From adolescence to politics, academia to stunted adulthood, these books tackle subjects big and small while keeping things hilarious:
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Amis’s classic 1954 novel toys with high comedy while staying grounded in genuine human emotion. This story of the work and loves of a professor at a provincial British university tackles issues of merit and class with a rapier wit.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend
In this first person journal, Townsend perfectly captures the angst, uncertainty, and silliness of being a young teen. We might laugh at Adrian’s pretensions and misconceptions but we can also see ourselves in his foibles.
Jeeves and Wooster by P.G. Wodehouse
P.G. Wodehouse is rightfully known as one of the giants of British humor, and the peak of his comedic accomplishments is the Jeeves and Wooster novels and short stories. You can’t go wrong with any of these delightfully circuitous romps in the often absurd world of the British upper crust.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Confederacy of Dunces has attracted a serious cult following over the years, in part because of the tragic circumstances of the author’s life. But the strange charisma of the lead character, and the skewed yet truthful world he inhabits are the true draw for this book.
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