I need to stock up on some holiday reading since I'll be spending a lot of time in airports and on planes over the next month and a half.

I'm in the mood for something funny but I can't think of what to get. It can be a novel or a Chuck Klosterman type thing.

I'm a little weary of personal memoirs in the David Sedaris style. However, if there's something essential in that vein I'd be open to looking into it.

I have read a Confederacy of Dunces, Chuck Klosterman's first two books, a few David Sedaris offerings, and so on.

From what I've seen, Tom Robbins might be an option but I'm not sure where to start.

Anyone have suggestions?

John Irving.
Just about anything, but in particular, The World According To Garp.

Have you read Catch-22? It's tough to get started -- and keep all the characters sorted out, but if you stick with it, you will laugh your ass off.

I've read a bunch of John Irving, include Garp.

I haven't read Catch-22. I've got it on my bookshelf though. I'll give that one a shot.

Catch 22 rivals a Confederacy of Dunces as the funniest book ever written. Both in my top 5 books of all time.

Catch 22 is thge first "good" book I ever felt like people knew what they were talking about when they reccomended it. Remains a top 5 selection for me as well.

Might as well do the obligatory pimp of James Ellroy's American Tabloid and Cold 6 Thousand.

If you haven't read them, do it.

Oldbullee, this includes YOU.

I'm going book shopping today.

Christopher Moore is excellent airport reading. His stuff is funny and intelligent. His stuff is easliy read in short bursts, or at a long sit--which is what makes it good for airports.

My faves so far are Fluke and Coyote Blue.

For something on the serious side, I just finished People of the Raven, the latest in W. Michael and K. O'Neal Gear's First North Americans series. You don't need to have read any of their other books to enjoy this one.

Also highly recommended is their Anasazi Mysteries trilogy--The Visitant, Bone Walker, and The Summoning God. Excellent murder mysteries set in the prehistoric Southwestern US--the stories are told simultaneously in ancient times though the eyes of the protagonists and antagonists and in modern times through the eyes of archeologists excavating the sites from the ancient story. Extremely well-written stuff.

The authors are a husband and wife team--he's an archeologist, she's an anthropologist. What's astounding is their ability to write excellent stories--top notch plot and character development, fluid style, etc. while keeping everything as archeologically and anthropologically grounded as possible. Puts Cave Bear and that Sarabande crap to shame.

Knowing your enjoyment of history and mongertude, I believe you will enjoy. Read the first line of Cold 6, and you will know if you will enjoy it.

A few months ago, I read Wake Up, Sir by Jonathan Ames. It's a great, funny read. I think you may like it.

You should pick up anything from George Saunders. I think he's only written short stories but they are a great read. They'll put you in the holiday spirit.

i've heard good things about the new david rakoff book, don't get too comfortable. i went through his first book, fraud, over a few days of constant flyings, so it's good for that. he's another npr veteran, but he's a better writer than many of the others. i've seen his work compared to david sedaris' the way you'd compare jackie chan and jet li - one is technically better, but the other is flashier.

I just finished one of the funniest books I've read in a long time - Straight Man, by Richard Russo. If you've ever taken a college-level English course you'll be very entertained. I laughed out loud numerous times, which NEVER happens to me while reading.

And, you know, I hear this Mark Twain guy is pretty funny.

if you like david sedaris:

'running with scissors' - augusten burroughs

yup....good good stuff...

I've read this and agree, it's very funny.

Just ordered this. From the description, if you dig this one, you might dig David Lodge's "Small World", "Changing Places", or "Nice Work".

Cool, I'm carving the name David Lodge in the soft pulpy place in my brain where I remember author's names. I hope you spelled it right.

that was probably the worst book i've ever read. it was so bad that after i finished it i tried to leave it on the plane, but this random woman came running up behind me saying "sir! sir! you forgot your book!", to which i said thank you and threw it away in front of her. hse looked disheartened.