Defining the Genre: Humor
March 25th, 2008 Posted in d.challener
What is Defining the Genre all about?
Click Here to find out.
Click Here to find out.
| Horror/Terror | Humor | Literary Fiction |
Upcoming Genres
| Poetry | Science Fiction | Mystery |
| Romance | Fantasy | Young Adult |
I need a laugh. So I’m bringing back an old idea. I’m asking for you to join me in defining the humor genre. Yes, I realize that Humor isn’t really a genre, but more of a sub-genre of each, but when someone needs a laugh they’re not in the mood for technicalities.
So if someone you knew asked to to recommend a funny read, what would you tell them?
Leave your recommendations in the comment section—along with your reasons—and I’ll update this list as we go.
Humor (Fiction)
| Nick Earles | Perfect Skin | |
| Terry Pratchett | The Colour of Magic Men at Arms The Truth |
|
| Christopher Moore | Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove The Gospel According to Biff: Christ’s Childhood Pal |
|
| Jasper Fforde | The Eyre Affair The Big Over Easy |
|
| Connie Willis | To Say Nothing of the Dog | |
| Simon Rich | Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations | |
| Mark Dunn | Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters | |
| David Sedaris | Me Talk Pretty One Day | |
| Christopher Buckley | Boomsday | |
| Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett | Good Omens |
Humor (Non-Fiction)
| Bill Bryson | Notes from a Small Island Notes from a Big Country |
|
| Jon Stewart | Naked Pictures of Famous People |
12 Responses to “Defining the Genre: Humor”
By Jodi on Mar 25, 2008
FICTION: ‘Perfect Skin’ by Nick Earles is my pick … there is a hillarious relationship between the lead character, Jon, and the cat (Flag) of one of the other minor characters.
The first time I read this book I was doing a lot of travelling and I found that I was laughing out loud on the train and getting some very puzzled looks.
This is the first to spring to mind and my oft quoted book for fact being stranger then fiction (because certain scenes in this book had to really have happened - no one has that bizzare and imagination)
By Paul Anderson on Mar 25, 2008
FICTION: Anything by Terry Pratchett. Pratchett’s Discworld is populated by wizards, dragons, knights, thieves, elves, witches, dwarves etc. It is a fantasy world. Yet it has economics, international affairs, postal services, a supercomputer (HEX) and all the problems of the modern world. Pratchett uses the fantasy setting to lampoon and satirise war, peace, politics, democracy, totalitarianism, sexism, racism, employment, trade and a plethora of other subjects. And he is laugh out loud funny. I sometimes have to put the book down to catch my breath.
NON-FICTION: Bill Bryson’s travel writing is hilarious. He has a wonderful eye for the human condition and pointing out the similarities and differences in cultures. An Anglophile American who has lived almost half his life in the UK, he can write about the UK and the US with the authority and knowledge of the insider, but also the bemused detachment of the outsider. His books on the English language are also incredibly witty and informative.
By Paul Anderson on Mar 25, 2008
Hmmm, “various titles” seems a bit general. Would it help if I narrowed down?
For Terry Pratchetti it is hard to tell where to start. Later books are stronger, but have well-established characters and in-jokes. The earlier books are good, but not as good as the later ones. So, you could either start at the beginning with “The Colour of Magic”, or my favourite, from later in the series, “Men at Arms”. It is very funny, and although featuring entirely established characters, it is relatively easy to get into.
For Bill Bryson, “Notes from a Small Island” (about the UK) or “Notes from a Big Country” (about the US) are probably the essentials to start with.
By Tiel Aisha Ansari on Mar 25, 2008
Fiction: Christopher Moore. “Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove” is probably his best. It doesn’t seem that funny until about 3/4 of the way through the book, and then you fall out of your chair laughing.
I’m also getting to be fairly fond of Jasper Fforde’s books– he has two series going, the Thursday Next books and the Nursery Crimes series. Very funny, extremely literate.
Connie Willis has written a couple of very funny books, although she’s not primarily a “humor writer”– “To Say Nothing of the Dog” and “Inside Job” were both quite good.
By heather on Mar 25, 2008
here are some funnies i’ve read in the last year, in order of funny:
1. Naked Pictures of Famous People, Jon Stewart
2. Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, Simon Rich
3. Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, Mark Dunn (funny only if you love words)
4. Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
5. Boomsday, Christopher Buckley
i read a christohper moore book (dirty job) this year that was also funny, but…only mildly so. and like others here, i read lots of authors who are, shall we say, incidentally funny. but these five above are pretty intentionally, consistently funny. have fun!
By d.challener on Mar 25, 2008
I didn’t want to load up my own topic until some others had posted, so now I’ll add in some of my own recommendations:
As for Terry Pratchett there are some better than others, but none that are bad. My favorite of his (by himself) is “The Truth”. He teamed up with Neil Gaiman to write “Good Omens”—I wish they’d write more together.
Christopher Moore is another of those it’s hard to go wrong with, but my favorite (previously reviewed on this blog) is “The Gospel According to Biff: Christ’s Childhood Pal.”
By d.challener on Mar 25, 2008
Paul,
I agree about Pratchett…I added one or two by him as well.
By d.challener on Mar 25, 2008
Tiel,
Your tastes and my tastes in authors are practically synchronous.
I love Jasper Fforde (in fact my sweetie’s annual Christmas Present to me is a signed 1st UK edition of his latest). I’ve put up the first in each of the series.
Connie Willis, may be my favorite author, and while there is always an element of humor in her work, with TSNOTD she just let loose.
By d.challener on Mar 25, 2008
Heather & Jodi,
It difficult for people to stump me in this category, as one of my hobbies is collecting humorous books. I’ll have to check out your suggestions.
By Jane Doe on Mar 25, 2008
I personally enjoyed Augusten Burroughs, ‘Running with Scissors.’ I thought that was funny. Also ‘A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius’ By Dave Eggers. Eggers utilizes a tragic humor, and it’s a bit dark. I loved that book too.
By Jodi on Mar 26, 2008
Dale - I’ll post you my copy .. it’s desperate for an overseas trip!
Nick Earles is an Brisbane writers (currently my home town) and I’m looking forward to going to hear him speak on a panel in regards to the ins and outs of writing later on in the year.
Can I also add Ben Elton - I was reading Gridlock around the same time as Perfect Tears … its that wry, take on the world that’s funny, but the sort of funny you feel guilty about because he makes no exceptions for anyone.
By Jodi on Mar 26, 2008
*thats Perfect Skin and the point where I say Im going to bed! Nite all…