Pick-a-Shelf discussion

What do you plan to read for humor in December?

or

What do you think others should read for humor? Perhaps you read a book that made you laugh out loud and you think others might feel the same. Feel free to pass the suggestion along here.

I love this shelf. I can always use humor.

My list:

The Princess Bride by William Goldman 12/26/2009
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella 12/04/2009

Of course I won't get to all of these, but hopefully at least two of them, maybe three?

Last night I bought Dear Fatty so I will be reading that for December after I finish A Thousand Splendid Suns which is my last book for the 12 days of summer challenge. Really looking forward to reading something funny, great pick!

Best Christmas book ever? I'd have to go with The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by Christopher Moore. Certainly one to read to the kids before tucking them in Christmas Eve. (*Note: if anyone follows this advice and is later reported to child services, they should remember to not believe everything they read on them interweb things.) This book is perfect for the humor category for this time of year! (and I would believe that bit, even if you did fall for the first part and are now talking with your children on supervised visits.)

Great minds think alike! I've got Stupidest Angel lined up for another club so this works out perfectly. (And as I bit off more than I could chew last month, I'm tempering myself for this month.)

I'm wondering how many people are going to pick Sedaris' little book? It's not exactly Christmas cheer, but if you like his humor, it can bring a few chortles. My favorite is the one about him being Santa's elf (at a Macy's like store).

Lyn wrote: "I love this shelf. I can always use humor...."

I don't like Austen, but I had fun reading Zombies. He does a great job inserting them without losing the integrity of the story.

What I hope to read:

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Julie and Julia 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

I'm so pleased the December shelf is humor! I'm already reading The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by Christopher Moore for the December Fantasy pick over in the "Beyond Reality" group, as well as re-reading Hogfather by Terry Pratchett for the holidays with the Pratchett fan group ("Cult of Anoia"). So I know I'll meet my shelf goal.

One of my favorite humorous authors is Barry Hughart. His trilogy (1) Bridge of Birds A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was, (2)The Story of the Stone, and (3)Eight Skilled Gentlemen - which are all collected in one volume as The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox - are seriously giggle-worthy. They are long, winding quest stories set in a fantastical mythic ancient China full of dragons, spirits, familial absurdity, social satire, farce, thieving hi-jinks, magic, misdirection, big ol' fibs, trickery, ribaldry, and the most cantankerous, incorrigible sagely old fella ever. The feel is something like Terry Pratchett meets Lao Tzu...

I would recommend just about anything by Terry Pratchett, Christopher Moore, or Douglas Adams to folks looking for laughs who also enjoy the fantastical, the strange, or the satirical. I also second The Princess Bride. I loved the movie, but I loved the book even more.

Candiss wrote: "I'm so pleased the December shelf is humor! I'm already reading The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by Christopher Moore for the D..."

I love all the side comments in Princess Bride (the book). It's what makes the book!

I plan to read two of Christopher Moore books... The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 and A Dirty Job. If I come across one or two more books that fit I will add them too.

Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
Tourist Season By Carl Hiassen
Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed By Lance Carbuncle
The Eyre Affair By Jasper Fforde

At the very least, the Stupidest Angel. And, though, I just started Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, I may put off reading more until December, since the rest of the month will be pretty hectic.

For December I plan to read:

How to Be Good by Nick Hornby
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe A Novel by Fannie Flagg
Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen

At this time I would like to extend a Seasons Greetings to all my fellow P-a-S members. Whatever holiday you celebrate, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, I hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

Cam wrote: "Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
Tourist Season By Carl Hiassen
[..."


I just read The Eyre Affair. I really liked it and I hope you do too!

The next one is good, too. It is called Lost in a Good Book.

Tara wrote: "Cam wrote: "Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
Tourist Season By Car..."

Tanks Tara, have heard good things, & Lyn, I have that one in the pile too so I'm looking good for choices.

Perfect shelf for December, Photojim! Whenever I start to feel any holiday stress, I'll just read or listen to one of these (I may get to all of them):

The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by C. Moore
Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss Dec. 16 (now to watch the movie!)
Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones Dec. 4
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Dec 7
Julie and Julia My Year of Cooking Dangerously DNF (too many insensitive remarks about the events/results of 9/11)

For those reading A Dirty Job - have fun!! I listened to an audiobook narrated by Fisher Stevens, and it was great!!

I add my praises to THE PRINCESS BRIDE. I love the movie, but those side comments in the book are priceless.

And anything by Douglas Adams - I just finished So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

So far I plan on reading...

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Making Money by Terry Pratchett

Yay! I've been wanting to read more Terry Pratchett, so this is the perfect excuse. For December, I want to at least get to: The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic.

To start I plan on reading....
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Bad Mother A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace
I will add others as I figure it out ;-) I love this shelf and like to mix it up between bigger reads. Great choice! Can't wait to get more ideas from everyone else

Candiss wrote: "I'm so pleased the December shelf is humor! I'm already reading The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0 by Christopher Moore for the D..."

Thanks to you I now have to put "Master Li" on my list as well. If my presents don't get wrapped...IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!

Cam wrote: "Tara wrote: "Cam wrote: "Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
[book:Tourist Season|..."

All the Thursday Next books are good. They get better and better in my opinion. Enjoy!

Well, I picked all books I already have laying around the house:

"In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" by Jean Sheppard
"The Luck of the Bodkins" by P.G. Wodehouse
"Julie and Julia" which I have been trying to get to since before the movie came out.
"Round Ireland with a Fridge" which I have been trying to get to since our travel month.
"Guernsey Potato Peel Society"
"Lucky Jim"
and maybe one book I don't have..."Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"


We will see how many I get to. It should be fun to try.

As for recommendations, I highly suggest any P.G. Wodehouse book or any book by Erma Bombeck, especially "Just Wait Til You Have Children of Your Own"

I am also going to read The Eyre Affair

Im going to try for:
Catch-22
Running with Scissors A Memoir

Colleen wrote: "Im going to try for:
Catch-22
Running with Scissors A Memoir"

I'm suppose to read Catch-22 for a personal challenge next year. I didn't know it was funny. That's interesting. Looking forward to your review!

So many great reads to pick this month!
I'm going to start with:

Mostly Harmless
The Big Over Easy
The Fourth Bear

I might also go through my Artemis Fowl collection again.

I just found that Julie and Julia My Year of Cooking Dangerously is on the shelf. Yea, I bought it just after I saw the movie. Loved the movie. I saw it with my friend Kathy on one of our "girls day outs" and ended up eating at a French restaurant we were so hungry!

Sara☺ wrote: "I am also going to read The Eyre Affair"

Sara- I hope you like it as much as I did!

I loved it as well.

I am hoping so!

Great shelf choice -- I always love books that make me laugh. I'm going to read: Bitter is the New Black Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jen Lancaster. It has been sitting on my shelf for awhile, so I'm determined to get to it before the end of the year!

It's sad, it's my shelf choice and I don't know what I'm going to read! December starts tomorrow you know. :-O

You probably have too many choices. I hear The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe is good. My son has read it so many times that his book is falling apart.

Photojim wrote: "It's sad, it's my shelf choice and I don't know what I'm going to read! December starts tomorrow you know. :-O"

I SERIOUSLY recommend anything by Erma Bombeck or P.G. Wodehouse. I am also enjoying Jean Shepherd very much. There is always Sookie. She is on this shelf even though I don't really consider her "humor".

I just started . It is on the humor shelf!

Christopher Moore is always good for some odd humor. And I enjoyed The Hitchhikers Guide books -- I've read the first two.

Just finished Howl's Moving Castle and its silliness really helped me unwind!

Next up is [image error]

After I've read Lamb, which wasn't originally on my list, I'm reposting. I'll be reading:

Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, Version 2.0
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

So I'm was going through the shelf, picking out potential things to read. On my list currently is:

The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
Right Ho, Jeeves, by P. G. Wodehouse

This should be doable, even with budgeted time and money. (Both available on Gutenberg.org and Librivox.org for free.) While I've seen a movie adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play, I don't really have much exposure to P. G. Wodehouse. A number of his Jeeves books are at Project Gutenberg, though, so if I like him I'll be able to continue the series a bit.

Steven wrote: "So I'm was going through the shelf, picking out potential things to read. On my list currently is:

The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
Right Ho, Jeeves, by P. G. Wodehouse

This should..."

I have to say those are both EXCELLENT choices. I LOVE "The importance of being Ernest" but thought the movie was a TERRIBLE adaptation. The book/play is MUCH funnier.

I have all the "Jeeves" books in my personal library and absolutely love them. Wodehouse wrote about 100 books, so I hope you like him. Besides "Jeeves" try the "Blandings Castle" titles and the one about the stolen painting, I can't remember the name.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Lynne wrote: "I have to say those are both EXCELLENT choices. I LOVE "The importance of being Ernest" but thought the movie was a TERRIBLE adaptation. The book/play is MUCH funnier.

I have all the "Jeeves" books in my personal library and absolutely love them."

I would have thought, of all things, it would be more likely that a play could be reliably turned in to a reasonable movie. My current suspicion is that the shorter the story the more likely that a good movie can be made from it. I'm looking forward to a movie adaptation of a drabble (100 word story) to really set me straight there.

Both Wodehouse and Wilde have been in my ebook TBR (eTBR?) pile for a while, so it was nice to have an excuse to start them. (Though in my Oscar Wilde pile, I thought I'd read The Picture of Dorian Gray first.)

Steven, while The Picture of Dorian Gray is excellent, it really isn't the comedy romp some make it out to be. (tongue firmly in cheek on that one)