Question of the Week: What types of humor books do you like to read?

 In your opinion, what makes a book really funny? Do you read humorous fiction? Books by comedians? Funny essays? As part of a training session I'm working on, I've been looking at all the different categories of humor. There are way more than I had realized! I typically read humorous biographies and memoirs, but I'm currently trying some essays. What types of humor books do you like to read?

Question of the Week

What book about murder and mayhem made you laugh?

Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason had me hooked from the first sentence.  I was laughing out loud by the end of the first paragraph.

The hilarity begins when Jason Getty decides it's time to mow the lawn.  It's been a long time since he's done it because he's somewhat troubled by the body he buried in the back yard 18 months ago...  Meanwhile, the grass is growing higher and Jason figures neighborly suspicion must be mounting.  Since he hasn't got the stomach to do the job himself, he hires a landscaping company to do his dirty work.  If  the landscapers stick to their contract and stay in the front yard, Jason can bring back his home's curbside appeal and project an image of normalcy to his neighbors.  Imagine his surprise when the landscapers dig up a body - and it's not the one Jason planted.  Fans of Coen brothers films such as Fargo will find this a tasty morsel indeed. 

This is Jamie Mason's first book.  I can't wait for the next.

Families

I come from a big family, and recently one of my sisters found some old family photos. She posted them on Facebook so that everyone could see our bad hairstyles and funny poses. One of my favorite books about families is the hilarious Born under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious. It’s about an L.A. woman recounting the crazy and embarrassing stories of her childhood on Lake Michigan. Last week I finished The Smart One by Jennifer Close, which tells the story of 3 grown siblings who, due to various circumstances, end up moving back to their childhood home with their parents. I also recommend the Walsh Family series by Irish author Marian Keyes and the suspenseful O’Malley series by Dee Henderson.