Humor bestsellers

“Jenny Lawson is and will forever be my crazy, taxidermied spirit animal. In Broken she managed to make me snort coffee from my nose in laughter, then grasp at my aching heart a moment later in mutual grief. There's so much exposed nerve in this book that it is impossible not to get sucked into her vulnerability. I think she'd want you to know it's okay to come on over and linger in the pain. Just, you know, not TOO close next to her. Personal space and all that.”

“At its simplest, we could just say this is a story about the human condition. Backman’s wry and deceptively simple storytelling provides us an exquisite and astute study of the little complexities that fills our lives with joy and pain. Through his rich story exploring second chances, missed opportunities, and unintended consequences, he captures the essence of what it means to be human and the complexities of navigating relationships with each other by exploring what we say and do not say to one another. The audio version is absolutely spectacular. The narrator brings each character to life with unique and spot-on personalities that I cannot imagine creating myself in my head. Her delivery of the dialogue and story is spot on and kept me laughing throughout.”

“Filled with warmth and hilarity, this book reads like a mix of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye and a Maeve Binchy novel. The Irish setting is especially welcome on this side of the pond, and of the three plotlines following different generations, the absolute best paints 83-year-old pistol of a grandma Millie as a delightfully quirky and determined soul. A charming, offbeat novel — perfect to savor as we emerge from this particular winter.”

“As if there is anything greater than a new David Sedaris, it's listening to David Sedaris read the new David Sedaris. This self-edited collection of essays from his prolific 25-year career is exactly what we need to boost the morale of 2020 and remind ourselves what a crazy world we've always lived in when viewed through Sedaris's keen observational eye and told with his unique & irreverent voice. The Best of Me is perfect for both long-time fans or those reading Sedaris for the first time and the audio read by the author means no nuance is left behind.”

“2020 is apparently the year I start reading romance novels and loving them. Maybe it's my need for a little lighthearted fluff in quarantine, but straight fluff isn't really my jam no matter the day. I want fluff with meat on its bones. I want fluff with substance.

As for Beach Read... Did I just give a romance novel ALL THE STARS? Why yes. Yes I did. And if I could give it a few more, I would. Because Beach Read is just the kind of substantial 'fluff' I needed to read. It's the kind of book that flips the patriarchy on its head, the one that has told readers like me that romance novels can't be good literature. Because at the end of the day, my preference for anything *but* romance had little to do with the writing quality, and everything to do with social biases. Henry attacks those head on. And then she goes leaps and bounds further, delving into grief and love and identity, and how we understand each other.

This book is therapy. It's a book about writer's block in the best of ways - not just the literal premise of swapping stories, but that of feeling stuck in a rut and not knowing what to do to move forward with life. I felt completely and utterly seen in its pages. I cried ugly tears until I had none left. And then it lifted me up in a bucket full of swoon. Reader, I adored every minute. And with Julia Whelan to narrate, what more could you ask for?”

“Dear me, I think Eve's might just be my favorite story of the Brown Sisters series! This book is absolute bliss—hilarity, charm, and burning hot sex in a delightfully diverse package. At first I thought Jacob's autistic quirks were a bit on the nose, but as I got to know him better, the nuance of the character really blossomed. Reading about Eve's milder autism made me realize that I might be autistic, too. Talia Hibbert's #OwnVoices, smutty, full-hearted brilliance strikes again! I can't recommend this one enough.”

“Fresh, irreverent, and funny, Red, White & Royal Blue is a delight and a treasure. With subtle jabs, Casey McQuiston pokes fun at both the public face of the British monarchy as well as the back-door politicking that dominates the U.S. political scene. The story follows the self-centered Alex Claremont-Diaz (America’s First Son) and his interactions with British Prince Henry of Wales. As hostility increases between two political scions forced into a sham friendship, we see the framework of political destiny and duty begin to fray. Little by little, hostility turns to something else entirely. This is a story about happiness — and, more importantly, honesty — for those who live their lives in the public eye.”

“This fake-dating, opposites-attract romance is simply perfect. A social media astrologer is set up with her new business partner’s actuary sister. While the date goes terribly, how helpful it would be for both of them to have a date for certain upcoming events. The two leads are wonderful, flawed women with their own baggage and hang-ups (hello, family drama!), and it’s a joy to watch them fall in love with each other in spite of everything.”

“I didn’t think it was possible to combine education and humor so effectively in a book about racism, but Ruffin and Lamar proved me wrong. This incredibly well-structured, digestible, challenging, and engaging book opened my eyes to the many ways racism can permeate every interaction in Black people’s lives. The way the sisters play off each other and how Ruffin reflects on Lamar’s experience in contrast to her own make the book especially accessible. A must-read!”

“I was a fan of Single, Carefree, Mellow so it was a treat to read Katherine Heiny's latest release. Standard Deviation wryly delves into the complications and contradictions inherent in good, long-term love and parenting a slightly more challenging child. This is a laugh-out-loud, funny read with brains and heart, and a gentler world to spend time in for anyone who just needs a break.”

“Calypso by David Sedaris is laugh out loud hysterical in true Sedaris fashion. Listening to him read and deliver his stories is like listening to a stand-up comedian. This collection is fairly personal and many stories involve his family and their adventures in his North Carolinian beach house, aptly name the “Sea Section”. Sedaris manages to tackle even difficult issues like suicide and aging with grace and just the right amount of self-deprecation mixed with brutal honesty. Highly recommend!”

“Lovely to find a book that is both predictable and yet entirely satisfying. A feel good book about love and life, how our beliefs shape us, and sometimes how they obscure what's been right in front of us all along.”

“The Witches Are Coming is a timely and engaging collection of essays (read by the author Lindy West in the audiobook version, which I highly recommend). With a great balance of rage, humor, optimism, and urgency, West addresses the state of American culture and how we can move forward, specifically with regard to how women are framed in the narrative that has been written throughout the past hundred years. But she also talks about race, climate change, getting her book Shrill made into a TV show, Adam Sandler, and a number of other topics. West's book is a rally cry for witches; it will make you feel like picking up a broom and flying off to a coven meeting.”

“My husband and I have had the pleasure of seeing Jerry Seinfeld live on two occasions. Obviously, we are big fans. When I learned that Seinfeld was releasing his book at the same time as a cross-country road trip that we had planned, I was ecstatic. Jerry did not let us down. The miles flew by quickly as we laughed our way through Connecticut. I highly recommend this book - especially if you are planning a road trip during the holidays.”

“I loved everything about this book. A romantic comedy with a heroine of color who also suffers from fibromyalgia? Sign me up. It's raunchy and hysterical and I loved every minute of it. The one down side was that I couldn't listen to it with my kids in the car, so it took me longer than I would've liked to finish it. ”

“Patricia Lackwood's Priestdaddy is one of my favorite memoirs of all time, so I knew I just HAD to get my hands on her debut novel. As expected it's weird and quirky as hell, a tad inappropriate but makes you literally LOL. She creates a plot through a constellation of nebulous observations and witticisms that, as I said, is expected from her. And the narrator's voice drips with that certain sarcasm that is perfectly in line with Lockwood's. What I did NOT expect, however, is for these drifting sentiments and sediments to suddenly unify as one sharp needle point at the book's climax and rip out my still-beating heart. The audacity of Patricia Lockwood! After I was done ugly crying, I was able to take a step back and truly appreciate how marvelous this book really is. Do yourself a favor and just read it.”

“Quirky, wry, darkly witty, strange, and absolutely laugh-out-loud hilarious, Patrick deWitt’s French Exit is the perfect remedy for those seeking a respite from the plethora of WWII historical fiction and genre thrillers out there. In deWitt’s depiction of dysfunctional families at their absolute oddest, Malcom Price, his doting mother, Frances, and their cat, Little Frank, abandon New York City practically penniless and scurry off to Paris, where things only get stranger. Every page turned leaves the reader wondering what in the world they will do next. What a breath of fresh air is French Exit! Keep them coming, Patrick deWitt!”

“Take a Hint, Dani Brown is the most fun I’ve had reading a book all year. The banter between all of the characters was hilarious and relatable. The moments of compassion between Dani and Zaf on which their relationship is built emphasize the power in vulnerability. Zaf’s struggles with anxiety and Dani’s struggles against her own insecurities are so familiar and understandable. Hibbert has entirely embraced the friends-to-lovers and fake-dating tropes to create the most heart-warming book, and she will be an automatic-buy author for me in the future. This is a great book for adults looking for some diverse romance and a comfort read. Some content warnings include anxiety, racism, death of a parent, death of a sibling and explicitly sexual content, but none of these topics are the focus of the story.”

“I've read a few things by Lindy West, but they were all pretty serious subjects. This audiobook, narrated by West, had my cracking up at my desk. Of course it's perfect for movies you've already seen — I'll admit to liking Love Actually, but her scathing review was still enjoyable. Even movies I have never seen before and barely know the premise, her rundown lets me picture it in my mind with ease, yet still want to rush home and watch it. This is a great pandemic listen. ”

“Evvie Drake is young and newly widowed, but no one knows that on the day her husband died, she had finally worked up the nerve to leave him. Dean Tenney is a major league baseball pitcher who has inexplicably lost the talent that made him a star. When Dean moves to Evvie’s small town to escape the humiliating sports headlines, their friendship proves to be just what both of them need. This is an absolute treasure of a novel — big-hearted, funny, sweet, and utterly satisfying. I cannot wait to sell this charming gem.”

“A famous rom-com duo takes on HGTV in their latest surefire hit. Underpaid and overworked assistants Carey and James didn’t intend to be in charge of keeping together a reality TV couple’s marriage, but here they are. They also didn’t intend to fall for each other, but as they try to fix the crumbling marriage of Melissa and Rusty Tripp, they find common ground. Equal parts sweet and steamy, with a story about finding your spine and self-worth.”

“A sweet romance about a professor who decides to take a chance when she finds herself out at a bar by herself seated next to an attractive man in town on business. Naya never would have imagined that their one-night stand would turn into a week-long fling with the potential for even more. And because of her toxic past relationships, she is hesitant to trust Jake. I loved reading about a professor as a romance leading lady!”

“Lina’s fiancé left her at the altar three years ago, and now she’s faced with a job opportunity... at her ex-fiancé’s company. It gets better, she’s preparing her pitch with his brother, the worst best man who convinced him not to marry her. Lina is a woman to root for and who always surprised me. She faces the daily complexity of expressing her emotions truthfully as a woman - and a woman of color at that. She owns a business and is very close to her mãe and tias, all of which are successful, immigrant women who raised their own children as single mothers. This novel is bursting with beautiful Brazilian culture, swoony scenes, and fist-pumping declarations of the heart. And most of all, it’s a reminder to be true to your feelings and to live up to no one’s expectations but your own.”

“Mia Mercado's comedic timing is evident as she voices the alternations of her text. Shifting adeptly between dead honest coverage of micro-aggressions and lively portrayals of her pup; between depictions of vocational doldrums and a litany of relationship discoveries, between feminist self-love and self-deprecating humor, Mercado's range is refreshing and impressive.”

“Tuesday Mooney is smart, intrepid, and just a little bit lost—even 20 years after her best friend disappears without a trace. A prospect researcher by trade, she dives in deep when a strange and reclusive billionaire dies and leaves puzzles throughout the city in an elaborate treasure hunt. While this fun and affecting book could have won me over just by being a romp, there is more here. Tuesday and her compatriots are all forced to confront the traumas that have stunted their lives and find new strength in their relationships. I couldn’t have asked for more!”

“There are many ways to craft a humorous essay. One of the most straightforward is to harness the clarity to tell it exactly like it is. You know, through the warped lens of personality. Samantha Irby sees all, and she sees it through wickedly potent bifocals.”

“What would you do if you found yourself at the precipice of your 50th birthday with nothing to say for yourself other than your long term relationship with a famous author, now former relationship? Maybe Arthur Less can fall back on his own writing, which has been poorly received, or maybe he can fall back into the arms of his lover, who has just sent him an invitation to his wedding to another man. But Less decides to do something different, that is to say Yes to invitations which will put him on his greatest adventure to Paris, Berlin, Morocco, the Sahara, India and more. But this story is not about a man travelling to exotic locations but rather a story about a man discovering himself after years of living as someone else. It could be said that this story has been told before, but Greer tells it so well that it feels new again. And, though Less' friends berate him for telling a story no one should care about (a 50 year old white, gay man discovering himself), the details of Less' struggles are relevant and beautiful.”

“This was a fun rom-com, and great on audio. Laugh out loud funny. I would caution that is is definitely R-rated for our more faint of heart customers. ”

“2020 has been quite the year and all I can seem to focus on are happy love stories. Out of all the ones I’ve read or listened to this year, this one hit me the hardest. The story is great, the characters are lovable, and I just couldn’t stop listening. Each chapter had its song and the book had its own playlist that IS on Spotify. A few chapters in and I started listening to the songs before each chapter. SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE! I’m blown away by this book. I now require playlists to go with every book I read, and I will also proceed to not stop telling other people to read it.”

“I listened to this on libro.fm and loved every second! Lovable cast of characters and super sweet love story. This book put a smile on my face and makes me smile when I talk about it with other people.”

“I don’t have enough superlatives to do this book justice. Everything is spot on, from the chemistry between the main characters to the telenovela drama to the meddling but supportive cousins. I love all the Spanish, the backstage glimpses into the making of a TV show (especially the inclusion of the intimacy coordinator), and the way the telenovela tropes, like a secret child, are woven into the grounded romance. Now I just hope Michelle and Ava get their own books soon!”

“Reading David Rakoff is not unlike sitting in the veterinarian's office with your family, having just put down a beloved pet, worn out with grief, swollen-eyed and snot-nosed, peering over the edge of an existential abyss, when a tabby cat patient with an anxiety disorder breaks free of its carrier and gobbles up a little girl's pet hamster, sending the office into a tear-laden frenzy. Immediate am-I-laughing-or-am-I-crying relief breaks through the grief and you feel just a little bit crazy. This is what it is to read David Rakoff.”

“This book was so stinking cute and was even better in audiobook format (Caitlin Kinnunen for the win!). I think the story was completely elevated by Broadway's Caitlin Kinnunen who's young but silky voice was perfectly able to capture the naiveté of Mary Jane and the roughness of Jimmy's singing voice. In general, the singing interludes of the audiobook are well worth the listen as they truly enliven the whole story. Mary Jane's aloofness as she enters this household that would be scoffed at by her straight-laced mother is very funny. The Cones live of cereal and takeout, with a fridge full of rotten and expired groceries. They also live freely with clothing, often stripping in front of each other and wearing clothing that Mary Jane's mother would consider risque. It's a coming of age story that spans only a single summer, where Mary Jane realizes how different life can be lived outside of her conservative household. Overall, a truly cute and light read that would be great for fans of coming of age stories and learning to push the boundaries on familial beliefs.”