlightening and entertaining voice, the book is made for the teen crowd, but adults won’t want to miss it either.
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My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Genre: Literary fiction
For fans of: Pretend I’m Dead by Jen Beagin
Ottessa Moshfegh’s 2018 darkly humorous, satirical novel is told from the viewpoint of an unreliable and self-proclaimed beautiful narrator who has graduated from Columbia University and lives in New York City. The unnamed narrator of My Year of Rest and Relaxation is trendy and pretty, but she’s also unhappy. That’s when she comes up with a plan: She’ll spend the year sleeping under the influence of prescribed medication—resting. After all, her wacky and not-so-ethical therapist is prescribing the pills, so it really can’t be any easier. But the more she ascends into sleep, the more she begins to alienate herself from the world, including her best friend.
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Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
Genre: Romance
For fans of: It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey and Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho
Talia Hibbert nails humor every single time in her Brown Sisters romance book series, but one of my favorites is the third book, which came out in 2021. In Act Your Age, Eve Brown, we follow the youngest sibling. Eve is a little bit of a mess and is struggling to figure out what she wants to do in life when she comes across a bed-and-breakfast and decides to apply for an open position. She doesn’t quite ace her interview, and things worsen when she accidentally hits owner Jacob Wayne with her car. To try and make things right, she offers her assistance around his B&B and, eventually, the two become close. (It’s a rom-com, so you know where this is going…)
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The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
Genre: Historical fiction fantasy
For fans of: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee and The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain
With sharp, dry and witty humor and a uniquely entertaining plot, India Holton’s 2021 historical fiction book is a fantastical rom-com you won’t soon forget. Set in the Victorian era, The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels focuses on Cecilia Bassingwaite, who’s forced to team up with handsome assassin Ned Lightbourne to save the members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority. Come for the antics, stay for the adventure.
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I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
Genre: Essay collection
For fans of: I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This (But I’m Going to Anyway) by Chelsea Devantez
Nora Ephron was the screenwriter behind rom-com gems Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally, and as I Feel Bad About My Neck proves, her writing is as powerful on the page as it is on-screen. In this 2006 essay collection that touches on themes of feminism and what it means to be a woman, Ephron wrote with humor and relatable honesty about her observations as a woman of a certain age. You’ll laugh, cry and feel like you’re listening to a close friend.
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Have I Told You This Already? Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember by Lauren Graham
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Lauren Graham is best known for playing Lorelei Gilmore on the TV show Gilmore Girls, but her 2022 collection of personal essays proves she’s also an insightful, honest and funny writer. In Have I Told You This Already, Graham shares true stories from her life, many of which focus on family, friendship, stardom and growing up. Readers don’t have to know Graham to enjoy her insights either. She covers everything from behind-the-scenes antics on late-night shows to orange trees, New York, bras, her mother, adopting a dog and ageism in the industry, all with the voice of a comedian.
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Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Genre: Romance
For fans of: Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Ashley Herring Blake’s 2022 novel is both a witty and steamy queer romance, a worthy rom-com through and through. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care follows the titular character, who didn’t think she’d find herself back in Bright Falls. But when she’s offered a big paycheck to photograph her stepsister Astrid’s wedding, she hops on a plane. Claire Sutherland is a single mom who’s raised her 11-year-old daughter mostly on her own, and she’s also one of Astrid’s closest friends. Delilah has always thought of Claire as stuck up, but the more time they spend with each other during the wedding festivities, the closer the two become.
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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Genre: Thriller
For fans of: An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten and #FashionVictim by Amina Akhtar
Those who like dark, satirical humor in their fiction should check out Oyinkan Braithwaite’s 2018 novel, My Sister, the Serial Killer. This suspenseful thriller book follows a Nigerian woman named Korede, whose younger sister, Ayoola, has made a bad habit of killing her boyfriends. But in every instance, Korede is there when Ayoola needs her—for better or worse. Sounds tense, right? But believe it or not, this definitely belongs on our list of the best funny books. Braithwaite infuses the book with such humor and fun that you’ll laugh your way through.
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Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Firoozeh Dumas’s engaging and entertaining 2003 memoir depicts her move from Iran to Whittier, California. In Funny in Farsi, you’ll get antics about her mother, father and the rest of her big family, as well as heartfelt and humorous stories of growing up in a new country. Who can resist touching books that can make you laugh? Not us, that’s for sure.
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Too Much Is Not Enough: A Memoir of Fumbling Toward Adulthood by Andrew Rannells
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr. and Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself and Impostor Syndrome by Aparna Nancherla
Fans of Broadway’s The Book of Mormon and HBO’s Girls will enjoy the star’s humorous recollection of memories, which he lays out in his 2019 memoir, Too Much Is Not Enough. Andrew Rannells recalls moving to New York from Omaha in 1997, seizing the opportunity to transform, going through awful auditions and awkward encounters, and doing everything in his power to chase his dreams.
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Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost and Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
In Samantha Irby’s 2020 essay collection, Wow, No Thank You, she openly shares sharp and conversational insights about marriage, living in a small town, turning 40, achieving success and much more. It’s poignant and funny—and downright entertaining.
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Everything’s Trash, but It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: Survival of the Thickest by Michelle Buteau and The World Record Book of Racist Stories by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
In her 2018 essay collection, Phoebe Robinson’s voice shines as she discusses feminism, beauty standards, toxic masculinity and the terrible things we, as humans, endure in this one life we have. Everything’s Trash is charming, relatable and a refreshing reminder that at least we don’t have to go through the hard things alone. If funny one-liners make you laugh, this is the book for you.
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Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
If you’ve just finished bingeing Beef (one of the best comedies on Netflix), pick up this standout personal essay collection from star Ali Wong. Through letters that are addressed to her daughters, the comedian deftly tackles myriad personal topics with her signature humor. Published in 2019, Dear Girls discusses everything she’s learned within the comedy landscape, reconnecting with her Vietnamese culture, growing up in San Francisco and much more.
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Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Genre: YA contemporary fiction
For fans of: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta and The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Sure, this YA novel may have been published in 1999, but it’s a perfectly timeless tale about the woes of being a teen as told by the ever-hilarious Georgia Nicolson. With laugh-out-loud angst (and I don’t use “out loud” lightly) and relatable embarrassing moments, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging guides readers through the ups and downs of being a teen.
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I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff by Abbi Jacobson
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: Feminasty: The Complicated Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson
Fans of Broad City will love I Might Regret This, a 2018 collection of essays from the sitcom’s co-creator and co-star. Abbi Jacobson’s sharp, poignant and humorous reflections center on themes of love, adulthood, comedy, identity and so much more. If bite-sized and truly funny essays are your jam, this deserves a place on your bookshelf.
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The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Genre: YA historical fiction
For fans of: Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen
Sharp, funny and filled with chucklesome antics, this YA adventure kicks off Mackenzi Lee’s must-binge Montague Siblings YA book series. Pick up The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue to follow Monty, a young bisexual British lord, and his best friend, Percy, as they begin their grand tour of Europe. The problem? Monty is secretly in love with Percy, and thanks to a tiny, slightly reckless (OK, totally reckless) mistake, he’s no longer looking at a trip filled with wooing his best friend into falling in love with him. He’s now part of a dangerous manhunt.
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Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Genre: Cozy mystery
For fans of: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
From the author of the hilarious Aunties series, which kicked off with the sidesplitting Dial A for Aunties, comes a totally new series to get sucked into. Jesse Q. Sutanto’s 2023 novel, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, introduces readers to a tea shop owner who has no doubt she is more capable than the police when it comes to solving mysteries. So when a dead body shows up at her shop one day, she takes the investigation into her own hands. She’s a modern-day Miss Marple, with just as much free time and even stronger opinions. This a great cozy mystery that also happens to be comedy gold.
Reader’s Digest Books Editor Tracey Neithercott read it in a single weekend, snickering from start to finish. “I did not expect to love this book as much as I did,” she says. “But I was hooked from page one by the playful voice and wild situations Vera found herself in. Add in a found family, a murder investigation and plenty of humor, and you get a highly entertaining read.”
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Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding
Genre: Contemporary fiction
For fans of: When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger and Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
This 1999 classic—you might recognize the rom-com movie adaptation of the same name—is both laugh-out-loud funny and charmingly relatable. Bridget, a 30-something singleton, struggles with societal beauty standards, professional and intimate relationships, and the ups and downs of her day job in the heartfelt and hilariously self-deprecating Bridget Jones’s Diary.
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Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta
Genre: Literary fiction
For fans of: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Next on our list of must-read funny books is Tom Perrotta’s 2022 novel, which People called “engrossing and mordantly funny.” So what makes this book about ambition and teenage politics so sidesplittingly caustic? Tracy Flick, the overachieving heroine of Perrotta’s 1998 book, Election, is back in the post-#MeToo era, and she’s ready to shed more light on gender politics with Perrotta’s signature dark-comedic style. It’s not exactly satire, and it’s not exactly lighthearted fiction, but Tracy Flick Can’t Win is guaranteed to make you laugh. That’s one reason it’s such a worthy selection for your next book club read.
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Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
Bob Odenkirk knows comedy. He’s been a writer for Saturday Night Live and an actor on the darkly funny hit Breaking Bad. So it’s no wonder his 2022 memoir, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, is one of the best funny books to read. Throughout the pages, Odenkirk details his career as an entertainer, and the result is a new showbiz classic that will elicit more than a few chuckles.
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Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir by Wil Wheaton
Put this down as one of the funniest books of 2022. Perhaps you know Molly Shannon from her Saturday Night Live years. Or maybe you’re a fan thanks to Showtime’s comedy series I Love That for You. Either way, Hello, Molly! is a win for comedy lovers. The comedian’s autobiographical book is equally hilarious and heartbreaking, funny and family oriented. After losing her mother at a young age, Shannon was raised by an ever-grieving father. Interwoven with behind-the-scenes showbiz stories is the tale of a woman navigating family, fame and the balance of both.
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I’ll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife & Motherhood by Jessi Klein
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: Midlife Bites: Anyone Else Falling Apart, or Is It Just Me? by Jen Mann and Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
An essay collection might not be the first thing on your mind when asked to imagine a stack of funny books. But this 2022 New York Times bestseller about middle age and motherhood has gotten high praise from readers in search of wisdom and wit. Publishers Weekly nailed the description of I’ll Show Myself Out: “Klein makes readers laugh while inspiring them, a feat that calls to mind the work of the late Nora Ephron.”
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Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas
David Sedaris has facilitated an endless stream of wry humor for many years. His 2022 personal essay collection, Happy-Go-Lucky, strikes funny bones again, but this time, he’s delivering poignant, pricelessly droll views on how life changed during and after pandemic lockdowns. The pages are filled with delicate, buoyant takes on everything from quarantine hobbies to the impending death of a parent. As always, Sedaris spins weighty topics into something we can all smile about, if only for a moment. It’s no blockbuster thriller or swoony rom-com, but this book belongs on your list of beach reads.
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T en Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
Hannah Gadsby has already made a name for themself as an international stand-up comedian. With Ten Steps to Nanette, they earn top marks as a debut author. But what makes this 2022 memoir stand out from the crowd of other funny books is its heartfelt dive into Gadsby’s fraught relationship with the comedy world. The book details their comedy career as a member of the queer community, their grappling with twin diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and their commitment to raw honesty, whether it’s funny or not. If you’ve been on the hunt for seriously funny LGBTQ+ books, consider this your next read.
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You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Genre: Contemporary romance
For fans of: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Who’s ready for more romance? Not the protagonist of Sarah Hogle’s 2020 novel, You Deserve Each Other. The trouble is that Naomi Westfield is engaged to be married to her exasperating, frustrating, oddly doting partner, Nicholas Rose. Breaking up with Nicholas is impossible since neither wants to foot the bill for the lavish, nonrefundable wedding reception. This hilarious, sarcastic enemies-to-lovers story belongs on your short list of fictional comedies to read this year. “I went in expecting a light, run-of-the-mill rom-com but found myself laughing out loud at Naomi’s descriptions of Nicholas’s less-than-lovable habits and scenes with her future monster-in-law,” says Neithercott. “Save this one to use as a palate cleanser between heavy or dark books.”
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Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Genre: YA contemporary fiction
For fans of: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
Megan McCafferty may have introduced readers to Jessica Darling back in 2001 with the publication of Sloppy Firsts, but her sharp, witty voice makes this classic YA novel feel fresh. Anyone who has ever come of age knows how awful it can feel, but it’s definitely made worse when your best friend moves away. I mean, who is Jessica supposed to talk to about Marcus Flutie? And her nagging mother? A natural fit for younger teens who gobble up Judy Blume books, Sloppy Firsts is one of those relatable, fun stories that readers want to revisit again and again.
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Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes by Jessica Pan
Genre: Personal growth
For fans of: Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
Jessica Pan’s chronicle of a year of trying to become an extrovert was one of the most humorous books of 2019 and a favorite among Reader’s Digest Book Club members. In a gentle, self-deprecating fashion, Sorry I’m Late describes Pan’s adventures in pushing herself past her comfort zone while inspiring readers to do the same. From taking an improv class to hosting a dinner, Pan’s hilarious escapades read as heartwarming and relatable to introverts and extroverts alike.
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I’m More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans: And Other Romantic Observations by Ginny Hogan
Genre: Nonfiction short stories
For fans of: I Do Everything I’m Told by Megan Fernandes and How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo
Are you fed up with the trials and tribulations of modern dating? If so, this 2022 read was made for you. In I’m More Dateable than a Plate of Refried Beans, comedian Ginny Hogan offers a smattering of relationship tales about everything from first dates to breakups to weddings. The best part? They’re all told through a lens of self-awareness about the absurdity of relationship quizzes, dating apps and other newfangled attempts to unravel the mysteries of love. It’s infotainment at its finest.
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Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman
Genre: Contemporary romance
For fans of: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Smash together humor, steamy romance and coming-of-age themes into a national bestseller. What do you get? Funny You Should Ask, Elissa Sussman’s 2022 novel about a reporter with the hots for her superstar interviewee. Told in two time lines—the fateful first interview, then a second that unfolds 10 years later—this book is a delight for fans of second-chance romances, sizzling meet-cutes and witty banter.
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We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy by Kliph Nesteroff
Genre: Historical
For fans of: Choctalking on Other Realities by LeAnne Howe
There’s nothing funny about the horrific history of Native Americans, who were mistreated and discriminated against. But when comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff compiles the stories of early and modern Indigenous comedians, you get a beautiful blend of history, education and dark comedy. Dubbed one of the best books of 2021 by Esquire and NPR, We Had a Little Real Estate Problem will inspire you to read more books by Native American authors.
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You’re Funny for A… by Sophia Zarders
Genre: Humorous nonfiction
For fans of: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
An illustrated collection of profiles of LGBTQ+ and female comedians, You’re Funny for A… hit bookstores in late 2022. Pick up a copy to laugh, sure, but also to be inspired and motivated by the stories of these scrappy jokesters. It’s the perfect coffee table book or holiday gift for comedy lovers. It’s also a stellar introduction to brilliant talent in showbiz.
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The Sellout by Paul Beatty
Genre: Literary fiction
For fans of: Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu and White Teeth by Zadie Smith
If you’re on the hunt for critically lauded funny books, Paul Beatty has you covered. The author’s 2016 comic novel, The Sellout, is made for those who revel in intricate sentences that sparkle with such extreme wit that you pause, sit back, smile and think. This highly acclaimed book won multiple awards, including the Man Booker Prize. You’ll follow a caustic narrator on trial before the Supreme Court in a story that challenges American tenets around race, politics and history.
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The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Finding Me by Viola Davis and The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
You may be familiar with Jenifer Lewis from her turn in the must-see sitcom Black-ish, in which she plays Ruby Johnson. Or maybe you’ve watched her in one of the hundreds of other roles she’s had in film and television, usually cast as a scene-stealing mom. Her hilarious and heartfelt 2018 memoir, The Mother of Black Hollywood, offers a gripping, can’t-put-it-down account of her career as an actress as well as a chronicle of the trials and triumphs in her personal life along the way. Her writing crackles with the same wit and dazzle she brings to the stage and screen.
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Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Educated by Tara Westover and The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr
Patricia Lockwood’s deeply funny 2018 memoir about an unconventional religious upbringing in Kansas won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. In Priestdaddy, she chronicles how she and her husband moved into her parents’ home, a rectory, throwing themselves, as she puts it, “on the mercy of the church.” From there, she details her coming-of-age amid her father’s conversion to Catholicism with sharp, funny prose that brims with insight and humor.
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Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches by John Hodgman
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Joyful Recollections of Trauma by Paul Scheer and The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment by A.J. Jacobs
John Hodgman fills Vacationland, his low-key travelogue, with his characteristic deadpan wit and wry self-deprecation. Published in 2018, Hodgman’s memoir chronicles middle age, masculinity and privilege with a blunt insight that’s a perfect fit for the subject matter. Cement yourself as Child of the Year by ordering an extra copy of this guy-friendly book to share with your dad.
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Just the Funny Parts … and a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club by Nell Scovell
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Scandals of Classic Hollywood by Anne Helen Petersen and All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons and Politicians by Phil Elwood
Nell Scovell has rubbed shoulders with a who’s who of Hollywood. And with 2018’s Just the Funny Parts, she takes the reader into what she calls the “Hollywood boys’ club,” revealing the inner workings of an industry in which she was often the only woman working in a group of men. Scovell wrote for David Letterman and hit TV shows like The Simpsons and Murphy Brown, so she knows what she’s talking about. The book is both a hilarious and wise take on gender in the workplace.
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Cool, Calm and Contentious by Merrill Markoe
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
In this 2012 series of poignant essays, comedian and writer Merrill Markoe displays what she calls her compulsive impulse to recast the disagreeable as funny. She starts Cool, Calm and Contentious by delving into the mysteries of her mother’s harsh but funny remarks and continues with laugh-out-loud stories that wrestle difficult moments into full-fledged humor. Essays may not be your go-to book genre, but this bright and hilarious collection may convince you to give more of them a try.
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Weird but Normal by Mia Mercado
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Meaty by Samantha Irby and Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino
Give your inner weirdo what it wants with 2020’s Weird but Normal. Mia Mercado’s refreshing and relatable brand of humor takes on the everyday foibles of being human and recasts them as harrowing and hilarious. Her comedic timing entwines with insights on race, gender and identity through honest observations about the norms and weirdnesses of our modern world.
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Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
Genre: YA contemporary fiction
For fans of: Geek Girl by Holly Smale and Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
Fans of Louise Rennison’s funny young adult novels adore her wild and witty heroines. Published in 2012, Withering Tights takes place at a performing arts college in the Yorkshire Dales, a setting our imaginative heroine considers just like _Wuthering Heights_—except with more drama. Lovable narrator Talullah has a series of comic misadventures in book one of a series filled with zany and awkward farces.
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I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé by Michael Arceneaux
Genre: Personal essays
For fans of: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
With boldness and brilliance that’s both funny and profound, Michael Arceneaux explores what it’s like to be Black and gay in America in his 2018 book, I Can’t Date Jesus. In a penetrating and relatable voice, Arceneaux takes on cultural bigotry and division and shows everyone how to emerge unscathed, strong and emboldened. It’s a journey about unlearning the worst of the world and embracing who you are.
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Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance by Riane Konc
Genre: Parody
For fans of: Choose Your Own Misery: The Holidays by Mike MacDonald and Jilly Gagnon
Fans of Choose Your Own Adventure books already know the pleasures and anxieties of carving out a path for a book’s protagonist. That’s even harder during the holidays, especially when a muscular hunk is involved. Indulge the hilarity of Christmas and bask in the conventions of rom-coms with Riane Konc’s Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance. The interactive and deeply comic 2019 Christmas book is frisky fun for any time of the year.
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Shrill by Lindy West
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay and Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister
Lindy West’s brilliant, biting 2017 book about being a woman with lots to say was adapted into a Hulu TV show of the same name. And while it’s worth a watch, you’re going to want to read the book as well. In her bestselling Shrill, West writes about her experiences navigating her career as a writer—and a funny one—in a world in which women aren’t considered funny. She writes with scathing honesty about misogyny, fatphobia and her experience with internet trolls. West will inspire you to get brave and show you how to find your inner courage.
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Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Genre: Humor essays
For fans of: I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away by Bill Bryson
Fans of famed humorist Davis Sedaris have a hard time picking out their favorite book or essay from his chuckle-inducing bestselling collection, which is why you’ll find more than one of them on our list of the most humorous books. In Me Talk Pretty One Day, published in 2001, Sedaris chronicles his fish-out-of-water adventures in Paris with brilliant wit, proving he’s one of the best humor writers of all time.
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The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell by W. Kamau Bell
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: How to Be Black by Baratunde Thurston
W. Kamau Bell hosts CNN’s United Shades of America and is known for the affable humor he brings to difficult subjects, such as structural racism. His insightful and funny 2018 memoir, The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell, blends pop-culture commentary with educational truth-telling. His awkward thoughts are anything but as they pull readers into a narrative worthy of a stand-up comedy routine that changes hearts and minds.
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The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Genre: Contemporary romance
For fans of: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas and You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Readers who like romance novels with fresh, fun voices will find that in Christina Lauren’s 2019 book. The Unhoneymooners centers on a woman named Olive who has to endure her sister’s wedding alongside the best man, Ethan (aka her worst enemy). But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning—except Olive and Ethan—the two embark on her sister’s all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii for a free vacation. And when a run-in with her future boss leads Olive into a fake-dating situation with Ethan, hilarity ensues.
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Bossypants by Tina Fey
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher and How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
Tina Fey’s 2011 memoir, Bossypants, bubbles over with wry observations about her life experience and the human condition itself. Fey describes events in her early years, how she finally got a writing gig on Saturday Night Live and the ins and outs of being a woman in the entertainment biz. Fans of this book describe laughing out loud and erupting in giggles all the way through.
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The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Genre: Fantasy
For fans of: The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
You’ve no doubt seen The Princess Bride movie by now, but we’re going to fill you in on a little secret: The book is better. (The books are always better!) You’ll get the same story of Princess Buttercup, Westley and the motley crew that kidnapped her—along with the clever structure you got a taste of in the movie. But in the book, that framing device is even more fun and leads to even more laughs.
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Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation by Adam Resnick
Genre: Short stories
For fans of: How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t by Lane Moore
Adam Resnick masters the hilarity of woebegone cynicism in this 2014 story collection. Will Not Attend includes a riff on avoiding parties as a child and resisting his fellow second-graders—especially boys, “with their cretinous obsession with weaponry and construction vehicles.” Get ready for witty writing that pulls you into tales about being neurotic, human and comically antisocial.
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All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Genre: Science fiction
For fans of: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Readers who can’t get enough of science fiction that speculates about a robot future and those whose favorite genre is space opera will gobble up Martha Well’s Murderbot Diaries series, beginning with 2017’s All Systems Red. Can a grouchy, self-aware droid that’s hacked its own system work with humans long enough to save the day when things start going wrong—even if it takes time away from the television series it has downloaded?
“This book took me by complete surprise,” says Neithercott. “I laughed my way through the slim volume … and right into the next book in the series. If you think you don’t like science fiction, you’ve never met Murderbot, a security droid (aka killing machine) with social anxiety who’d rather chill out and watch TV. You will never meet a more relatable or likable character. And if you happen to be an introvert? Get ready to meet your favorite fictional friend.”
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This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Genre: Family-life fiction
For fans of: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson and A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
Jonathan Tropper’s 2009 novel, This Is Where I Leave You, follows the dysfunctional antics of the Foxman family. They’ve gathered together for their father’s funeral, but the loss brings buried angst to the surface in a way that’s both heartbreaking and funny. Get ready for acerbic quips and a family that tosses one-liners at one another like grenades.
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Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Genre: Short stories
For fans of: Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks and Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
Students may complain that classic books are dense and dry, but here’s proof that older titles can still leave you laughing. First published in the U.K. in 1925, P.G. Wodehouse’s Carry On, Jeeves serves up classic British humor and some of the best short stories you’ll ever read. The collection zeroes in on the inept aristocrat Wooster and his manservant, or “keeper,” Jeeves. Wooster and his bevy of hapless friends constantly get into trouble, while Jeeves saves the day. The writing is full of upper-crust wit that will impress you while making you giggle.
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Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu
Comedian Trevor Noah, the former host of The Daily Show, writes with effortless wit and intelligence as he characterizes the absurdity of being “born a crime”—in apartheid South Africa, the union between his (White) Swiss father and (Black) Xhosa mother carried a prison sentence of five years. In Born a Crime, his 2016 memoir, Noah tells stories of his difficult boyhood alongside a fearless mother determined to protect him. His wisecracks punctuate tales that won’t fail to move you. Not only is his 2016 memoir one of the best comedy books for adults, but its adaptation for young readers is a worthy book about diversity for kids too.
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A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed and Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Bill Bryson’s 1998 comic tale (adapted for film in 2015) is the official travel guide of the Appalachian Trail, the 2,100-mile stretch along the Eastern seaboard that he calls the “granddaddy of long hikes.” He chronicles his experience in a book that’s ultimately about the American wilderness: its conservation and its history. But the topic is secondary to his command of the English language—the driest details become comedy gold when spun through his hilariously literary voice. Fans of A Walk in the Woods (Reader’s Digest Book Club members among them) often list this as a must-read of the humor genre.
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The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson and More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
Issa Rae, star of the hit HBO show Insecure, recounts what it’s like to be a social misfit in a way that’s effortlessly lovable and totally relatable. Her 2015 book, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, shares a name with the hit web series that catapulted her to stardom. Being awkward is rarely this brilliant, brave and beautiful, and in Rae’s insightful writing, it’s also incredibly funny.
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It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by Laurie Notaro
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe and Welcome to the United States of Anxiety: Observations from a Reforming Neurotic by Jen Lancaster
Published in 2011, Laurie Notaro’s hilarious and bestselling slice-of-life memoir turns mundane challenges into comedy treasures. It Looked Different on the Model begins in the dressing room of a chic boutique, and Notaro’s riffs on shopping, price tags and the fantasy of what a great blouse might do for you are sidesplittingly funny. She muses that stores should have “courtesy volcanoes” outside dressing rooms so women can toss themselves in after discovering their total inadequacy in certain lighting. You won’t be able to stop reading, and you’ll laugh the whole time.
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Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Genre: Comedy
For fans of: Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla and Sleep Talkin’ Man by Karen Slavick-Lennard
Justin Halpern found himself living back at home with his parents after his girlfriend unexpectedly dumped him. His recently retired dad spent his time speaking in a charmingly crude vernacular, what Halpern characterizes as a “mixture of honesty and insanity.” When Halpern posted his father’s witticisms to Twitter (and yes, it was still Twitter at the time), they took off.
The 2010 Sh*t My Dad Says book picks up where the viral tweets ended. It includes more stories and a compilation of his dad’s best quotes on a variety of subjects, like this bit of slumber-party advice: “There’s chips in the cabinet and ice cream in the freezer. Stay away from knives and fire. OK, I’ve done my part. I’m going to bed.” It’s a worthy literary gift for Father’s Day or your dad’s birthday, but let’s be honest: You’re going to want to keep this one for yourself.
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Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Genre: Humorous fiction
For fans of: Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams and Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez
Comic horror novelist Christopher Moore may be well known for his biting take on the vampire novel, but his spin on the gospel is perhaps even more worthy of your time. In Lamb, his popular 2002 novel, the early life of Jesus is retold by his bestie, Biff. It’s as poignant as it is hilarious, and fans admit to laughing out loud during the entirety of the story.
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Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
Genre: Humorous fiction
For fans of: Ripped Tide by Lance Carney and Big Trouble by Dave Barry
Fans love Carl Hiaasen’s over-the-top novels for their zany writing and bizarre scenarios. Published in 2013, Bad Monkey follows former cop Andrew Yancy as he investigates a severed arm that turns up at the end of a fishing line. The middle finger is somehow frozen in a raised position, a harbinger of the crude and funny madcap investigation to come.
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The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Genre: Classic fiction
For fans of: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard and Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Oscar Wilde’s famous play, written in 1915, is still considered a rollicking read. Wilde was a master of witty repartee and sarcastic quotes, and the dialogue here delivers. The Importance of Being Earnest concerns two men romancing two women, and it’s filled with madcap chaos and hilarious twists and turns. Lose yourself in timeless language that still induces an impressive amount of giggles.
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Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by Laurie Notaro
Nobody does self-effacing humor quite like Jenny Lawson, whose Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is the hilariously irreverent book you’ve been meaning to read. Get caught up in Lawson’s lively style filled with asides, cussing and truly alluring sarcasm. This 2013 memoir became a much-loved bestseller because Lawson’s life stories are heartwarming, relatable and gut-bustingly funny.
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Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman
A riff on Judy Blume’s classic children’s book, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Chelsea Handler’s Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea sees the comedian turning to her idea of a higher power: booze. Handler’s 2009 musings are clever and engaging enough to keep you turning pages and full of enough humor to keep you laughing. With a raunchy, offensive style filled with comic punches, she lets readers in on the details of her life, both the outrageous and the mundane.
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One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Genre: Comedic crime
For fans of: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz and Louisiana Longshot by Jana Deleon
In Janet Evanovich’s 2011 novel One for the Money, the first in her bestselling Stephanie Plum series, you’ll follow the exploits of a department store lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter. The eponymous Jersey girl is known for her wisecracks, cynical outlook and adventures in capturing her erstwhile hookup, the hottie Morelli. She needs the money, so why not try to apprehend an old fling? Add in some laugh-out-loud antics, and this is escapist reading at its best.
Evanovich’s 30th Stephanie Plum novel, Dirty Thirty, was a Reader’s Digest Book Club pick, and she is, hands down, the author most recommended by Reader’s Digest Book Club members to anyone looking for a good laugh. If you are too, you’re in luck: You have 75 Janet Evanovich books to chuckle your way through.
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Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Genre: Memoir
For fans of: I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom and Mean by Myriam Gurba
Mindy Kaling’s signature wit comes with heaping doses of brilliance in Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, a 2012 memoir about her life as the daughter of immigrants and how she became known for her comedy. She was a writer and performer on the critically acclaimed, ever-ironic and hilariously soulful The Office. She also starred in, wrote and executive produced the hit show The Mindy Project. You’ll laugh as you fall hard for her honest, tell-it-like-it-is voice.
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Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Genre: Women’s fiction
For fans of: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Maria Semple’s brilliantly satirical and unconventional 2013 book, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, follows a Seattle mom who disappears two days before Christmas. It’s up to her 15-year-old daughter to figure out what’s become of her. The women’s fiction book unfolds through emails, texts, letters, bills and all the paperwork that makes up contemporary life. Semple infuses the story with a wry sense of humor and characters you won’t soon forget.
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Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
Genre: Adult picture book
For fans of: The Kid in the Crib by Lex Friedman and Goodnight iPad by Ann Droyd
This 2011 book is the perfect bedtime story for weary parents of small children. But be careful! You don’t want to wake up the kids—and you won’t get through it without cracking up. Adam Mansbach’s hilariously obscene bestselling picture book stole the hearts of every parent who’s ever tried to get their kid to finally fall asleep. With lulling, cussword-laden lines of poetry and gorgeous illustrations of children sleeping near wildlife, this classic gag book remains a favorite. Just keep it away from the kids—Goodnight Moon or any number of picture books and graphic novels are better suited to the younger set.
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Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
Genre: Humorous fiction
For fans of: Straight Man by Richard Russo and Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman
If you’re the kind of person who finds the epistolary form amusing and the antics of insufferable academics funny, pick up a copy of Julie Schumacher’s 2015 novel, Dear Committee Members. Told through a series of letters and emails, this effortlessly riotous tale centers on chapfallen professor Jason Fitger. He’s a whiz at writing passive-aggressive letters of recommendation and other complaints. The plot follows up on his bleak love affairs and even bleaker grad student. It’s the best mix of moving and funny.
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You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson
Genre: Essay collection
For fans of: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
Stand-up comedian Phoebe Robinson explains several important things in her 2016 bestseller, You Can’t Touch My Hair—and you’ll find them both casually riveting and brilliant. Her prose jumps from profound to hilarious to essential, tackling topics like pop culture, gender and race in a narrative voice that’ll grip you from the start. If you’re looking for more books by Black authors to round out your reading, be sure this gem is on your list.
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We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
Genre: Essay collection
For fans of: The Wreckage of My Presence by Casey Wilson
Samantha Irby’s books and blogs are always funny and wise. Her 2017 essay collection, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, delivers similar profundities about our absurdist culture disguised as jokes. This one starts with her application to be on The Bachelorette: When asked if she has any children, her answer is, “I’m counting the cat here. So, yes.” (Its name is Helen Keller.) Her hobbies include “scrolling through Facebook quickly enough that people’s stupid videos don’t start playing automatically.” Irby’s seemingly offhand quips will quickly enrapture you.
Additional reporting by Leandra Beabout and Molly Pennington, PhD.
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