<p>Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton. </p>
<p>It’s like reading Trollope only with dragons.</p>
<p>Have lent this to several friends and it’s been universally enjoyed. (At least one asked if there was a sequel–which, alas, there isn’t.) Walton maintains the perfect tone throughout the novel: light, engaging, a bit tongue-in-cheek, but never mocking.</p>
<p>Note: Tooth and Claw isn’t one of the parody books. It’s a straight up original novel; it just borrows all cliches of the Victorians.</p>
<p>
Really?! I’m in!</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I just finished Nick Hornby How to Be Good. Hysterical. Going to go back through all the posts to find my next. Need something else funny with the stress of younger son leaving for college in 5 days.</p>
<p>I really liked Old Man’s War, but I really don’t remember it being funny.</p>
<p>If you want funny sci fi - there’s always Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) which is sort of silly Brit/guy humor or Terry Pratchett (ditto IMO). The basic story arc of Lois McMaster’s Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan books is fairly serious, but I have laughed aloud on many occasions reading them.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned Lorna Landvik–I think her earlier ones are the best: Patty Jane’s House of Curl and Your Oasis on Flame Lake.</p>
<p>I’ll also add John Dufresne, especially Louisiana Power and Light, and Deep in the Shade of Paradise. Enormously entertaining.</p>
<p>Love Richard Russo! Straight Man is my favorite, but his other works are funny, too.</p>
<p>Robert Ludlum years ago wrote some funny books, one was called the Road to Gandolfo, can’t remember the other one’s name off the top of my head. </p>
<p>For those of you not afraid to read what might be considered chick lit by some, take a gander at two books by Linda Howard, To Die For and Drop Dead Gorgeous, featuring a protagonist who is sort of similar to Elle Woods in “Legally Blond”, for some reason I found these to be a hoot and the main character is something else:)</p>
<p>Tony Horwitz’ “Confederates in the Attic” - has this been mentioned? So intelligent and funny, I read it twice. </p>
<p>Also seconding Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” - laugh out loud funny.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh yea - LOL funny. :)</p>
<p>Sophie Kinsella “Can You Keep a Secret” - laugh out loud at this one. Good stress reliever for the overwhelming pre-college move-in days. Light and silly so if you can’t seem to concentrate on good literature due to being on overload pick this up. It will be be perfect if you have a plane ride to college.</p>
<p>I just read a book called “Devil in the Details.” It’s a sort of memoir about a jewish girl growing up with OCD. Laugh out loud type of funny.</p>
<p>This is old school, but The Pickwick Papers is hilarious. Yes, THAT Charles Dickens.</p>