If you're looking for a bit of comedic relief, here's a collection of amusing book titles that will make you laugh out loud
30 Funny Book Titles That’ll Make You Laugh—and Buy the Book
Updated on Sep. 25, 2024
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The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards by Jessica Waite
If Jessica Waite’s highly-anticipated 2024 memoir doesn’t win an award for one of the most outrageous book titles of the year, something is wrong with the world. The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards explores a widow’s grief as she comes to terms with her husband’s sudden and untimely death and learns that he had been hiding many dark secrets from her including affairs, drug use and a pornography addiction. While the content itself isn’t humorous, the book title’s shock factor showcases Waite’s ability to write with wit through one of life’s most painful tragedies.
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Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler delivers a punchy and hilarious twist on the title of the beloved Judy Blume book Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. While the former is a beloved tween novel, Handler delivers a raucous, very adult read in her witty and off-beat memoir in stories, Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, released in 2008.
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How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
I’ll admit it, the only reason I bought How to Sell a Haunted House was because of the amusing book title. It turned to be one of the scariest books I read in 2023, and was a page-turner that kept me up late in the night. Written by best-selling horror novelist Grady Hendrix, How to Sell a Haunted House is about a woman attempting to get her dead parents’ house ready to sell—and the supernatural forces she must face along the way.
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Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
My favorite funny book titles are the ones that are so jarring that you can’t help but laugh. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie novels, the whodunit Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone definitely fits the bill. Released in 2023, Benjamin Stevenson’s best-selling novel about a family reunion at a ski resort gives readers Knives Out! and Clue vibes.
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Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult is as funny as its title. Released in 2023, comedian Maria Bamford writes with her signature, brutally honest sense of humor about her quest to find belonging—at Debtors Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, and pretty much everywhere else.
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Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
This buzz-worthy 2024 fiction book has such a catchy title – when I walked past it in the bookstore I just had to stop and read what it’s about. Margo really has money troubles, her financial situation is so dire that she decides to create an OnlyFans account to help pay the bills. The 20-year-old single mother facing eviction soon finds success—this funny and tender novel is a perfect read for someone looking for a laugh-out-loud story with lively characters and an endearing message.
The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melina Taub
There are enough new versions of beloved classic books to make your head spin, but every once in a while, a new book comes along, and it is… chefs kiss. By the clever book title alone, it’s clear that this is a different kind of Jane Austen remake. Released in 2023, this enchanted version of Pride & Prejudice re-imagines the youngest Bennet sister, Lydia, as a witch.
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How to Age Disgracefully by Claire Pooley
I don’t know about you—but I’d like to age gracefully—which is why this book title is uniquely funny. Released in 2024, How to Age Disgracefully is a laugh-out-loud, feel-good novel about a senior center and a band of quirky, lovable characters, written in Claire Pooley’s signature charming style. A Reader’s Digest Book Club pick, this one was met with rave reviews.
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Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism! by Dave Barry
Coined “the funniest man in America” by the New York Times, Dave Barry’s 2003 book Boogers Are My Beat offers his unique take on pop culture moments and history. This is a funny book title that is filled with even funnier pages once you’ve cracked it open.
Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
A fun remake of the unforgettable book Pride & Prejudice with an equally witty book title. Pride and Premeditation is a Jane Austen murder mystery that was lauded as one of the Best YA Books of 2021. This classic re-imagining is a page-turning whodunit that puts a 17-year-old Lizzie Bennet in the detective’s seat.
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Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy
When I saw this book displayed on the shelves of my local library I just had to pick it up—purely for the funny book title alone. Released in 2021, Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy is a coming-of-age graphic novel is perfect for readers of all ages.
Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta
I always love a book title where I feel like I’m being told off—no, seriously! Released in 2024, Shut Up, This is Serious is a heartfelt novel about two Latina teens figuring out the messy complexities of life together. This sweet book about friendship would be a great read to share with your own bestie.
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Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party by Edward Dolnick
Released in 2024, Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party is a true story written like a gripping adventure novel set in Victorian England— and with such an intriguing title, it’s hard to resist. It’s an engaging slice of history with lessons that still resonate today.
All I Ever Wanted Was To Be Hot by Lucinda Froomes Price
Released in September 2024, All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot has already been called a feminist manifesto. A cheeky title with a meaningful message, Lucina Froomes Price talks about the unattainable beauty standards of the last 30 years and the price many women pay to achieve “hotness.”
I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell
Well, that title has my attention! Released in 2024, I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell is an engaging thriller book focused on Alex Marks. She’s an advice columnist who finds herself investigating the death of the former well-known columnist whose job she just took over.
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Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas by Tom Robbins
Released in 1994, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas sounds like a book about one of my kids! It’s actually a satirical novel about the stock market crashing, and a young, brilliant, but not very ethical broker who attempts to scheme his way out of trouble—and instead finds himself in a pile of trouble along the way.
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day is the first book I think of when I think of funny book titles. Released in 2000 and now considered a classic, iconic humor writer David Sedaris talks about everyday life in this series of laugh-out-loud, witty and heart-warming essays.
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A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara
If I’m going to listen to anyone’s advice about catching a killer—it’s going to be a grim reaper. That’s what makes this off-beat title so funny—and impossible to resist. Releasing in October 2024, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer is about a modern-day Grim Reaper, and is a fantastic book to read for Halloween
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Til Heist Do Us Part by Sara Desai
I don’t remember Til Heist Do Us Part being a part of my marriage vows. Released in 2024, this thrilling romance follows Simi Chopra and her eccentric heist crew as they attempt to rob a billionaire’s mansion and evade the capture of a super hot detective.
Home Is Where the Bodies Are Jeneva Rose
Released in 2024 by best-selling thriller author Jeneva Rose, Home Is Where the Bodies Are is a spine-chilling novel about three estranged siblings who must set aside their differences and come together to sort through their deceased parents; estate. They discover some terrifying secrets along the way, hinted at in the novel’s title.
Here’s Looking at Euclid by Alex Bellos
Released in 2010, this punny title by British writer and broadcaster Alex Bellos is about his quest to understand mathematic discovery—a journey that took him around the globe. Through his travels, Bellos uncovers the fascinating history of mathematics and awe-inspiring stories, both old and new. The title, Here’s Looking at Euclid is a play on the words from the quote “Here’s looking at you, kid” from Casablanca, one of the best romantic movies of all time.
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Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Federle
A punny title that borrows from the classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, this play-on-words version focuses on how to make a great drink with a literary twist. Released in 2013, Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist the literary wordplay in this cocktail book for booklovers extends to the drinks, including A Rum of One’s Own, The Pitcher of Dorian Grey Goose, and The Last of the Mojitos.
The Pun Also Rises by John Pollack
A list about punny book titles can’t be complete unless it has a punny book title about puns, right? The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics by former World Pun Champion John Pollack talks about the history of puns and why they’re important in a thoughtful and entertaining manner.
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Moby-Duck by Donovan Hohn
When writer Donovan Hohn heard the story of how thousands of bath toys wound up at sea, he knew he had to investigate. Hohn thought he’d have to talk to a couple of oceanographers to get the scoop, but as the story unraveled, he found himself learning about Arctic researchers, shipping conglomerates, and Chinese toy factories. Released in 2011, Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea & of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists & Fools Including the Author Who Went in Search of Them is worthy of an award for the longest of funny book titles.
It’s Getting Scot in Here by Suzanne Enoch
Released in 2019, It’s Getting Scot in Here is a (you guessed it!) Scottish historical romance by Suzanne Enoch about a London socialite and rugged Highlander and the forbidden romance that ensues. Featuring a love triangle amidst the backdrop of the Scottish highlands, this is a romantic page-turner with a punny title.
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Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt
Author David Rosenfelt wrote Dachshund Through the Snow, a mystery story about lawyer Andy Carpenter and his faithful golden retriever. After learning about a murder mystery involving a child with a Christmas wish and a missing father, Carpenter decides to help out and bring a family back together in time for Christmas. The title is very punny and the reviews are heartfelt. Owners aren’t always the ones who have secret lives.
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Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone by Juli Berwald
Ocean scientist and science writer Juli Berwald has always been drawn to oceans and specifically to jellyfish. After she left her career of being an ocean scientist behind to raise a family in Austin, the ocean called out to her and she decided to embark on a journey to study jellyfish that took her around the world. In studying these spineless creatures, she found her courage buried deep within. Interested in learning more about jellyfish? Here are 13 weirdly fascinating facts about jellyfish.
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Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner
Bestselling author Julie Kenner published Carpe Demon, a “demon-hunting soccer mom book” back in 2005 –the early days for amusing book titles. This fantasy novel is about Kate Connor, a suburban mom and retired demon hunter, who sees a demon at her local Walmart and now has to balance her domestic life with her past life as a demon hunter.
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Heart of Barkness by Spencer Quinn
In a series the Los Angeles Times calls “nothing short of masterful,” bestselling author Spencer Quinn writes about Chet the dog and his human PI Bernie Little and the mysteries they solve. In Heart of Barkness (2019), the unstoppable duo find themselves wrapped up in small-town secrets with no one to turn to but each other.
The Origin of Feces by David Waltner-Toews
Published in 2013, The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society, covers the importance of understanding animal and human waste and how it relates to various aspects of modern society including biodiversity, public health, agriculture, and global ecosystems. Written by veterinarian, epidemiologist and author David Waltner-Toews, this amusing book title is an engaging and informative inside scoop.
No Use Dying Over Spilled Milk by Tamar Myers
In 1996 author Tamar Myers released the murder mystery book No Use Dying Over Spilled Milk, a story about Amish-Mennonite inn owner Magdalena Yoder who attends the funeral of her lactose-intolerant second cousin and discovers that there may be a murder to uncover.
