Quote: johnny roulette @ November 28, 2007, 12:41 PMmonster island by david wellington. its about zombies.
I've never read a book about zombies.
I think I might.
Book Recommendation Page 2
While you're at it, read World War Z. Incredible piece of writing.
i agree on CARTER BEATS THE DEVIL. really good.
you've probably already read it but PAPILLON. a life changing book if ever there was one.
and THE GODFATHER by mario puzo.
if you like gangsters - TOUGH JEWS - cant remember who wrote it. about jewish mobsters in america.
I would recommend David Nobbs' 'The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin' and the sequel short novels about Reggie.
These preceded the TV series and are incredibly well, written, humourous books. They are also somewhat darker than the TV series. They also serve as an interesting comparison of the novel versus sitcom.
Oh, I a rather like Joseph Heller's 'Good As Gold' and to a lesser extent, 'Something Happened'.
Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome - brilliantly funny Victorian story of three friends trying to escape their mundane London lives on the Thames.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain - written five years before, about a boy and the slave he tries to help escape, set on the Mississipi.
Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh's best novel - expelled Oxford student learns how not to teach in Welsh prep school.
Anything by P.G. Wodehouse. Especially Jeeves or Blandings books. Much better than Fry and Laurie.
How To Kill Your Husband by Kathy Lette is a must for all women. It is just hilarious, I couldn't put it down. Fiction BTW
I liked 'Something Happened', but it is of course far less accessible or easy-going than Catch-22 - it inherently has to be, with the issues it deals with. I bought "Carter Beats The Devil", started reading it, and got bored. I have a policy of not finishing books for the sake of it if I'm not getting anything out of it. Maybe I'll try again, I don't think I read much. Reading "The End Of Mr Y", that's pretty good. Think all the books recommended are crackers, esp. Reggie Perrin (and the sequels)! Tragi-Comedy at its best! And whatever edition you have, it's bound to have that Ronnie Barker quote on the back about laughing 287 times and crying twice.
A big yes to "Three Men in a Boat" - very good it is.
The Catcher in the Rye. Everyone says it's serious and sad but it's one of the few books that's made me laugh out loud.
Quote: bushbaby @ December 2, 2007, 2:22 PMHow To Kill Your Husband by Kathy Lette is a must for all women. It is just hilarious, I couldn't put it down. Fiction BTW
I do like Kathy Lette - especially when she's reading her stuff.
Quote: John Kelly @ December 2, 2007, 2:06 PMDecline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh's best novel - expelled Oxford student learns how not to teach in Welsh prep school.
Another good and funny Evelyn Waugh novel is 'The Loved One', a satire on the American funeral industry and to some extent the whole American aspirational culture. (It was also made into a pretty funny film by Tony Richardson in the 60's.)
And of course anything by David Sedaris, particularly 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'.
Quote: swerytd @ November 28, 2007, 10:24 AMWell, I liked 1984 and also liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon and Life Of Pi by Yann Martel.
Dan
Life of Pi was actually very good. Not my sort of thing at all really, but funny, moving and in some places quite profound.
would also recommend Interpretation of Murder, which is a fine example of extrapolation of facts, fiction and imagination.
Quote: zooo @ November 29, 2007, 12:20 AMI've never read a book about zombies.
I think I might.
A recipe book?
Tkae fresh brains...fresh brains...mix with fresh brains...
I've just started reading 'Lost in the Funhouse: the Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman', by Bill Zehme. I have to admit, since I started writing, a few years ago, I've hardly read any books, as I always feel that I should be writing instead. The last book I read was a biography of James Brown. I've been meaning to read 'Catch 22' for years. All I really know about it, is that it's about American pilots, during the war, oh and that one of the characters dies after a cat falls asleep on his face!
I just finished listening to Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up". It recalls the start and sudden finish of his stand up comedy. I really liked it and would recommend it. It's funny and an interesting story with some great tales of other classic comedians. You can buy the book but I really enjoyed listening to Steve Martin tell his stories.
Just thought some of you comedy writers would enjoy this and those aspiring comedians, comedy writers are even just entertainers might get something out of it.