Sunday, June 05, 2011

Sunday Salon: Comic Fiction

I have decided to collect the winners of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse award (and read them). This is an award for comic fiction.


I've already read Spies by Michael Frayn, and although I found it a touching and beautifully written story, I have to admit I don't remember finding it particularly hilarious; but then humour is an individual thing, and what makes one person weak with laughter, might leave his neighbour stony-faced.

The others are all books or authors I've been reading to read for some time so I think it will be an entertaining exercise.

Last year's (Solar by Ian McEwan) is missing because I've listening to it on audio, and this year's (Supersad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart) I've not got round to ordering yet.

8 Comments:

Blogger Susanna said...

I am still thinking about your Trancendance post which I read when you first did it! You really do move through your books. Thats awesome. I have been readign the same book for a month now.

Sun Jun 05, 06:00:00 pm  
Blogger Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Your books look good...haven't read any of them, but several of the titles look appealing.

Thanks for sharing....

Here's MY SUNDAY SALON POST

Sun Jun 05, 06:01:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Hi Susanna! But I am sure you do much more than just read books. It's all I seem to do these days. I'm not grumbling at all - but it is amazing how many pages you get through when it is all you do! Thanks for coming by.

Sun Jun 05, 08:03:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, Laurel-Rain, I think they will be. Looking forward to reading them very much.

Sun Jun 05, 08:03:00 pm  
Anonymous marly youmans said...

Yes, you deserve the Indefatigable Reader Award as well as one for indefatiable book-flogging!

Let me know if you find anything as funny as the best of Wodehouse or "Lucky Jim" or "The Loved One," say. Funny is evidently not all that easy--or is perishable over time, perhaps.

Sun Jun 05, 08:18:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

I shall Marly, and I think you're spot on. Humour dates very quickly, I think. It can also be regional. A very interesting topic in itself, methinks.

Sun Jun 05, 08:31:00 pm  
Anonymous marly youmans said...

Yes, and no doubt you will explore it soon! I do love genuinely funny books, but they are rare. Wodehouse was an odd, rare bird himself. Interesting that they are sort of Edwardian fantasies--the intersection of a never-was world and humor is interesting.

Mon Jun 06, 04:31:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, humour and fantasy - a great combination! An unusual one too. I think there are more examples in this little pile, though.

Mon Jun 06, 08:08:00 am  

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