Since we are focusing on the humorous side of things this month at the Blood Red Pencil, it's only right that I provide some light-hearted reading possibilities for your consideration. Let's start with mysteries (because I am all about the mysteries).
To building family bonding over belly laughs, you might want to glance through one of the following lists:
And finally—because we are writers here, right?—here is a post from The Writing Cooperative: 7 Ways to Become a Master Humor Writer When You Don't Think You Have a Funnybone
So whether you are in the mood for reading or writing, you now have no excuse! Get laughing!
Do you have a book you think is a fine example of humorous writing? We'd love to hear about it, just leave your suggestion in a comment below...
- Stop, You're Killing Me! Has a great list of humorous mysteries. The list is alphabetical by author, starting with Douglas Adams and ending with Sue Owens Wright.
- Parker Memorial Library (no relation!) in Massachusetts includes a list of humorous mysteries for you to peruse.
- Listopia over at Goodreads has a Humorous Mysteries list also (of course!), with 227 books.
- But that's NOTHING compared to the 2,916 books on the Listopia Humorous Romance Books list.
- You can also check out the list over at Fiction Obsessed on Best Funny Romance Novels to Read.
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| Image by Prawny from Pixabay |
To building family bonding over belly laughs, you might want to glance through one of the following lists:
- Chronicle Books Blog's 7 Picture Books that Make Parents Laugh, Too
- School Library Journal's 2018 Funny Picture Books
- Some the Wiser's post of 12 Really Funny Picture Books to Read Aloud
And finally—because we are writers here, right?—here is a post from The Writing Cooperative: 7 Ways to Become a Master Humor Writer When You Don't Think You Have a Funnybone
So whether you are in the mood for reading or writing, you now have no excuse! Get laughing!
Do you have a book you think is a fine example of humorous writing? We'd love to hear about it, just leave your suggestion in a comment below...
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| Ann Parker authors the award-winning Silver Rush historical mystery series published by Poisoned Pen Press. During the day, she wrangles words for a living as a science editor/writer and marketing communications specialist (which is basically a fancy term for "editor/writer"). Her midnight hours are devoted to scribbling fiction. Visit AnnParker.net for more information. |
More books for Mt. TBR.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Gary Corby's Athenian Mysteries series. Imagine having Socrates as a younger brother. Corby did.
Hi Liz! Wow! That's the first I've heard of this series. I'll check it out!
DeleteThe last one on your list, the one about becoming a master humor writer despite a serious lack of a funny bone, might be good reading for me. Even though I enjoy a good laugh, I've rarely found a comedy (film or TV), a comedian, or a humorous book that tickles my funny bone. A couple notable exceptions are some of Dick Van Dyke's stuff and a few of Carol Burnett's skits. Her parody on the song "You Light Up My Life" with Tim Conway leaves me in stitches no matter how often I see it. On a different note, books that include bits of subtle humor that flow seamlessly into the story line often evoke smiles and occasional chuckles.
ReplyDeleteYes, Carol Burnett's skits were hilarious. I still laugh every time I see Conway and Korman in the dentist skit. Part of their success was their breaking up during the skit. Conway always trying to break Korman's demeanor and always succeeding.
DeleteAh, the old TV shows! I can recall watching and chortling over I Love Lucy... We kids also loved the Three Stooges, much to my mother's dismay.
DeleteI enjoy David Freed's snarky pilot Cordell Logan in that mystery series. For nonfiction, no one makes me laugh like Erma Bombeck did...I still go back and read a few of her columns from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI forgot about Erma Bombeck. I do giggle when I read her stuff. Then I can go way back to The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald for some good laughs.
DeleteI'm taking names and series! :-) Thanks, Pat! And oh yes, Erma Bombeck! I remember The Egg and I as well...
DeleteAh, Erma Bombeck. She was my idol and my inspiration when I was writing my humor column in the Plano Star Courier. I was honored to sometimes be called The Erma Bombeck of Plano.
DeleteRead all of her books, and I also enjoyed Dave Barry.
I think every book should have some humor, whether it be a character or a line or a situation. Even thrillers should have a break. I always have humorous dialogue somewhere in my books, at least something I find funny. Humor is in the mind of the beholder, however.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Polly... What some folks find hilarious doesn't even make me smile (and vice versa). Maybe that's why it's so difficult to write humor that appeals broadly. I loved Douglas Adams, for instance... but some folks say "meh."
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