Funny memoirs for when you need to lighten the load and laugh a little
When life gets heavy, sometimes you need to set aside that big, thick tome and go for something just a bit lighter. Those are the times when I want to pick up a humorous book like one of these great funny memoirs.
These fantastic books all have plenty of laugh-out loud moments. But, that’s not all you’ll find. There’s deep truths, inspiration, and sometimes hardships, but all are told with plenty of grace, humor, and love.
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Funny Memoirs You won’t Want to Miss
Some of these memoirs are written by people you may already know. You’ll get an insight into their life that you may not have already known. Still others are written by people you may not recognize. They too have incredible stories to tell that will enrich your own life.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah was hands-down one of the best books I read in 2021. The book is a series of essays about Noah’s life growing up in South Africa. And, like many good funny memoirs, he tackles very serious subjects with his trademark humor.
I love books for the opportunity to experience life from other people’s shoes and this book was a great way to do that. You’ll get a first-hand look at all the horrors and hardships of apartheid, but also see the humanity of the people living with it daily. And Trevor Noah tells the stories with humor and a great amount of love for his country, his family, his friends, and his history.
If you haven’t read Born a Crime yet, you should definitely add it to your TBR list!
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
Written as a series of essays, Scrappy Little Nobody is a fun and quirly memoir by Anna Kendrick. She tells stories from adolescence to trying to break into Hollywood and early frame. Anna is down-to-earth and lots of fun. This is a fun book and you’ll enjoy it if you’re a fan of Kendrick.
I chose to listen to this book via audio and I’m so glad I did. Anna narrates the book herself and injects even more humor and sarcasm into the book than you’ll find in the written copy. I’m a big fan of listening to memoirs read by the author! Are you?
You’ll love this book if you love celebrity memoirs and also appreciate hearing from someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Purchase Scrappy Little Nobody here.
Funny in Farsi: a Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas
“I truly believe that everyone has a story and that everyone’s story counts.” Firoozeh Dumas
That quote summed up exactly why I enjoyed Funny in Farsi so much. I feel the same way and that’s why I’m obsessed with reading people’s stories, both fictional and nonfictional.
In this delightful memoir, Dumas tells stories of her family’s experience as Iranians in America that are both amusing and full of love. You’ll fall in love over and over again with her parents (oh how I loved her mother and father!), her husband, and her extended family. It’s a great light-hearted read that’s perfect for anyone that believes that everyone’s story counts.
The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
Written in a diary format, this book gives a day-to-day account of the life of a bookseller. Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, in Wigtown, which is Scotland’s second largest second-hand book store.
You’ll get the good days, the busy days, the slow days, and all the interesting (and sometimes quite rude) customers who come in the store. It’s funny at times and hear-warming too. Bythell has a dry sense of humor, which I greatly enjoy, that comes across in his writing.
The Diary of a Bookseller was a great escape. It was a fun, light read that let me imagine for a short while that I was running a book store in a tiny town in Scotland.
Purchase The Diary of a Bookseller here.
About My Mother: True Stories of a Horse-Crazy Daughter and her Baseball-Obsessed Mother by Peggy Rowe
I first leaned of Peggy Rowe through her son Mike Rowe (the host of Dirty Jobs). He had been sharing his mother’s writing for awhile and she is hilarious. So, when I found out she was writing a memoir, I was ready to dive right in.
Rowe writes lovingly and hilariously about her mom, take-charge Thelma Knobel, and their relationship. She was honest about their clashes (mother/daughter clashes are so normal, aren’t they?) and also her admiration of her mother. Rowe has a knack for humorous story-telling and it shines right through in ever page of this book.
About My Mother is a short book (under 200 pages) and it’s perfect for when you need a comforting book that will raise your spirits.
Purchase About My Mother here.
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
I chose to read I Feel Bad About My Neck via audiobook and I’m so glad I did. The book is read by the author, Nora Ephron, and the whole time I was listening, I felt like I was sitting down for coffee with an old friend. It was delightful.
In this book, Ephron talks about aging and looking back at her life as a write, producer, and director in New York City. You don’t hear a lot about her movies, but you do hear a lot about Ephron the person. Sometimes she’s poking fun at trivial things and sometimes she dives deep, but the book is always witty and fun.
This book is perfect for readers who need a laugh about the realities of aging or anyone who would like to get to know Nora Ephron better.
Purchase I Feel Bad About My Neck here.
Do you have any funny memoirs you’d recommend?
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