Tuesday, December 6, 2016

13 Authors Who Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

Recently in my FB reading group my friend Kristina of Thriving Parents asked for book recommendations that would make you laugh out loud. We received a lot of wonderful ideas, and so I thought I'd pull them together in a post that would be a great resource for those of us out there looking for light and enjoyable, or even hilarious reads.

* Affiliate links throughout this post, peeps. Just a reminder! *

13 Authors Who Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

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JENNY LAWSON

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Yes, I'm serious. Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess is my favorite person of ever. She's serious, but hilarious, and when I read Let's Pretend This Never Happened? I may have laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. In a public setting. Seriously. This is the book of all books that I recommend to anyone looking for a book that will make them smile. My friend Beth over at The Angel Forever recommended the exact same book. I knew we were kindred peeps, but this confirms it.

It's one of my all-time favorite reads.

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I'd be remiss if I didn't also recommend Furiously Happy, her second book, which is just as phenomenal.

DAVID SEDARIS

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I'll admit that I haven't read much by Sedaris. I read one of his books a few years ago and didn't quite find myself fully drawn in, but he is a favorite in my reading circles. One recommendation is Naked, which is, apparently, hilarious on audio, as well.

LAURIE NOTARO

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I've been a Laurie Notaro fan for YEARS. Yes. Literally. She has made me think about the most ridiculous of topics. She's made me laugh with her self-deprecating humor, along with the real way she speaks in her work. One of the first books of hers I read was The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club. I can remember drawing attention to myself on my commute to and from work from laughing so hard.

JEN LANCASTER

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Lancaster's non-fiction works are my all-time favorites. From Bitter Is The New Black, to The Tao of Martha, and on and on - she's hilarious. I know she writes fiction books, as well, but I just adore her actual voice so much that it's almost difficult to find my way into her characters. I prefer hearing her talk about her life, her husband and her dogs.

SARAH SILVERMAN

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Silverman has a new book out titled The Bedwetter. It's just what you'd expect from her - raunchy and rowdy and entertaining. My guess is that it really depends on whether you're a fan of hers or not - because if you're not a fan you probably won't enjoy it. But if you are? It's true to who she is, and so you surely will.

AMY POEHLER

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I adore Amy Poehler. Which is why Yes Please is currently sitting on my Kindle waiting for me to dive in. I love her voice, and her personality, and find her not only entertaining, but empowering to other women, and girls across the globe. Poehler's Smart Girls is a fantastic site worth looking into, if you're interested in seeing the kind of work she does that's beyond her usual funny.

ERMA BOMBECK

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How could you not love Erma? I mean - she's everything every female humor writer would like to grow up to be. She's real, fun, funny and - well - simply put? She's Erma. She's Forever, Erma.

TINA FEY

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I will confess something here. Bossypants wasn't my favorite read of ever. And anyone I know who has read it hasn't been completely bowled over. That said? Everyone I know who has LISTENED to it? Has loved it so much they've been ready to play it again and again. So, even though I don't tend to do audiobooks, I'm contemplating just for the sake of enjoying Tina, and several of these authors - in a whole new way!

JANET EVANOVICH

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Confession number two: I've never read Janet Evanovich's work. I am basing this on the recommendation of three people in my FB group who said that they find themselves laughing when reading the Stephanie Plum books and enjoying the stories fully. So. I think I need to introduce myself to her stuff.

MARY KAY ANDREWS

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Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews has been suggested as a laugh-out-loud read. I'm a fan of her work, so I can see where the recommendation comes from. Her writing is enjoyable and often light enough to leave you laughing, so I look forward to adding Hissy Fit to my to-read shelves sometime soon.

JONATHAN TROPPER

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I haven't read Tropper's works yet, but I'm extremely interested. Not only was he recommended by a friend, but when you read up on his titles you find that each one is reviewed with more praise than the one before. This guy sounds entertaining and enjoyable, and like a must-read, for sure. I think that One Last Thing Before I Go might be my first pick.

JILL CONNER BROWN, 

aka SWEET POTATO QUEENS

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Have you ever read a Sweet Potato Queens book? It's been a while since I have, but I remember loving them when I did. Hearing this name brought me right back to some enjoyable titles that I think we'd all love to dive into. The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide To Raising Children for Fun and Profit? Sign me up, please. And their Big-Ass Cookbook (and Financial Planner)? Yup. I'll read that, too.


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This woman was a favorite of mine long before I moved to the South. She's hilarious. Honestly. Her books are just plain awful and entertaining at the same time. And speaking of titles? omg - You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In The Morning - and Bless Your Heart, Tramp - well, yeah, she wins with those titles right there, doesn't she?

So, there you have it. A baker's dozen worth of authors you need to pick up when you need a laugh.

And if you're looking for some book recommendations, consider checking out these lists:

2 comments:

  1. Love Janet Evanovich! One of her books I laughed so hard I had to run to the bathroom. My husband said he has never seen me laugh that hard in 36 years. So try one out soon.

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  2. Totally going to read Jenny Lawson- I have been on the hunt for a great comedy, and the fact that she is a blogger as well? Icing on the cake. Thanks!

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