LOL literature

Here are some of my favourite humorous books to lighten your holiday. Most of them made me laugh aloud.

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson – It will take a miracle to ever knock Jonasson’s political satire off my number one spot of humorous literature. The story of Alan Karlsson’s life as an explosives expert is hilarious.

Much like Forest Gump, Alan stumbles into important world events along with the friends he picks up on his escape from an old people’s home. Jonasson has two other books, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden and Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All, which can elicit a chuckle here and there, but they are nowhere near his first novel.

Cakes and Ale by W Somerset Maugham – I first read The Painted Veil, the sad, love story of Kitty Fane and her guilt-ridden sense of duty so I was most surprised to discover Maugham’s light-hearted Cakes and Ale.

In Cakes and Ale, Maugham exposes pretentious writers living between World War I and World War II. When Alroy Kear is selected by Edward Driffield’s wife to write the author’s biography, a comedy of events occur, much of which revolve around Driffield’s first wife, Rosie, a captivating barmaid. Skilfully, Maugham reminds us how humour can highlight serious points.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole – Ignatius J Reilly is a portly and lazy young man who navigates his way through the colourful streets of New Orleans with a pompous air that is totally ridiculous. Still, there is something engaging about Ignatius and his endless excuses for being dysfunctional. A Confederacy of Dunces, published posthumously after Toole committed suicide, makes just about every list there is of the most humorous books. This turned out to be an exceptional audio book because of the narrator’s interpretation of the characters.

Miguel Street by V S Naipaul – Although there are serious and sobering chapters in this novel, Naipaul does manage to captivate readers with the humorous characters that once defined Trinidad.

Who can forget the legend of Man Man? Miguel Street’s humorous characters earn it a place on any top ten list of humorous books.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot – This vet’s recollections of his country clients feature many funny moments because of the way that quirky people project their own weird behaviour onto their pets. Equally funny is Herriot’s relationship with his clients and the pains that he must take to humour their outrageous behaviour. All Creatures Great and Small is a timeless classic in animal literature.

A Fine Romance by Candace Bergen – Humour is not confined to novels. There are humorous biographies as well like this actor’s story of her marriage to French director Louis Malle. A Fine Romance has its fair share of sadness, but Bergen’s wry wit shines throughout the book.

If you ever watched Bergen’s hit TV series Murphy Brown, about an intrepid woman reporter, you will recognise Murphy’s voice shining through this autobiography.

At the end of the day, you’ll find there’s nothing more relaxing than a funny book.

Next week: More humorous literature to discover.