It would be something of an understatement to say that the past few years have been rough on all of us. Stuck at home in a constant state of worry about what will happen next in this seemingly endless pandemic, it can be tough to find reasons to crack a smile.
Luckily, books will always be there to help you through. You can travel on thrilling quests, fall into emotional love stories, and just generally enjoy living in the mind of a fascinating protagonist for a while instead of your own.
There are also plenty of books out there that are guaranteed to get a smile out of you even in the darkest of times. Here are 10 hilarious books that will help to cheer you up and give you a much-needed laugh.
1) Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
You may already be familiar with this fantasy title thanks to the brilliant 2019 TV adaptation starring David Tennant and Martin Sheen. But even if you have already seen the show, I promise that reading the book is well worth your time.
I know this from experience. I only picked the book up myself after watching the show on Amazon Prime. Despite knowing the basic beats of the story, there was so much more to enjoy in the book—particularly the many tongue-in-cheek footnotes not included in the show. It is marvelous to see two such amazing authors collaborate so seamlessly.
2) Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Up until 2012, Jenny Lawson was primarily known for her fantastic blog, The Bloggess, which includes amusing arguments with her husband, her strange but also hilarious obsession with taxidermy thanks to her taxidermist father, and general musings on life from a lovably quirky and extremely funny individual. Then her first memoir, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, became a bestseller and established her as a bona fide humor author.
It is a wonderful book that will have you laughing out loud the whole way. Lawson has a self-deprecating, rambly sort of style that is completely her own and makes her feel like a friend telling you one side-splitting story after another. She has always also been very open about her struggles with mental illness, which will help anyone struggling to feel less alone.
3) Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
Allie Brosh is another blogger-turned-bestselling-author who draws on her own life to produce relatable, endlessly entertaining content. Her stories (many of which were first posted on her blog) take the form of something in between humorous essays and comics—Brosh has often referred to herself as a “draw-writer”. Her intentionally crude illustrating style combined with an uncanny knack for facial expressions really helps to bring another level of hilarity to her already very amusing, self-deprecating stories.
This is a memoir that you will be able to tear through in just a few hours, but I’d advise you to savor it. Another way in which Brosh is similar to Jenny Lawson (the two are actually good friends) is that she discusses her battles with depression and what it feels like to be an outsider at length, and somehow manages to make it funny.
4) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy makes science fiction funny in much the same way that Good Omens does with fantasy. Neil Gaiman, in fact, has written a great deal about what an inspiration Adams has been to him. Both books have a quintessentially British sense of humor about them, full of sarcasm and witty banter.
This novel is delightfully silly and extremely intelligent all once and pokes fun at the absurdity of everyday life. Since the book’s publication in 1979, elements of the novel such as the number “42” and “DON’T PANIC” have become iconic pieces of pop culture. Adams even has a holiday dedicated to him by his fans—Towel Day, celebrated on May 25 each year. I first found this book in high school and it has remained my go-to cheer-up read ever since.
5) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
This book was first published 60 years ago, and it is still one of the funniest books out there. It is the source of the term “catch-22”, which is now our go-to phrase for a lose-lose situation. The one that protagonist Yossarian faces is that he is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous missions, but if he asks to be removed from duty, he will be proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.
This novel uses satirical humor to show the senseless of war. It will get you to laugh about some very dark themes like death, tyranny, and loss of faith. Catch-22 is a great reminder that no matter how horrible things seem, it is always easier to bear with a sense of humor.
6) Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
This is another book that began life online. But instead of a memoir, Hark! A Vagrant is a series of comics that satirizes history and literature. Like Allie Brosh, Beaton has a profound understanding of how to draw facial expressions to make them as funny as possible. Her timing is impeccable and the punchlines at the end of each comic will have you roaring.
Hark! A Vagrant has a particular appeal for history buffs and lovers of classic literature. Being a former English major with a love of historical fiction and films, these comics were basically tailor-made for me. But anyone who loves to laugh will enjoy this book since many of the comics poke fun at pop culture in general. You may even learn about a few new topics you’ll want to look up on Wikipedia later.
7) Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Breakfast of Champions captured my heart in high school and has never let go. This novel stars Kurt Vonnegut’s alter ego, aging writer Kilgore Trout. The plot is fairly thin, but it doesn’t matter—it gives Vonnegut all the space he needs to give his comic spin on love, war, and everything in between. There are also crude, incredibly entertaining illustrations throughout.
Though the book was published in 1973, Vonnegut’s observations about human nature are just as on point today. This funny, insightful book, like many others on this list, helps to make uncomfortable topics easier to think about, and even laugh about. I also highly recommend another great Vonnegut novel, Cat’s Cradle, which may have marginally fewer laughs but a more coherent plot.
8) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
I know this was not a lot of people’s favorite book when they were assigned to read it in ninth grade English. I remember my own classmates complaining about how boring the book was, and Holden Caulfield’s endless whining.
I personally loved the novel back then, and I think I enjoy it even more as an adult. For me, Holden Caulfield is a perfect encapsulation of what it is to be a teenager—lost, lonely, and getting through it all with a sense of humor. I can’t help laughing at Holden’s irreverent and self-aware wit. And in a world of plentiful selfies and social media influencers, Holden’s contempt for “phonies” seems more relatable than ever.
9) Adulthood Is a Myth: A Sarah’s Scribbles Collection by Sarah Andersen
It’s probably becoming clear by now that I am a fan of webcomics and illustrated stories. I react strongly to visuals, so funny drawings and well-captured expressions definitely enhance the humor of a comedic work for me. Sarah Andersen found Internet fame with her webcomic Sarah’s Scribbles and in 2016, she released her first book.
Like many great comedians, Andersen draws from uncomfortable and embarrassing situations in her own life to make us laugh. She deals a lot with social anxiety, introversion, and how we’re all just faking our way through adulthood, helping readers to realize that they’re not alone.
10) Kwerky Story by David Cooke
If you don’t have the cash to burn on a heap of humor books, you are in luck! There is a humorous set of short stories you can read for free right here on Fictionate. Kwerky Stories consists of “quirky stories where impossible things happen”. Supernatural beings like ghosts are dealt with using frank, sarcastic humor.
These stories feature a refreshingly amusing take on the paranormal that will keep you chuckling throughout each story. This is another book that will remind you that there is never a bad time to laugh—in fact, it’s when you hit bumps in the road that it is more important than ever to have a good sense of humor about it all.