Good Reads & Views

Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: Imagine Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet and Hamlet—all texting away on their smartphones. In this witty and whimsical book, you’ll get to spy on the text exchanges of famous literary characters. Reading some of literature’s most famous scenes played out via text message is both funny and thought-provoking. (Thank goodness they didn’t have smartphones back then!)

Why you might like it: If you enjoy books with quirky formats and razor-sharp humor, this book is for you. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a book you can dip into; read a short segment now, then pick it up later to read another literary character's texts.

What sets it apart: This book delightfully blends modern technology, classic literature, and humor. Since it satirizes (and celebrates) the classics, you get to feel smart for getting the jokes, even as you laugh out loud.

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How to Be Black by Baratunde Thurston
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In this lively memoir, Baratunde Thurston shares his “over thirty years’ experience being black.” While at times laugh-out-loud funny (he previously worked for The Onion), this book also shines a light on race in America. Thurston’s humorous yet honest accounts of his experiences—being raised by a single mother, responding to questions about his first name, and attending Sidwell Friends school and then Harvard—provide insight into what it’s been like for him to be Black.

Why you should read it: This book is not only the memoir of a comedian and activist, it also provides the viewpoints of a panel of Black people who respond to questions such as “When did you first realize you were black?” The panelists’ responses are by turns surprising, sad, funny, and frank.

For fans of: If you enjoyed Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, you’ll also appreciate this humorous but powerful look at race.

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The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
Nonfiction

What it is: A collection of essays by the author that are personal, funny and very candid. 

About the author: Amy Schumer is an Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and writer.

What reviewers say: "If you find yourself feeling guilty for laughing at her pain, just keep in mind she's probably laughing with you, unapologetically, in true Amy Schumer fashion" (Vulture).

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The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Nonfiction

Bill Bryson may be best known for A Walk in the Woods, his humorous memoir of hiking the Appalachian Trail, but this memoir of his childhood just might be funnier yet. Bryson grew up in Des Moines in the 1950s, and while his childhood was relatively normal (this is not one of those traumatic childhood books), his storytelling abilities make this book entertaining and hilarious. Whether it’s the horrors of having a paper route or going on a dreaded road trip with another kid’s weird family, Bryson’s memories of childhood are vivid. He narrates the audiobook himself, so the listener gets the full effect of his phrasing and tone. Prepare to laugh out loud.