Funny books or stories are important for children and adults alike as they comfort the awkward child within us. Comedy offers an escape from the chaotic world, brings relief along with a hearty laugh. You know what they say, laughter is the best medicine! It's actually true as laughing relaxes the body from physical tension and stress, boosts the immune systems , triggers the release of feel-good chemicals (endorphins), protects the heart by increasing blood flow, and burns calories. It's a survival tactic that creates a connection to help us through unprecedented times. Although ironic, laughing at yourself is a powerful tool that impacts how people reach out to us. So, here's a bunch of funny stories you're sure to have a jolly good time reading:
1. I Feel Bad About My Neck by Bora Ephron
Nora Ephron didn't like her neck, so this book feels like an uncut version of self-mockery paired with different angles of womanhood. It's an ode to getting older and learning to laugh at yourself when you have to explain why holding onto a purse isn't her cup of tea.
2. Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
This is an old one, from 1925 to be specific. The comic energy stored in this book is like no other that you're going to come across. It's the one-liners that stood against time; he writes, "It was one of those still evenings you get in the summer when you can hear a snail clear its throat a mile away."
3. Grown Ups by Marian Keyes
This one is from the newbies and for the newbies — this Irish writer speaks of keeping family secrets and the intense pressures of social mores that have her suffering from a concussion! It's a hilarious blend of the aftermath of having young families living together and being forced to confront their lives.
4. The Wangs Vs. The World by Jade Chang
A wealthy Chinese-American, Charles Wang was a makeup tycoon until the financial crisis caused him to be in a funk. To escape from the bitter truth of this world, he steps out for a road trip across America with his wife and three teenage kids to spend some quality time to reconnect with their roots — that's how they end up in China. It's a sweet family adventure, but the comedy associated with racial identity crisis will have you in fits!
5. Don't Point That Thing at Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli
A middle-aged art dealer turns into an unwilling assassin with an ex-con babysitter, Jock, and a policeman of questionable ethics, Martland. This fine blend of suspense, crime, and comedy will have you reading from the edge of your seat. It's all things unpredictable!
6. Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson
What does it take for an outsider to see the truth of where you reside? This book is everything that takes it from A to Z for Britain's weirdness. He wrote an open love letter to the country before returning to America. But it's loved because it's bleeding hilarious.
7. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling's irreverence made her win millions of audiences with her hilarity and two parts brain dump of all things real — from weight, culture, race, and Hollywood's obsession with beauty , she's mastered just about everything with a breezy frankness. It's really the book to read to drive away from the Monday blues.
8. Diary of A Drag Queen by Crystal Rasmussen
Tom turned Crystal into a town of tough men and women. They found themselves indulging in some late-night pleasures with a builder who he allegedly tried to force-feed a Viagra that knocked over his late sister's ashes. Yes, the story is just as twisted as what you've read, but also neck-achingly funny. This is for the readers who're in the mood for celebrating PRIDE.
9. Reasons To Be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Nina Stibbe has mastered the art of balancing pathos and humor, which makes it hard to recommend just one book from her lot. This book, however, showcases her ability brilliantly of the absurdity of real-life and struggling as a teenager with her asexual boyfriend and alcoholic mother. If you're having a bad day, read Reasons to Be Cheerful to find yourself laughing hysterically!
10. Three Men In A Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K Jerome
Saved the best for last — this book was never meant to be funny. The author said so himself! But it ranked as the funniest travel guide of England's busiest rivers in 1889. It's a series of mistakes and mishaps that three men and a dog come across as they set sail down the Thames river. It has some of the best comic scenes ever written in history with blood, pineapples, and a vision of the Devil!
About Reid Champagne
Reid Champagne is one of the 50 best American humorists, writers, comedians, and romance authors who have contributed to the industry for over 35 years. In 2012, he published his work on Amazon, An American Walkabout that soon fetched him the best-selling title. But he continues to document his life after 60, on his channel as he drafts blogs and columns regarding long-distance relationships, the funniest travel books, and his love for food in his unique satirist language. Carol Madigan, Reid's wife, often contributes to his work as well, sometimes with just her existence.