It’s no secret I love to laugh. I love comedy in any form. I love funny people. I love funny movies, tv shows and books. I particularly love stand up comedy and it has long been a secret wish of mine to become a stand-up comedian. (Of course, I will never be one, it isn’t a serious dream. But I do sometimes think to myself about a situation or thought, “That was funny, I’d put that in my act.”)
I read a lot. And I love books that can actually make me laugh out loud. Few do. One genre I’ve been enjoying a lot lately, is memoirs written by comedians (not all of the stand-up variety). Here are a few that I have enjoyed and have legitimately caused me to LOL.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
★★★★★
I’ve listened to the audiobook of Bossypants several times. It’s read by Tina Fey and if you’re a Tina fan, it is everything you’d expect – hilarious, intelligent, insightful and quirky. I loved learning about her life and career and she tells the stories of her life in such a way where they are both thoughtful and funny. A highlight for me were her chapters on being very very skinny and being a little bit fat— about women and weight. I also enjoyed her thoughts on Photoshop and her thoughts about her daughter. 5 stars.
Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
★★★★
If you are at all familiar with Jim Gaffigan’s stand-up comedy and enjoy it, then you’ll enjoy this book. It reads much like one of his shows. It’s full of hilarious stories, mainly about his family (five kids and 2 adults in a 2 bedroom walk up!?), although you don’t have to have kids to enjoy it. It’s a quick read and I recommend it to anyone who wants a good chuckle. 4 stars.
Sleepwalk With Me and Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia
★★★★
I read this book in the break room at lunch and frequently caught coworkers looking at me as I’d let out a laugh. This is well written, honest, and of course, funny. There are also several poignant and tender moments that really balance this book out. Mike’s voice and subtle delivery really shine through and I truly enjoyed this read. 4 stars.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
★★★★
I’m a huge fan of the TV show, The Office. My all time favorite episode of The Office, one in season two called, “The Injury,” was written by Mindy Kaling, so I knew I’d love this book before I read it. And I did. I highly recommend that if you’re a fan, you listen to the audiobook, I loved hearing Mindy read her stories. It gave life to the book, and I don’t know if my review would be the same if I’d just read it myself. I have listened to it several times, and laughed out loud every time. I love hearing stories about people’s dreams coming true and if they can make me laugh while telling them, even better. Not all of the essays are brilliant, but overall, a lovely (funny!) read. 4 stars.
Have any LOL worthy recommendations for me? What books make you chuckle? I’d like to know.
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