Knock knock?
Who’s there?
No, Who’s on first…
That was either met with crickets, a chuckle, or an eyeroll, which drives home that not everyone’s sense of humor is the same. There is something for everyone, and, notwithstanding the above attempt, the written word can be hilarious. Absurd situations, witty turns of phrase, wry retorts—all can be delivered with great comedic effect in the right hands.
First some non-fiction ideas.
From director Judd Apatow comes Sick in the Head: Conversations about Life and Comedy. A collection of decades spanning interviews of some of the biggest names in the comedy business, Sick in the Head is entertaining, illuminating, and candid, allowing the reader a peek into the hard-working and brilliantly creative community of stand-ups, comedians, and humor writers. And there’s a sequel, if your jokester of choice didn’t make the first book….
The versatile and talented Keegan-Michael Key is a modern sketch comedy legend, so naturally we have expectations when he, along with his wife Elle Key, authors a book titled The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor. No dry history here; Key keeps the sketch comedy timeline, from ancient history to present day, fun and engaging with a mix of facts, anecdotes, personal commentary, and essays from famous comedians.
Get Me Through The Next 5-Minutes by Atlantic staff writer James Parker, is a book of clever and light-hearted odes to the everyday. Glance at the table of contents and have your curiosity piqued by such gems as ‘Ode To Running In Movies’, ‘Ode To My Flip Phone’, and a personal favorite, ‘Ode To Procrastination’. Parker has put on humorous display what we take for granted. Clever and fun observations of the mundane, there’s an ode for everyone.
Feeling like some funny fiction? How about a snarky Star Trek spoof, a Victorian romantic romp, or a group of elders fighting for their community?
Redshirts is a Star Trek satire written by Jonathan Scalzi, famous for his humorous and intelligent sci-fi. The title refers to the infamous Star Trek trope of doomed expedition crew who wear the signature “redshirt”, and has since become synonymous with forgettable throwaway characters. The title sets the reader’s expectation right away, and we follow the ensigns aboard the starship Intrepid as they begin to question the suspiciously high death rate of their peers and other strange phenomena.
The Ornithologists Field Guide to Love by India Holton is full of clever wordplay, ridiculous situations, and extreme manners. Beth Pickering and Devon Lockley are two expert ornithologists vying for first place in a high stakes magical bird hunt across Victorian-era France and England. She follows a strict code of manners, he is a bit of a rogue—both highly intelligent, extremely tenacious, and powerless against such romantic tropes as Forced Proximity and Opposites Attract.
In Clare Pooley’s How To Age Disgracefully, an eclectic crew of London seniors unite when their local community center is threatened to be sold. With humor and heart, the members of the Senior Citizens Social Club rally—along with the help of Ziggy, a teen dad from the local daycare group, and Lydia, who took on the job of running the senior club without knowing what she was in for—and their unorthodox stratagems and somewhat madcap antics may just win the day.
Don’t let a joke go unappreciated, visit your local library and adopt a humor book today!
~posted by Chelsea M.
For more ideas for books to meet your Summer Book Bingo challenge, follow our Shelf Talk BookBingoNW2025 series or check the hashtag #BookBingoNW2025 on social media. Book Bingo is presented in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures and the King County Library System.