I’ve been thinking about funny books a lot lately, and specifically what makes a book funny to me. Humor is subjective and especially so when it comes to funny books. What makes me laugh might not work for you, and vice-versa. That’s the beauty of the reading life—and life in general.

I might have guesses that funny books would be characterized by an absence of hard things, but when I survey the books that have made me laugh the hardest, that is not remotely accurate. In fact, the book I found funniest in this year’s Summer Reading Guide is also the one with the darkest premise, and that is Alison Espach’s forthcoming release The Wedding People. (Read about it in our Minimalist Summer Reading Guide!) The 2024 Guide book I found the second funniest might not seem remotely funny at first look: it’s about two sad people, reflecting on their difficult pasts, and features a wistful tone throughout … but it made me laugh so hard I shook the whole couch, repeatedly, and my family kept saying, What are you reading?

For me, the potential for humor seems to be strongest when the heavy and light nestle up side by side. These days I’m enjoying books in which the protagonist, whether they’re an actual person or a fictional character, faces difficult circumstances with sharp humor and a quick wit. My favorite funny authors say there are other elements they keep in mind when writing humor: Rowley and Poeppel love groups of threes, Sedaris and Greer keep an eye out for absurdity, Ephron strove to be “quirky or perverse or thoughtful enough” to make her reader care—and chuckle.

For more recommendations, and more detailed exploration about what makes something funny, MMD Book Club had an insightful (and hilarious) conversation with author Amy Poeppel about funny books a couple of years ago. We talked about the books she personally finds funny, as well as how she infuses humor into her own work. Some of her reasons seem pretty obvious, but others were not at all what I expected!

I hope you enjoy today’s list of funny books; I’d love to hear your recommendations in comments, along with any insight you may have about the kinds of books you tend to find funny, or the elements that your favorite funny authors use to make us laugh out loud while reading.

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Author: Jonathan Tropper

Shortly after Judd catches his wife having an affair with her boss, he learns his non-observant father’s dying wish was for the family to sit shiva once he was gone. The family is shocked and less than enthused since no one gets along. What could possibly happen when people who hate each other are trapped in a room for seven days? There’s plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong—and they do, in the most ridiculous, understandable ways. Trotter’s wry, sarcastic tone and the flawed but real characters had me eager to find out what would happen next. More info →Author: Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union fearlessly shares stories about race, beauty standards, Hollywood, and her own history of sexual assault. The result is moving in many places and laugh-out-loud funny in others. I haven't yet read this myself but several MMD team members rave about it, including Shannan, who loves it because Gabrielle is so honest (some may say a little TOO honest, she says) about her life: she glosses over nothing. She is also hilarious. True story: Shannan read part of this in a bookstore and kept drawing curious glances from her fellow shoppers because she laughed so hard she snorted! More info →ChirpAuthor: Issa Rae
In her debut collection of essays, Issa Rae discusses how difficult it is to be an awkward introvert—especially when people are constantly expecting her to be "cool" just because she's Black. She's funny, and her tone is lighthearted—yet she also speaks frankly about the stereotypes she faces as a Black woman. More info →Author: Steven Rowley
Grief and the potential for new life and love exist side by side in Rowley’s fan favorite novel (that has a sequel hitting shelves this summer). When Patrick aka Gay Uncle Patrick aka GUP is called in to take care of his nine-year-old niece Maisie and six-year-old nephew Grant after the death of their mother (and his best friend) at his brother’s request, he tries to get out of it. What does a former actor know about raising kids? But needs must and so to Patrick’s Palm Springs home they go. In the process, Patrick has to take stock of his fading career and finally grieve the past loss of his partner, all while shepherding Maisie and Grant through their new normal. While this book contains moments of heartbreak, lighthearted moments abound courtesy of GUP’s constant barrage of both innuendo and dad jokes. More info →Author: Nora Ephron
This is a largely autobiographical novel about the breakup of a marriage; it's way funnier than I might have expected any book on the subject to be. The foodie angle was a pleasant surprise. When a What Should I Read Next? guest raved about this, specifically the audio version read by Meryl Streep, I finally caved and downloaded it. I'm so glad I did. More info →Author: Kira Jane Buxton
A foul-mouthed pet crow is all that stands between humankind and the end of the world as we know it in Buxton’s genre-bending debut. When ST’s owner Big Jim’s eyes suddenly fall out, the crow attempts all of his tried-and-true remedies to no avail. He sets out with Big Jim’s dog Dennis, only to find zombies are afoot and other predators might be lurking in Seattle. ST may not be the hero anyone expected but he is the one we need. I didn’t expect this horror-ish novel to be as big-hearted and entertaining as it feels. More info →Author: Andrew Sean Greer
This book stunned many readers when it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2018, because comic novels never win serious prizes! Until this one. Arthur Less is facing his 50th birthday, his ex-boyfriend of nine year's wedding to another, and his publisher's rejection of his latest manuscript, all at the same time. He decides to hit the road—and on this trip, everything that can go wrong, does. Nonstop puns on the author's name, an arch sense of humor, and an interesting narrative structure keep this book filled with sad things from feeling downcast. Once the narrator was revealed in the book’s final pages I was strongly tempted to immediately begin again. Funny thing: I've noticed that readers tend to enjoy this more on audio than paper; I wonder if it's because Robert Petkoff's narration captures Greer’s intended tone exactly right? More info →Author: Julie Schumacher
An inside look at the world of academia via letters from the much-leaguered professor of creative writing and literature Jason Fitger. His department faces massive budget cuts, his writing career is on pause, and so is his personal life. We learn it all as Fitger writes abrasive letters of recommendation for students and tells committee members (and everyone else he writes) exactly what he thinks. As entertaining as it is passive-aggressive, which is to say: greatly. More info →Author: Abbi Waxman
This debut is tender and laugh-out-loud funny, which you might not expect given the premise. Lilian's husband died in a car accident in front of their house four years ago and she hasn’t felt quite ready to move on. Lili is no longer stuck in her grief, but she is in a rut, and generally okay with it: life with her daughters is enough. But when she's given a special project at work to illustrate a book about vegetables, she's signed up for their six-week garden class, introducing Lili (and the readers!) to a delightful cast of fellow gardeners. An unlikely community forms, and no one is quite the same by the time the class ends. More info →Author: Amy Poeppel
Poeppel’s work inspired this post, though it was hard to choose which novel to feature! We’ll go for this summer favorite: our middle-aged protagonist Bridget planned for the perfect summer ... but then it all went wrong. First her boyfriend breaks up with her, over email (!). Then her two twenty-something children, each dealing with their own crisis, invade her empty nest. Next the classical trio that is her livelihood comes unglued, and her aging father sets his own nearby house on fire. In the course of one short summer everything that can go wrong, does go wrong—and to fix it requires Bridget to fess up to secrets she’s buried for more than twenty years. It’s not the summer Bridget planned for, but it delivers the second chance she needs—and it’s hilarious, with laugh-out-loud dialogue and a pitch-perfect ending. More info →Author: R. Eric Thomas
If you love heartfelt, thoughtful memoirs that also make you laugh, then you must try this collection of essays by pop-culture critic R. Eric Thomas. Eric shares stories from childhood to adulthood, detailing his coming-of-age with bracing candor and hilarious honesty. He writes about discovering his identity as a gay man, feeling like an outsider, and finding his voice, all while injecting hilarious pop culture references, bits of wisdom, and his signature wit. While he relays plenty of difficult experiences, his tone is persistently hopeful. I highly recommend the audiobook version, narrated by the author, for full humorous effect. (I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Eric in What Should I Read Next #392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs after the release of his second memoir Congratulations, The Best Is Over!.) More info →Author: David Sedaris
A master of short-form storytelling, David Sedaris shares his best work in this collection. Though his stories revolve around his personal experiences, Sedaris proves to be keenly aware of the world around him, sharing observations about human nature with humor, wit, and ... a whole lot of sex jokes. Avid Sedaris fans and readers experiencing him for the first time will appreciate this volume of his most memorable work. (Sedaris narrates the audio version himself, as always, and this audiobook includes several outstanding live performances.) More info →Author: Alexis Hall
If you enjoy the "fake dating" trope and British humor, this charming romance is for you. (I particularly enjoyed it on audio, as narrated by Joe Jameson). As the son of big time rockstars, Luc O'Donnell is reluctantly famous-by-association. Known as a "bad boy" in the press, Luc has seen his fair share of trouble—but he's put that lifestyle behind him. Now that his estranged father is making a big musical comeback, Luc is back in the media and needs to clean up his image in order to maintain his career. Enter Oliver, a straight-laced, super responsible (and handsome) barrister, vegetarian, and good guy. Seemingly polar opposites of each other, Luc and Oliver start fake dating...and if you've ever watched a rom-com, you can guess what happens from there. Full of heart, humor, and endearing side characters, this romantic comedy is completely swoon-worthy. (Closed door.) More info →ChirpAuthor: Jenny Lawson
The Bloggess delivers another collection that will make you laugh till the tears flow. By writing about mental health, Lawson has learned how much it benefits readers for her to "go first." Her trademark wit and humor permeates this collection of vulnerable stories about her long-standing experience with depression and anxiety, making readers feel seen and understood in their own struggles. The topics run the gamut from the decidedly light hearted, like "Six Times I've Lost My Shoes While Wearing Them: A List That Shouldn't Exist" to the deadly serious, "An Open Letter to My Insurance Company," in which she details the active harm its policies cause her and others. There aren't enough content warnings to cover the bases here, so consider yourself broadly warned. More info →Author: Julia Claiborne Johnson
If you needed a quick divorce in the 1930s, you’d head to Reno, Nevada, the so-called “divorce capital of the world.” Wealthy women waited out the six weeks at dude ranches to become “residents” so their petition would be granted. Such is the case for heiress and amateur pilot Nina who is on her third divorce and Emily who finally had the gumption to leave her cheating husband. Their lives converge at the Flying Leap in this amusing exploration of marriage, divorce, and friendship. More info → What funny books do you recommend? What makes a book funny to you? Please tell us in the comments section!

P.S. 12 Feel-good fiction books you can read in an afternoon and 8 calming nonfiction books to read when you’re stressed.

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