To Say Nothing of the Dog or how we found the bishop's bird stump at last discussion

I quite enjoyed this on tape, that's how I achieved my latest re-reading of the book.

It's on my to-read list, as a very dear friend gave me a copy. In fact, I'd better go put it on now . . . You might also be able to get the HB version at your library--that's what mine has. I also got the audio book that way.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is one of my all-time favorite books. I laughed myself sick the first time I read the first chapter. Ned's timelag and his preoccupation with his colleague's supposed timelag were hysterical. I liked Willis' Bellwether a lot, but TSNotD was brilliant!

I read it a few years ago and loved the quiet but interesting story. Really reminds me of Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, but more elegant. Bellwether is the other one of hers I read also. BTW, she's getting the Nebula Grand Masters Award in 2012!

Read her book(s) Blackout and All Clear. Really her best work.

Margaret wrote: "Read her book(s) Blackout and All Clear. Really her best work."

All of her work is great, but Blackout and All Clear were a masterpiece. It's difficult to imagine that she could ever outdo herself in the future after these two books that are really a single story.

To Say Nothing of the Dog and The Doomsday Book are my favorites among Willis’s books, although Lincoln's Dreams has a haunting quality I can't forget. Remake and Passage are also wonderful.

I loved To Say Nothing of the Dog- this was my first exposure to Willis. I want to read more. Which recommendations would you folks make? Are the other ones as full of humor? How about the ironies and allusions? Are all her plots as convoluted as this one was? My head was spinning at times. I want more.

Most of Willis's books are not funny, although Bellwether and Remake have their moments. You might start with one of those, then segue to one of the other titles I mention in my previous post.

Yes, all her books are very plotty. I like that.

Inside Job is also a good one for humor. I'd put it on par (maybe a smidge beneath) with Bellwether and say it's a cut above Remake. Most of her works, even the serious ones, aren't without humor, so I'd say go ahead and try Doomsday Book and Black Out/All Clear etc. Passage ... is worth reading, but ... it is the only book of hers I've only read once. Not because it wasn't brilliant? But because ... too sad.

I agree with Jess. The humorous books have shadows of impending tragedy if the situation is not resolved and the tragic books have humorous moments all through. I always remember the American bellringers and young Colin in Domesday Book. I would suggest reading Bellwether next if you want humor. I thought it was very funny but not in the same way as TSNOTD. It is full of satire and irony; I loved the fads research and the other scientific mentions. Willis also wrote a very fun book with Cynthia Felice called Promised Land (one of 3 they wrote together). It is really more romantic and fun than humorous.

I love Willis. Only found her work last year, but I was so immersed in her writing, every detail counts. I just kept looking for more books by her.