Today’s contest offers our readers a chance to win Howard Jacobson’s 2010 Booker Prize-winning novel, The Finkler Question.
This humorous novel about Jewish life in the U.K. was a bit of a dark horse contender, but the judges chose it 3-2. Interested? Here are the opening lines:
He should have seen it coming.
His life had been one mishap after another. So he should have been prepared for this one.
He was a man who saw things coming. Not shadowy premonitions before and after sleep, but real and present dangers in the daylit world. Lamp posts and trees reared up at him, splintering his shins. Speeding cars lost control and rode on to the footpath leaving him lying in a pile of torn tissue and mangled bones. Sharp objects dropped from scaffolding and pierced his skull.
Women worst of all. When a woman of the sort Julian Treslove found beautiful crossed his path it wasn’t his body that took the force but his mind. She shattered his calm.
True, he had no calm, but she shattered whatever calm there was to look forward to in the future. She was the future.
To enter the contest, leave a comment telling us about your favorite comic novel by Friday, October 22. Good luck!
I found “The World According to Garp” by John Irving to be very funny.
“The Ethical Assassin” by David Liss is my favorite comic novel. The situations are very funny and it is also a very compelling story.
I am currently reading The Wonder Boys by Chabon and am finding that to be one of the funniest books I’ve read.
Moo by Jane Smiley is my favorite comic novel. It is hysterically on point regarding life in the ivory tower!
I don’t read too many comic novels but I got a hoot out of Bridget Jones’s Diary and more recently Coming Up for Air by Orwell.
Anything by David Sedaris!
“Fup Duck,” by Jim Dodge. (And, BTW, I know that Sedaris writes fiction but his books are not “novels.”)
Technically they are considered comic memoirs.
I just found that The Princess The King and the Anarchist was pretty funny. Would love to read this one…
Just finished ‘Skippy Dies’ which was funny,charming and sad.
My favorite comic novels are all of Bill Bryson’s travelogues which are wonderful. In A Sunburned Country was great.
Nice Work by David Lodge. Pits capitalism against academia via two great characters who, of course, end up in bed.
Oooh. tough question. Even though the past few books have been dogs, Janet Evanovich’s “Three to Get Deadly” had me laughing out loud and hooked me onto the Stephanie Plum series. Other top contender would be any of the collections of stories by Patrick McManus.
My favorite comic novel is The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom. I like the whole series, which is billed as mystery, but isn’t the standard murder mystery fare.
Fave comic novel is Matt Mikalatos’ “Imaginary Jesus”. It’s set in real-life settings in Portland,Oregon, and is so totally original.
definitely the princess bride by william goldman.
I never heard of comic novels before but I love books that make you laugh. I’m always laughing out loud at the Stephanie Plum series. But I’m going to look into comic novels!
I do not think anyone has matched, “If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?” by Erma Bombeck
Life of Pi, which is not OMG HILARIOUS but I found it very quirky and amusing at times.
Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary made me laugh.
Christopher Moore’s Lamb had me howling; hands down, the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Followed closely by Bridget Jones’s Diary, though, despite the humor, the two have nothing in common.
Catch 22 does it for me.
I know it’s not fiction, but Bill Bryson’s books always make me laugh out loud (I especially loved A Walk in the Woods and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid)!
Didn’t realize comic novel was a genre. However it intrigues me to search out the aformentioned auuthors.
And Then We Came to The End!! This was truly a funny novel about office life.
I like Going Bovine.
The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood is a delight, and the audio book, read by David Schramm, adds an extra dimension of humor.
Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files is absolutely hilarious. This is the first in a series of books…all of them are fantastic!
Still love Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker series.
I can’t think of a comic novel that I’ve read.
Love Michael Chabon’s Yiddish Policemen’s Union!
My fav is A Fine Madness by Elliot Baker – pretty old but a classic laugh!
The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore!
Max Barry, Company even though I don’t read a lot of comic novels–I wonder what that says about me? I read a lot–but I guess I prefer the serious stuff!
I loved Hiaasen’s Tourist Season but was disappointed with his last book, Star Island.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid—I laughed out loud throughout!
I like Ray Blackston. Flabbergasted was very funny!
I like anything by David Sedaris!
I’m now reading Fall of Giants the new epic by Ken Follett.
Good, easy reading historical fiction with enough facts to make it interesting.
Anyone interested in history will enjoy this.
My all-time, falling-off-the-seat is an oldy: Fear of Flying by Erica Jong.
I love all the Adrian Mole books by Sue Townsend.
I loved those too.
My favorite, the funny and moving short stories by Max Apple about Jewish life in general in America and his adventures with his grand-father suggest that reading Jacobson might be an interesting English alternative.
I enjoyed Dave Barry’s novels about mysteries and mayhem in Florida — particulary Big Trouble.
Any of Erma Bombeck’s books would get my vote. I sure do miss her humor.
Apocalypse for Beginners by Nicolas Dickner is a comedic enterprise and a look into a bizarre world where the end of time takes all priority. Hope Randall is far from average with her dysfunctional mother and overwhelming heritage of being a doomsday believer. Dickner’s characters are believable but strange. The use of key world events from 1989 to present are brought into a new perspective giving credence to the crazy argument that the world may end soon. Dickner’s writing takes on a humorous aspect that many readers will find very refreshing and fun. His ironic outlook and penchant for the absurd is quite hysterical at times.
Janet Evanovich–Stephanie Plum–especially her grandmother.
Anything by Adriana Modigliani (??) Is that her last name? Forgive me. Just celebrated another birthday. Lucky that I can remember HOW to read!
All Over But the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg……southern humor mixed in with some true happenings….great writer……..
My favorite comic novel is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but if you have a wry sense of humor there is plenty to keep you up laughing at night!
Any of the Lake Wobegone tales.
I enjoy the “shopaholic” series by Sophie Kinsella. I just read “The Mini Shopaholic”.
i enjoy reading books about civil war and lincoln and others things in history.gene
Yiddish Policeman’s union
I liked Skinny Dip.
I loved “The Finishing Touches” by Hester Browne, a romantic comedy about a young lady who gives a fading English finishing school a 21st century makeover
I really enjoyed the Fanny Flagg novels.
I WANT 2 READ THIS
It is not a novel but “How Angel Peterson Got His Name.”
I laugh out loud at Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books.
I love the new magna series ” The Dark Hunters” by Sherrilyn Kenyon
I suggest reading “The Trouble With Harry”. An oldie but a goodie, as the saying goes.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman-chock full of wonderful quotes!
THE CORSET DIARIES by Katie MacAlister
I would have to say Erma Bombeck’s books. She wrote comedy.
Believe it or not, certain parts of The Help by Kathryn Stockett made me laugh so hard my husband told me to be quiet!
Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. They put a smile on my face and I sometimes laugh out loud(unusual for me)!
I loved the Lies (and the Lying Liars who Tell Them).
Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
There were some very funny parts of Sue Monk Kidd’s book, The Secret Life of Bees. It made the more serious parts not so serious.
For some light, witty reading I pick up a Stephanie Plum novel.
Most anything by Carl Hiaasen!
Lamb by Christopher Moore, it was good to find out why so many eat Chinese on Dec. 25.
Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels make me laugh out loud and roar with laughter. Each and every one of the series is a roller-coaster of fun! I eagerly await the next installment each summer.
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale Of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore really had me laughing out loud.
My fave has to be The World According to Garp by John Irving. A close second is Thank you for Not Smoking by Christopher Buckley.
I too love Stephanie Plum! It’s always a fun, relaxing read, and I can’t wait to see what mischief Granny gets into next!