Morrissey the 23rd
Banned
John O'Farrell's top 10 funny booksJohn O'Farrell guardian.co.uk, Saturday January 19, 2002
Article history
John O'Farrell is the author of Things Can Only Get Better, a hilarious account of his "18 miserable years as a Labour supporter". His new novel, This Is Your Life, is published on November 4 and his collection of newspaper columns, Global Village Idiot, is available now in paperback
Buy Things can Only Get Better at Amazon.co.uk
Buy This Is Your Life at Amazon.co.uk
Buy Global Village Idiot at Amazon.co.uk
1. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
War is mad, apparently. But Heller says it with great wit, a compelling narrative and fantastic characters. When told that he had not written anything as good since, Heller allegedly replied, "No, but neither has anyone else." Good for him.
2. The Rotters Club by Jonathan Coe
A very funny book about being at a boys' school in the 70s set against the political backdrop of the time - all the horrors of the IRA, the National Front and knitted tank tops are in there. The sixth formers having sex with the sports bag could have been me, (except my sports bag would have wanted to wait a bit).
3. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler's characters are simultaneously funny and sad, heroic and pathetic and none more so than Maggie and Ira. A mundane car journey brings out all the infuriating insecurities and well-meaning ineptitude of her wonderful heroine and you end up thinking you've known this family all your life.
4. Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Billy Fisher is an inspiring role model for us all. A feckless wastrel who tells ridiculous unsustainable lies (claiming that relations have just had a leg amputated is a particular favourite) and yet you empathise with him from start to finish. His father's use of the word "bloody" seven times in every sentence never stops being funny.
5. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
A wonderfully warm and enjoyable book set in second division academia. Another low achieving first person narrator (or maybe this was the prototype) whose life is constantly knocked off course by the infuriating characters around him. The best thing Kingsley Amis ever produced, after Martin.
6. The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
Imagine a cross between Niles Crane and Hannibal Lecter and you're only beginning to get close to the inspired central character of this bizarre debut. The prejudices of the psycho-gourmet hero made me laugh out loud; he has an intolerance and grudge for every sphere of life, even preferring the Plantagenets to the vulgar Welsh Tudors.
7. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
A highly entertaining satire of modern America charting the rapid decline of a Wall St dealer who considers himself to be a "Master of the Universe". Funny, compelling and fat enough to make you feel self-righteous and clever for reading such an important-sounding heavy novel.
8. The Wrong Boy by Willy Russell
A confused Morrissey fan writes letters to his hero and recalls a dismal childhood. I loved the moment when he picks up his guitar to entertain a coach load of shopkeepers. Shoplifters of the World Unite turns out to be the wrong choice.
9. Going Gently by David Nobbs
It must be maddening being constantly referred to as "the creator of Reginald Perrin" when you have written so much else. This is a wonderful story that spans the whole of the last century through the eyes of its centenarian heroine. A funny, warm and satisfying novel from the creator of Reginald Perrin.
10. The Innocent Convict by Jeffrey Archer
There is no fictional version of Lord Archer's sabbatical yet, but no doubt something like this will be published in a few years' time and I'm sure it'll give us more laughs than all the others put together.
Article history
John O'Farrell is the author of Things Can Only Get Better, a hilarious account of his "18 miserable years as a Labour supporter". His new novel, This Is Your Life, is published on November 4 and his collection of newspaper columns, Global Village Idiot, is available now in paperback
Buy Things can Only Get Better at Amazon.co.uk
Buy This Is Your Life at Amazon.co.uk
Buy Global Village Idiot at Amazon.co.uk
1. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
War is mad, apparently. But Heller says it with great wit, a compelling narrative and fantastic characters. When told that he had not written anything as good since, Heller allegedly replied, "No, but neither has anyone else." Good for him.
2. The Rotters Club by Jonathan Coe
A very funny book about being at a boys' school in the 70s set against the political backdrop of the time - all the horrors of the IRA, the National Front and knitted tank tops are in there. The sixth formers having sex with the sports bag could have been me, (except my sports bag would have wanted to wait a bit).
3. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Anne Tyler's characters are simultaneously funny and sad, heroic and pathetic and none more so than Maggie and Ira. A mundane car journey brings out all the infuriating insecurities and well-meaning ineptitude of her wonderful heroine and you end up thinking you've known this family all your life.
4. Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Billy Fisher is an inspiring role model for us all. A feckless wastrel who tells ridiculous unsustainable lies (claiming that relations have just had a leg amputated is a particular favourite) and yet you empathise with him from start to finish. His father's use of the word "bloody" seven times in every sentence never stops being funny.
5. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
A wonderfully warm and enjoyable book set in second division academia. Another low achieving first person narrator (or maybe this was the prototype) whose life is constantly knocked off course by the infuriating characters around him. The best thing Kingsley Amis ever produced, after Martin.
6. The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
Imagine a cross between Niles Crane and Hannibal Lecter and you're only beginning to get close to the inspired central character of this bizarre debut. The prejudices of the psycho-gourmet hero made me laugh out loud; he has an intolerance and grudge for every sphere of life, even preferring the Plantagenets to the vulgar Welsh Tudors.
7. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
A highly entertaining satire of modern America charting the rapid decline of a Wall St dealer who considers himself to be a "Master of the Universe". Funny, compelling and fat enough to make you feel self-righteous and clever for reading such an important-sounding heavy novel.
8. The Wrong Boy by Willy Russell
A confused Morrissey fan writes letters to his hero and recalls a dismal childhood. I loved the moment when he picks up his guitar to entertain a coach load of shopkeepers. Shoplifters of the World Unite turns out to be the wrong choice.
9. Going Gently by David Nobbs
It must be maddening being constantly referred to as "the creator of Reginald Perrin" when you have written so much else. This is a wonderful story that spans the whole of the last century through the eyes of its centenarian heroine. A funny, warm and satisfying novel from the creator of Reginald Perrin.
10. The Innocent Convict by Jeffrey Archer
There is no fictional version of Lord Archer's sabbatical yet, but no doubt something like this will be published in a few years' time and I'm sure it'll give us more laughs than all the others put together.
