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Summer is the best time to read something funny, and I don’t mean that in a beach-read, throwaway kind of way. 

I mean that a good comic novel is one of the most underrated things you can spend your time on — sharp, human, and usually smarter than it looks. 

This list is the result of a lot of reading and a fair amount of laughing out loud in public, which I have made my peace with.

If you’ve been meaning to read more this summer, start here.

Super Funny Books to Read this Summer

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

Frederick Fife is 82, lonely, and nearly broke until a case of mistaken identity lands him in a nursing home under someone else’s name. 

Suddenly he has hot meals, a warm bed, and a whole new life to borrow. 

This book is perfect for summer because it’s the kind of sweet, slow-burn comedy that feels like sitting on a porch with lemonade. 

Fred’s gentle chaos and the friendship he builds with Denise will have you laughing and crying (the good kind). 

Think A Man Called Ove with an extra sprinkle of mischief. Pure feel-good summer magic.

Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze

Nate Bargatze once dreamed of being a brain doctor or the world’s hardest math teacher until a childhood fall off a cliff changed everything. 

Now he’s one of America’s funniest comedians, and this book is basically him being hilarious on paper. 

Stories about his clunky first car, his confusing relationship with sushi, and his very spirited debates with his wife make this one impossible to put down. 

It’s the summer book you read by the pool while accidentally disturbing everyone around you with your giggling. 

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Lillian’s old friend calls in a wild favor: come babysit my stepkids. And, by the way, they catch on fire when they’re upset. Actual fire. 

This book sounds chaotic, and it is, but in the best, most heartwarming way. 

Over one sticky summer, Lillian and these two flaming little kids figure out life together. 

It’s funny, it’s weird, it’s surprisingly touching and honestly, a story about kids who literally overheat feels very on-brand for summer reading. 

You’ll love every bizarre, beautiful page.

The Man of Many Fathers by Roy Wood Jr.

When Roy Wood Jr. became a dad, he realized his own father had been gone since he was sixteen and suddenly he had a lot of questions. 

This memoir is about all the unexpected people who stepped in to teach him things anyway: ex-convicts, fellow comedians, restaurant coworkers, even Trevor Noah. 

It’s warm and funny and a little bit moving in ways you won’t see coming. Perfect summer reading because it goes down easy but stays with you. 

Roy has a gift for making really big feelings feel light and human.

Does Anyone Else Feel This Way? by Eli Rallo

Eli Rallo thought her post-college years would look like a rom-com. 

Instead she got anxiety, career confusion, and way too much time comparing herself to other people online. Sound familiar? 

This book is basically a big warm hug for anyone in their twenties wondering if they’re doing it wrong. 

It’s honest, it’s funny, and it’s incredibly easy to read,  which makes it ideal for summer when your brain deserves a break but your heart wants something real. 

You’ll read it nodding along the entire time.

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash

The Flynn family is a glorious mess. Mom and Dad’s open marriage is falling apart, one daughter is dating someone nicknamed War Crime Wes, another is secretly emailing an online terrorist, and the youngest is convinced a billionaire shipping magnate is spying on the whole town. 

Spoiler: she might be right. 

This debut novel is sharp, chaotic, and wickedly funny – the kind of book that makes dysfunctional families feel oddly comforting. 

It’s a summer read for when you want your beach book to have a little edge. Addictive from page one.

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett

Cherry is a professional clown in Orlando and, yes, the book is exactly as fun as that sounds. 

When she meets a glamorous older magician named Margot who seems to have life all figured out, things get complicated in all the best ways. 

This novel is bold, warm, funny, and full of misfits who feel like real people. 

It’s the perfect summer book because it’s set in the blazing heat of Florida, everyone is a little bit of a disaster, and somehow it all comes together beautifully. 

You’ll finish it grinning.

Human History on Drugs by Sam Kelly

Did you know Shakespeare was probably a stoner? Or that George Washington took a spoonful of opium every night for his fake teeth? 

This book is the history class you never got – wild, irreverent, and impossible to stop reading. 

Sam Kelly takes real historical figures and reveals the very surprising, very human, occasionally chaotic things they were up to. 

It’s the ultimate summer read because you can dip in and out of it and every chapter will leave you baffled. History has never been this entertaining.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Margo is twenty, broke, has a new baby, and zero plan until her wrestler dad moves in and accidentally gives her the blueprint for building an OnlyFans empire. 

This book is smart, funny, and surprisingly tender. 

It’s about storytelling, survival, and a young woman figuring out her own power in real time. 

Perfect for summer because it reads fast, hits hard, and Margo is the kind of character you root for with your whole chest. 

Blisteringly funny with a lot of heart underneath.

The Official We Do Not Care Club Handbook by Melanie Sanders

Night sweats at 3am? Forgetting words mid-sentence? Half-painted toenails and absolutely zero apologies? Welcome to the club. 

This book is a love letter to every woman in perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause who is simply done performing. 

It’s funny, it’s real, it’s the kind of book you’ll want to hand to every woman you know. 

Summer is the perfect time to read it – ideally in a she-shed, in your pajamas, with the thermostat exactly where you want it.

That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You by Elyse Myers

Elyse Myers is the internet’s best friend for a reason and she has a gift for making you feel seen in the funniest, most unexpected ways. 

This debut book is full of personal stories, hand-drawn illustrations, and the kind of awkward, honest moments that make you laugh while also thinking oh, that’s me. 

From disastrous dates to panic attacks to falling in love at a butcher counter in Australia – it’s all here.

Light enough for a summer afternoon, real enough to stick with you. A total delight.

A Load of Old Balls by Anna Ptaszynski & James Harkin

Henry VIII owned the first football boots. David Attenborough is responsible for yellow tennis balls. Ancient Egyptian athletes had their spleens removed for sport.

This book is a goldmine of strange, true, completely incredible sports history and it’s from the researchers behind BBC’s QI, so you know it’s properly good. 

Perfect summer reading because it’s made for dipping in and out of, every fact is a conversation starter, and you’ll finish it knowing things that will genuinely impress people at parties. 

A good funny book is one of the best things you can give yourself, and I hope this list gives you at least one new favorite. 

Laughter is not a small thing and neither is finding a book that delivers it consistently from page one to the last. 

Read these, share them, and let me know which one got you.

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