Books News
British readers select the 10 funniest books ever
| February 23, 2009 edition
AbeBooks.com asked 555 British readers to list the funniest books they’ve ever read. Here are their Top 10:
1. Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1933)
2. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)
3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)
4. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1889)
5. Wilt by Tom Sharpe (1976)
6. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)
7. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis (1954)
8. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (1938)
9. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (1996)
10. Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall by Spike Milligan (1971)
Comments
2. Lawrence Dugan | 03.18.09
Nothing by Evelyn Waugh ? What about “Scoop” or “Put Out More Flags” ? In fact, a plausible alternative list could be half Waugh and half Wodehouse.
4. Richard Slapsys | 05.07.09
Nothing by Jean Shepherd, America’s funniest chronicler of middle class society in the United States?
5. Parc | 06.19.09
Well, they should have added “The Baby in the Bag, A Politically Incorrect Tale” by Doug Hanau. I happened across it on Amazon and the title caught my attention. I can’t seem to find it in any book stores. To bad, too because this one is a real gem…
6. marina moran | 06.27.09
Anyone read ‘Freddy and Frederica’ by Mark Helprin??? I fell out of bed several times and the comedy is sustained at a high level throughout. Not only is it one of the funniest books but it is also lyrical, lush, poetic and imaginative beyond belief. Please read this book - it is long but my God it is worth it. (my other favourite is the above mentioned ‘A confederacy of dunces’.
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1. Tina Simms | 03.16.09
What about E.F. Benson ? I laugh out loud reading the Lucia books.