You’d think the bookwitch would be a good source of advice for books, wouldn’t you? But her mind is a complete blank, and please don’t say that you had noticed a long time ago.
A friend of mine asked for recommendations for funny books, for when she’s in hospital, which might be next week. I think what she’s looking for is something funny enough not to make the reader depressed, but not so wildly funny that stitches start coming undone, and other disgusting things.
I can think of several children’s books, but I suspect that other adults aren’t quite as fond of them as I am. And when they are really funny like Roald Dahl’s The Vicar of Nibbleswicke they are a health hazard. When the bookwitch started reading it to Son many years ago she laughed so much she was unable to carry on and Son had to read it to her instead.
And there is a book I think my friend would enjoy, but it’s not out yet, so what do I do?
Any ideas, people?
7 responses so far ↓
adele geras // July 19, 2007 at 10:22
My staples (no pun to do with stitches coming undone is intended!) are Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and any Wodehouse. I’m also very fond of Diary of a nobody by Weedon, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
Hope this helps!
Meg Rosoff // July 19, 2007 at 20:24
Adele chose the three I’d have chosen, with the possible addition of Lucky Jim, which makes me positively guffaw.
Lee // July 19, 2007 at 20:40
Does her taste run to something like Gaiman/Pratchett, Good Omens? Comic books/graphic novels? And for a really good laugh (mostly at self) I rely on Fowler’s Modern English Usage.
Resident IT Consultant // July 19, 2007 at 21:46
How about Three Men in a Boat? Or Jasper Fforde’s Eyre Affair and its sequels?
Meg Rosoff // July 20, 2007 at 19:50
Fforde turns me icy with humour-failure, though I do love 3 men in a boat.
But I would like to add that when I was laid-up, I ordered PG Wodehouse CDs from e-bay and listening to them did exactly what was required.
bookwitch // July 21, 2007 at 10:56
Yes, I barely made it through The Eyre Affair, and won’t be trying any of the others in a hurry.
And Lucky Jim I only enjoyed on a second reading. Must have been too young the first time. Just can’t work out why I read it a second time…
Laurie // July 21, 2007 at 17:36
The first novel I thought of was Tom Sharpe’s Wilt, but your friend would need a fairly high tolerance for sexual innuendo and profanity. Suffice it to say one of the funniest bits involves the ne’er-do-well English lecturer Wilt’s use of a life-sized blow-up doll to rehearse murdering his wife.
How about Sue Townsend? Perhaps The Queen and I?
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