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Funny books are impossible to find or funny books don't like me

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dirk73

New Member
Okay so I just signed up on this website yesterday and this is my first post. I am a 39 year old dude who lives in South America (from Michigan). I am an avid reader with a Nook. I have been trying to branch out in my reading from the usual adventure/thriller genres (ie...Clive Cussler, James Rollins, Preston & Child, etc... you know the usuals). Since I live in a tropical environment, love Florida, and am from a cold, snowy place, I want to read novels set in florida or any tropical climate. what I am looking for also are funny novels. Okay here is where the dilema comes in.

"Funny" is relative and different for each person. Some may think that Jane Eyre is funny and others think that person is crazy. I for one can't find any book that will make me burst out laughing. I am thinking that maybe "funny" novels are just not for me. The closest I have come to laughing at a book is HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. I have spent hours researching and looking and digging for a funny author with a good plot set in the tropics. I don't think they exist. And I already know what you are thinking...

...Carl Hiaasen. Let me say first that I don't want books filled with filthy language and unnecessary sex. I have tried Carl Hiaasen and I just don't get what is so great about him. Hitting someone over the head with a frozen iguana is funny? Now granted I only read BASKET CASE so maybe I judged to early but I did try is "childrens" book FLUSH and it wasn't good at all. I tried a Randy Wayne White (or something like that) a few years back and returned it in disgust without finishing it. I thought I had a winner with James O. Born. Did some research, his books sounded good, got good reviews, set in Florida. I ordered WALKING MONEY. There was like close to one F word on every page. So juvenile. I just got done reading a Terry Pratchett novel ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND. It was alright I may need to try another one from him. But again I didn't bust up laughing even though supposedly it is a "funny novel".

So I thought I would sign up on here and see if anyone could point me to an author that would fit my criteria. Hopefully I am not asking for too much. With the thousands upon thousands of novels printed every year you would think it wouldn't be that hard! Like it says at Eccl. 12:12 - To the making of many books there is no end.

Thanks in advance!

ps.
I would really love to
read OUR MAN IN HAVANA
by Graham Greene but is not
available for download.
 
Hey! I'm from Michigan also, and a big fan of laughing. Maybe I can help. Humor is tough to nail down. What type of humor do you like? If you want laugh out loud funny, you might not find it in a thriller or fiction novel. You might have to go for a regular old "humor" book. If you have a comedian that you like, almost all of them are writing books nowadays so you might start there.
One of the most humorous novels that I have ever read is Richard Ford's Independence Day. But most of the people I have recommended that book to have told me that they hated every minute of it. so yeah.
 
Ha! I knew it! They just don't exist. You know what? I am going to write my own humorous fiction/thriller novel that is clean and set in the tropics. Ok probably not.

@occlith - I did check out those few threads. I checked out a few of the authors but nothing really caught my eye.

@753C - Yeah I am mainly looking for fiction novels. You know a kick back fun, wild ride. Alas, I can't stinkin' find one. I think I am going to check out Edna Buchanan. I think that is her name. She came up on a list of authors I was looking through the other day.

Thanks for the replies.
 
Look at that! How many days now and still no more suggestions. Well I just downloaded DANCING AZTECS by Donald E. Westlake. It's supposed to be a "hilarious crime caper".
We shall see.
 
I don't know about books set in FL, but The Spellmans by Lisa Lutz are pretty funny books. The characters are charming in a crazy sort of way....or crazy in a charming sort of way I guess.

I think there are some nonfiction books you might have better luck with.
 
readsalot said:
I don't know about books set in FL, but The Spellmans by Lisa Lutz are pretty funny books. The characters are charming in a crazy sort of way....or crazy in a charming sort of way I guess.

I think there are some nonfiction books you might have better luck with.
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I think I stumbled onto THE SPELLMAN books before but never bought one. They sound good and I will have to check them out. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Well I have finally done it. I have found a book that makes me laugh. I am not quite half way thru DANCING AZTECS and it is absolutely hilarious. But, I should add that there is bad language, just not on every page, and it is very racist. It was written in the 70's and I am quite surprised that you could get away with that. It is sure to offend some people. That's the negatives and again the positives is it is a very funny book and the plot is awesome. Let's hope the ending will turn out good.
 
Oh yeah, if you haven't tried him you might like Tim Dorsey. Serial novels set in Florida. The "heroes" are a chronic drug addict and a serial killer who is also a Florida history buff. They travel through Florida and get into various adventures. Dorsey gets compared to Hiaasen a lot, but I don't see a whole lot of similarities other than the setting and the genre. I've had to laugh out loud several times reading these.
 
753C said:
Oh yeah, if you haven't tried him you might like Tim Dorsey. Serial novels set in Florida. The "heroes" are a chronic drug addict and a serial killer who is also a Florida history buff. They travel through Florida and get into various adventures. Dorsey gets compared to Hiaasen a lot, but I don't see a whole lot of similarities other than the setting and the genre. I've had to laugh out loud several times reading these.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks for the reply. I have tried Tim Dorsey and it was too vulgar and weird. I didn't finish the book. But I have to say DANCING AZTECS is comic genius. This book is sooooo funny. I am really enjoying it. I don't want it to end. Will let you know how it ends when I finish it.
 
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