Funny People
Enjoy these hilarious and touching memoirs and essays from comedians and celebs.
Attempting normal
Maron, Marc, author
2013
Marc Maron is “a master of spinning humor out of anguish” (Bookforum), even when that anguish is pretty clearly self-inflicted. In Attempting Normal, he threads together twenty-five stories from his life and near-death, from his first comedy road trips (with a fugitive junkie comic with a missing tooth) to his love affair with feral animals (his cat rescues are bloody epics) to his surprisingly moving tales of lust, heartbreak, and hope. The stories are united by Maron's thrilling storytelling style—intensely smart, disarmingly honest, and explosively funny. Together, they add up to a hilarious and moving tale of failing, flailing, and finding a way.
The awkward thoughts of W. Kamau Bell : tales of a 6' 4", African-American, heterosexual, cisgender, left-leaning, asthmatic, Black and proud blerd, mama's boy, dad, and stand-up comedian
Bell, W. Kamau, author
2017
Born a crime : stories from a South African childhood
Noah, Trevor, 1984- author
2016
"Trevor Noah is the host of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, where he gleefully provides America with its nightly dose of serrated satire. He is a light-footed but cutting observer of the relentless absurdities of politics, nationalism and race--and in particular the craziness of his own young life, which he's lived at the intersections of culture and history. In his first book, Noah tells his coming of age story with his larger-than-life mother during the last gasps of apartheid-era South Africa and the turbulent years that followed. Noah was born illegal--the son of a white, Dutch father and a black Xhosa mother, who had to pretend to be his nanny or his father's servant in the brief moments when the family came together. His brilliantly eccentric mother loomed over his life--a comically zealous Christian (they went to church six days a week and three times on Sunday), a savvy hustler who kept food on their table during rough times, and an aggressively involved, if often seriously misguided, parent who set Noah on his bumpy path to stardom. The stories Noah tells are sometimes dark, occasionally bizarre, frequently tender, and always hilarious--whether he's subsisting on caterpillars during months of extreme poverty or making comically pitiful attempts at teenage romance in a color-obsessed world; whether's he's being thrown into jail as the hapless fall guy for a crime he didn't commit or being thrown by his mother from a speeding car driven by murderous gangsters."-- Provided by publisher.
Dear girls : intimate tales, untold secrets, & advice for living your best life
Wong, Ali, author
2019
Everything's trash, but it's okay
Robinson, Phoebe, author
2018
"From New York Times bestselling author and star of 2 Dope Queens, Phoebe Robinson, comes a new, hilarious, and timely essay collection on gender, race, dating, and a world that seems to always be a self-starting Dumpster fire. Wouldn't it be great if life came with an instruction manual? Of course, but like access to Michael B. Jordan's house, none of us are getting any. Thankfully, Phoebe Robinson is ready to share everything she's experienced in hopes that if you can laugh at her topsy-turvy life, you can laugh at your own. Written in her trademark unfiltered and singularly witty style, Robinson's latest essay collection is a call to arms. She tackles a wide range of topics, such as giving feminism a tough love talk in hopes it can become more intersectional; telling society's beauty standards to kick rocks; and demanding that toxic masculinity close its mouth and legs (enough with the manspreading already!), and get out of the way so true progress can happen"-- Provided by publisher.
I might regret this : essays, drawings, vulnerabilities and other stuff
Jacobson, Abbi, author.
2018
From the co-creator and co-star of the hit series Broad City, a hilarious and poignant collection about love, loss, work, comedy and figuring out who you really are when you thought you already knew. When Abbi Jacobson announced to friends and acquaintances that she planned to drive across the country alone, she was met with lots of questions and opinions: Why wasn't she going with friends? Wouldn't it be incredibly lonely? The North route is better! Was it safe for a woman? The Southern route is the way to go! You should bring mace! And a common one why? But Abbi had always found comfort in solitude, and needed space to step back and hit the reset button. As she spent time in each city and town on her way to Los Angeles, she mulled over the big questions What do I really want? What is the worst possible scenario in which I could run into my ex? How has the decision to wear my shirts tucked in been pivotal in my adulthood? In this collection of anecdotes, observations and reflections all told in the sharp, wildly funny and relatable voice that has endeared Abbi to critics and fans alike readers will feel like they're in the passenger seat on a fun and, ultimately, inspiring journey. With some original illustrations by the author.
I want to be where the normal people are
Bloom, Rachel, 1987- author
2020
The creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Rachel Bloom has felt abnormal and out of place her whole life. In a collection of laugh-out-loud funny essays, all told in the unique voice that made her a star, Rachel writes about everything from her love of Disney, OCD and depression, weirdness, and female friendships to the story of how she didn't poop in the toilet until she was four years old.
Life will be the death of me : ...and you too!
Handler, Chelsea, author
2019
The funny, sad, super-honest, all-true story of Chelsea Handler's year of self-discovery - featuring a nerdily brilliant psychiatrist, a shaman, four Chow Chows, some well-placed security cameras, various family members (living and departed), friends, assistants, and a lot of edibles. Thrillingly honest, insightful, and deeply, darkly funny, Handler has written a memoir that keeps readers laughing, even as it inspires us to look within and ask ourselves what really matters in our own lives.
Obviously : stories from my timeline
Hughes, Akilah, 1989-
2019
"Comedian and activist Akilah Hughes shares everything about her journey from a childhood in the south to the big screen while dispensing invaluable big-sister-style advice to a generation of future YouTubers"-- Provided by publisher.
Over the top : a raw journey to self-love
Van Ness, Jonathan, author
2019
Television personality Jonathan Van Ness uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that he is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there's much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.
Paddle your own canoe : one man's fundamentals for delicious living
Offerman, Nick, 1970-, author
2014
Riding the elephant : a memoir of altercations, humiliations, hallucinations, and observations
Ferguson, Craig, 1962- author
2019
Thanks for the money : how to use my life story to become the best Joel McHale you can be
McHale, Joel, 1971- author
2016
Too much is not enough : a memoir of fumbling toward adulthood
Rannells, Andrew.
2019
"From the star of Broadway's The Book of Mormon and HBO's Girls, the heartfelt and hilarious coming-of-age memoir of a Midwestern boy surviving bad auditions, bad relationships, and some really bad highlights as he chases his dreams in New York City."--Publisher's description.
Why not me?
Kaling, Mindy, author
2015
Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it's falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you're constantly reminded that no one looks like you. Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who's ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to.
