Laughter has never been more needed than it is right now. The good news is that it benefits you in ways you might not realize. In the short term, laughter relieves stress and tension, but long-term effects include improving your immune system and relieving pain (Mayo Clinic). What better way to add some laughter into your life than by reading a book that makes you laugh out loud?
Everyone’s sense of humor is unique, but these books have made me LOL.
Hank Devereaux, Jr., is the reluctant chairman of the English department of an underfunded college in the Pennsylvania Rust Belt. His week is not going well, mostly because he is a born anarchist. What could go wrong in a college department that is more savagely divided than the Balkans? Throw a campus goose into the mix, and hilarity ensues in this novel by a Pulitzer-winning author.
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
Are you a fan of classic British comedy? Then Wodehouse is for you. Follow the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his gentleman’s gentleman, Jeeves, in one of the truly great comic novels.
If you need a reason to laugh at Florida, then Carl Hiaasen is your author. His stories are filled with outrageous characters, plots just crazy enough to work, and the satisfaction of seeing the bad guy get what he’s got coming.
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Moore offers his take on what Jesus’s childhood might have been like, resulting in an irreverent and hilarious book as seen through the eyes of Biff, Jesus’s boyhood BFF.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
You loved the movie; now read the book and discover Princess Buttercup, Westley, and those pesky R.O.U.S.es anew. This book appeals to adults and kids equally. “As you wish.”
Bryson was born in Iowa, but all his adult experiences have been of the British variety. He has absorbed the British wit and retained some of the Americanisms that make his bumbling about during his travels all the funnier. His wife has got to be up for sainthood!
Don’t forget to look for books written by your favorite comedians, such as:
I Feel Bad About My Neck: and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
Ephron looks at her life, the life of an aging woman, and combines the truth of the situation with laugh-out-loud moments and razor-sharp wit.
Napalm and Silly Putty by George Carlin
George Carlin was always an astute observer of human nature. In this book, he doesn’t shy away from the tough questions. Here’s a sampling:
How can it be a spy satellite if they announce on TV that it’s a spy satellite?
Why do they bother saying “raw sewage”? Do some people cook that stuff?
In the expression “topsy-turvy,” what exactly is meant by “turvy”?
Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld
Seinfeld has saved every joke, one-liner, or story that he thought up since he debuted at a comedy club in 1975. This collection is the cream of the crop.
Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon
In turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Shannon’s memoir reveals her courage and early affinity for humor.
About The Author: Lori
Lori is a Librarian for the Information Services Department at Salina Public Library. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.A. and M.A. in art history and then got a second masters in library and information science from Emporia State University. She has 30 years of experience at Salina Public Library. In her free time, Lori enjoys traveling, gardening and knitting. Her favorite thing about the library is serving seniors through outreach.
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