British humor in books

[novella]

Was going to post this on the 10 Humor books thread, but I think British humor deserves its own space, as it is almost a different genre from those self-deprecating memoir-type books by Sedaris, Barry, etc.

Last night I picked up that old classic, Tales from a Long Room and was laughing out loud.

It's sort of a brief modern world history told in terms of cricket matches instead of world wars. Reads like the Duke of Edinburgh wrote it, full of idiotic terms like Fuzzy Wuzzies, Pygmy wickets, and sentences like "let the dark facts speak for themselves." I love this stuff.

It's a slim book by Peter Tinniswood and deserves to be read by anyone who likes Wodehouse or D. Adams.

 

[sanyuja]

Thanks for the information, novella. I hadn't heard of this book. I might give it a try because I like Wodehouse.

You know what? I have noticed one strange thing in my friends groups. Either they adore Wodehouse or they just hate him. There is no okay-okay opinion. Either you love the subtle humour or you get irritated. And this is the only author I have seen who has generated such extreme opinions. I wonder why!

 

[Shade]

I'm not sure I would call his humour subtle exactly but more importantly: how can you consider as friends, people who don't like Wodehouse??

Thanks for the recommendation novella. I've never heard of Tales...

 

[lies]

Of course my library doesn't carry that book. *sigh*

If anyone has got more recommendations along these lines, you know what to do.

 

[ions]

Tom Sharpe is supposed to be quite funny. Haven't read him myself, I've only seen this.

 

[Grammath]

Its humour, not humor, and it is possibly the greatest contribution Britain has made to the world, not just in literature but on stage and screen as well. I have no idea why that should be, it just is.

Ten funny British writers of various eras: the aforementioned Wodehouse and Adams, plus Pratchett, Evelyn Waugh (early stuff like "Vile Bodies" and "Scoop"), Stephen Fry, Dave Gorman, Jerome K Jerome, Jasper Fforde, Spike Milligan and Helen Fielding.

If none of these make you laugh, check if you still have a pulse. This is despite my signature by one of the funniest Americans ever to breathe.

 

[sirmyk]

David Sedaris is one of the few authors who can stifle a laugh out of me. Naked. Me Talk Pretty One Day. Dress Your Parents...these are funny, funny books.

 

[Usagi]

I absolutly love british humour! In books and movies and in conversation, and what's even funnier is when people are insulting someone with british humour and they just don't understand. It's an art and either you get it or you don't!

 

[novella]

Its humour, not humor, .

My bad.

 

[clueless]

And what about Dickens? I cannot understand why so many people consider his books depressing and always forget his humour

 

[ions]

David Sedaris was on Letterman this evening and did a reading. That was pretty damn funny stuff! Definately adding his books to my tbr pile!

 

[Crystal]

Its humour, not humor, .

My bad.

haha.

Hope I could find the book, Tales from a Long room.

Wasn't it strange? Whenever I heard about British humour, I could have the images of Holms and Dr. Wason (?) on mind, and Arthur Dent.

 

[ricky]

David Sedaris was on Letterman this evening and did a reading. That was pretty damn funny stuff! Definately adding his books to my tbr pile!

i've read most of his stuff, he is hilarious!