Sometimes life can feel a bit overwhelming, or things may not be exactly where you want them to be. That’s just part of the human experience. Luckily, talented writers have a remarkable ability to lift your spirits. Some people can make you smile just by speaking, and while they’re often called comedians, humor isn’t limited to spoken jokes. Reading the right book can be just as effective – and may even make you laugh out loud.
Knowing which novels can have you laughing in no time is especially important, particularly when there are over four million novels on Goodreads available. The books that are most likely to brighten your mood are written by skilled authors who truly understand humor, timing, and storytelling. So, without further ado, here are some novels guaranteed to lift your spirits.
1. Carry On, Jeeves
This collection of ten short stories was written by P. G. Wodehouse and published in 1925. Wodehouse’s Carry On Jeeves follows the adventures of Bertram “Bertie” Wooster and his remarkably clever servant, Jeeves. Jeeves has a knack for solving the most unusual problems and seems almost magical in his understanding of people. P. G. Wodehouse, born in 1881, was a comic novelist, short-story writer, lyricist, and playwright. There’s no doubt that his work will bring a smile to your face.
2. The Idiot
The Idiot was written by Elif Batuman, a recipient of the Whiting Writers’ Award and a staff writer at The New Yorker. Published in 2017, the novel was later nominated as a finalist for The Pulitzer Prize. Batuman has given numerous interviews about the book, and it’s clear that her career has much more brilliance to offer readers in the future.
3. I Feel Bad About My Neck
Nora Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck, published in 2006, is genuinely hilarious. In the book, she candidly shares her ups and downs with humor and honesty. Ephron’s career spanned many roles – reporter, producer, essayist, schmoozer, gossip, gourmand, and critic – and she earned lots of awards along the way. Her talent for observational humor makes this book an absolute delight.
4. My Sister, the Serial Killer
This debut novel by Oyinkan Braithwaite, a Nigerian-British novelist, won the Best First Novel award. Published by Doubleday Books in 2018, the book has garnered widespread praise and is especially popular on Goodreads. If you’re in the mood for humor with a dark twist, this is a must-read.
5. The Timewaster Letters
The Timewaster Letters is another entertaining novel guaranteed to make you smile. Written by Robert Darren Popper, a British comedy producer, writer, actor, and author, he’s best known as co-creator of the mock BBC documentary Look Around You and the creator of Channel 4’s sitcom Friday Night Dinner. Published in 2005, the book quickly received many endorsements from celebrities. It features some of the most outrageous requests and absurd illustrations readers are likely to encounter.
