Favorites
Humor, this novelist has repeatedly been told, is the most difficult type of element to write because everyone has a unique sense of what is funny. What is hilarious to one person makes another groan, or worse, leaves them indifferent.
Here are some examples of books, movies and shows that make me laugh.
Books:
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley
(first in a wonderful cozy mystery series about an utterly original eleven year old sleuth)
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters
(first of wonderful archaeological adventure series under the Egyptian sun)
Mr. Impossible, by Loretta Chase
(even more wonderful archaeological adventure under the Egyptian sun)
The Silver Pigs, by Lindsey Davis
(first of wonderful sleuthing adventure series under the imperial Roman sun)
The Big Over Easy, by Jasper Fforde
(hugely creative alternate reality mystery with nursery rhyme characters)
The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
(hugely creative alternate reality mystery with classic literary characters)
The Stupidest Angel, by Christopher Moore
(gradually building satire culminates in hilarious final battle scene)
Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie
(unusual couple, opposite-of-cute dog)
What Happens in London, by Julia Quinn
(charming love story in London setting)
Lessons in French, by Laura Kinsale
(charming love story in rural setting)
A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
(British cross-section of attitudes about suicide; thoughtful despite black humor)
The Diary of Bridget Jones, by Helen Fielding
(the classic chick of lit)
The Food of Love, by Anthony Capella
(retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac in Italian setting)
How to Tame a Modern Rogue, by Diana Holquist
(juxtaposition of historical & contemporary stories)
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
(alternate world con man does good tale with surprisingly deep thoughts on psychology & humanity, with the bonus of truly memorable metaphors and similes)
The Woefield Poultry Collective, aka Home to Woefield, by Susan Juby
(muliple point-of-view story of a group of misfits who join together on a derelict farm)
Natural Born Charmer / This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
(highly successful athletes meet their match in "ordinary" girls who see things in a different way than others. Plus: a beaver suit & canoes put to unusual use! As a Canadian I would have loved these stories for those elements alone)
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
(first in a very funny series of a private investigator family where every member is trained early and applies that training at all times, and on each other)
Improper Relations by Janet Mullany
("Regency chicklit" with engaging characters and funny "He said/She said" alternating points of view)
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
(no one, but no one, looks at the world quite like New Jersey bond collector Stephanie Plum)
I Feel Bad About My Neck, by Nora Ephron
(wry observations about the inescapable aging process)
Movies:
Midnight Run (starring Robert de Niro, Charles Grodin)
Ticking clock road movie; no one does middle aged grump like Grodin
French Kiss (starring Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline)
Paris, French Riviera,and Kevin Kline: what's not to like?
Wild Target (starring Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt)
What do assassins do when they reach the top of their game?
O Brother, Where Art Thou (starring George Clooney, Holly Hunter)
Greek classic transplanted to American South; unsurprising that Clooney looks great in all-sepia, but who knew he was funny? Plus, everyone can sing
I'm With Lucy (starring Monica Potter, David Boreanaz)
Stages of dating after a breakup
Cold Comfort Farm (starring Kate Beckinsale, Rufus Sewell)
Young woman 'manages' everyone on a Poirot-era British farm
A Fish Called Wanda (starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis)
Monty Pythonesque absurdity, plus Kevin Kline = win
Get Shorty (starring John Travolta, Rene Russo)
Mafia meets Hollywood
Groundhog Day (starring Bill Murray, Andy MacDowell)
absurd repeating and transformative day; no one does deadpan like Murray
Waking Ned Devine (starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly)
Irish village dynamics
About a Boy (starring Hugh Grant, Toni Colette)
Middle-aged adolescent forced to grow up; Grant's best movie and Colette is brilliant
Sherlock Holmes (starring Robert Downey Jr., Mark Strong)
Great atmospheric detail and perfect balance between the hypercerebral detective and his doctor friend
Michael (starring John Travolta, Andie MacDowell)
How should angels behave? Travolta's most charming role.
Down By Law (starring Tom Waits, Roberto Begnini)
Quirky fish-out-of-water tale set in New Orleans and the bayou, shot in black and white.
Television:
Arrested Development
British version of 'The Office'
British version of 'Coupling'
Episodes
Unchild-safe and very funny look at Brits meet Hollywood culture clash
Veep
Wonderful satire of political lifestyle/mindset
Here are some examples of books, movies and shows that make me laugh.
Books:
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley
(first in a wonderful cozy mystery series about an utterly original eleven year old sleuth)
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters
(first of wonderful archaeological adventure series under the Egyptian sun)
Mr. Impossible, by Loretta Chase
(even more wonderful archaeological adventure under the Egyptian sun)
The Silver Pigs, by Lindsey Davis
(first of wonderful sleuthing adventure series under the imperial Roman sun)
The Big Over Easy, by Jasper Fforde
(hugely creative alternate reality mystery with nursery rhyme characters)
The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
(hugely creative alternate reality mystery with classic literary characters)
The Stupidest Angel, by Christopher Moore
(gradually building satire culminates in hilarious final battle scene)
Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie
(unusual couple, opposite-of-cute dog)
What Happens in London, by Julia Quinn
(charming love story in London setting)
Lessons in French, by Laura Kinsale
(charming love story in rural setting)
A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
(British cross-section of attitudes about suicide; thoughtful despite black humor)
The Diary of Bridget Jones, by Helen Fielding
(the classic chick of lit)
The Food of Love, by Anthony Capella
(retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac in Italian setting)
How to Tame a Modern Rogue, by Diana Holquist
(juxtaposition of historical & contemporary stories)
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
(alternate world con man does good tale with surprisingly deep thoughts on psychology & humanity, with the bonus of truly memorable metaphors and similes)
The Woefield Poultry Collective, aka Home to Woefield, by Susan Juby
(muliple point-of-view story of a group of misfits who join together on a derelict farm)
Natural Born Charmer / This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
(highly successful athletes meet their match in "ordinary" girls who see things in a different way than others. Plus: a beaver suit & canoes put to unusual use! As a Canadian I would have loved these stories for those elements alone)
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
(first in a very funny series of a private investigator family where every member is trained early and applies that training at all times, and on each other)
Improper Relations by Janet Mullany
("Regency chicklit" with engaging characters and funny "He said/She said" alternating points of view)
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
(no one, but no one, looks at the world quite like New Jersey bond collector Stephanie Plum)
I Feel Bad About My Neck, by Nora Ephron
(wry observations about the inescapable aging process)
Movies:
Midnight Run (starring Robert de Niro, Charles Grodin)
Ticking clock road movie; no one does middle aged grump like Grodin
French Kiss (starring Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline)
Paris, French Riviera,and Kevin Kline: what's not to like?
Wild Target (starring Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt)
What do assassins do when they reach the top of their game?
O Brother, Where Art Thou (starring George Clooney, Holly Hunter)
Greek classic transplanted to American South; unsurprising that Clooney looks great in all-sepia, but who knew he was funny? Plus, everyone can sing
I'm With Lucy (starring Monica Potter, David Boreanaz)
Stages of dating after a breakup
Cold Comfort Farm (starring Kate Beckinsale, Rufus Sewell)
Young woman 'manages' everyone on a Poirot-era British farm
A Fish Called Wanda (starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis)
Monty Pythonesque absurdity, plus Kevin Kline = win
Get Shorty (starring John Travolta, Rene Russo)
Mafia meets Hollywood
Groundhog Day (starring Bill Murray, Andy MacDowell)
absurd repeating and transformative day; no one does deadpan like Murray
Waking Ned Devine (starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly)
Irish village dynamics
About a Boy (starring Hugh Grant, Toni Colette)
Middle-aged adolescent forced to grow up; Grant's best movie and Colette is brilliant
Sherlock Holmes (starring Robert Downey Jr., Mark Strong)
Great atmospheric detail and perfect balance between the hypercerebral detective and his doctor friend
Michael (starring John Travolta, Andie MacDowell)
How should angels behave? Travolta's most charming role.
Down By Law (starring Tom Waits, Roberto Begnini)
Quirky fish-out-of-water tale set in New Orleans and the bayou, shot in black and white.
Television:
Arrested Development
British version of 'The Office'
British version of 'Coupling'
Episodes
Unchild-safe and very funny look at Brits meet Hollywood culture clash
Veep
Wonderful satire of political lifestyle/mindset