Comedic books, with their combination of satire, humor and comedy, are wonderful companions that help you laugh at life and boost your mood. The authors and books on this list are readily available and just touch the surface of this enjoyable genre.
Well-known for her Mac and Ivy books, McCourtney takes you through the adventures of a "little old lady," Ivy Malone, who has an innate curiosity that frequently gets her into trouble. The title of her first book, Invisible, refers to the fact that, as a small older lady, she's effectively invisible to those around her. This cloak of invisibility and her quirky behavior will keep you entertained as she tracks down a murderer.
The first Ivy series leads to a second where she and Mac are married. As a couple, they continue to find themselves in impossible but humorous situations. Lorena McCourtney continues the genre with a wide selection of humorous romantic, mystery and suspense stories with a Christian ethos. Her books are easy and entertaining reads with just a touch of real drama to keep you intrigued.
Born in England, PG Wodehouse spent much of his life in the United States. Before he died in 1975, PG Wodehouse wrote more than 90 books, many of which are hilarious. A good number of his books are set in Edwardian times (1901 to 1917) and feature the young and foolish Bertie Wooster from the upper class and his problem-solving valet Jeeves. One of his most humorous classics is Carry On, Jeeves, written a century ago in 1925. Although faithful to his master, Jeeves' opinion of Wooster is shown in this witty comment, "It was painful to see Mr. Wooster’s brain endeavoring to work." Other books in the series include Joy in the Morning and The Code of the Woosters. Michael Hiltzik of the LA Times says PG Wodehouse's books "make me convulse with laughter."
You may have read some of Dr. Seuss' books as a child or read them to your children, but did you know that Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote a book for adults? You're Only Old Once!: A Book for Obsolete Children is a comical illustrated story of a senior's visit to the fictitious Golden Year Clinic, where he's subjected to a range of weird and wacky medical examinations and tests. Building on his experiences in making children laugh, this book includes Dr. Seuss' funny illustrations and witty, rhythmical writing pattern. The title was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 60 weeks.
This Swedish writer is the author of a series of books covering 79-year-old Martha Anderson's descent into a life of white-collar crime. Living in a retirement home under new and cost-cutting management, she and her friends decide they're not going to spend their days in armchairs following management's harsh rules. They decide to break out and claim their independence. The book is filled with humor and fun as it follows their criminal escapades and how they evade the law and the Mafia. The series starts with The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules and currently extends to four books, the latest being The Little Old Lady Strikes Back. This book is the story of how she and her gang steal some Russian gems and use the money to save a small village in crisis.
Jean Webster was an American author who died in 1916. She's best remembered for the fictional book Daddy-Long-Legs. The book is a series of letters written by an orphan, Judy Abbott, to an unknown benefactor who's paying for her college education. The original book has numerous childlike illustrations Judy drew as she shared her experiences of moving from a children's orphanage (John Grier Home) through college while discovering an exciting and different world. The letters are witty and easy to read. Jean Webster followed with a sequel, Dear Enemy, written in much the same style.
These two are a mother and daughter team that's written many nonfiction humorous books based on their weekly Chick Wit column published in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The stories are written with emotional honesty but filled with sidesplitting perspectives of life as a mother and daughter. Examples include Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, written in 2010, and Best Friends, Occasional Enemies: The Lighter Side of Life as a Mother and Daughter, published a year later. Their writing is irreverent, witty and funny.
Depending on your reading preferences, you can buy comedic books online or from the humor section of local bookshops like R Bookmark on West Alabama Avenue, a few minutes' drive from LifeStream at Youngtown Independent Living & Assisted Living. Also try the Youngtown Public Library, which is a few hundred yards further down the road. Other options include bookshops in the adjacent Phoenix, AZ, metropolitan area. Amazon Kindle offers a wide selection of comedy books, and Barnes and Noble's selection of comedy and humor books is extensive.
