The best laugh-out-loud books of the 21st century (2025)

Table of Contents

‘Me Talk Pretty One Day’ by David Sedaris ‘Reasons to Be Cheerful’ by Nina Stibbe ‘The Road to Little Dribbling’ by Bill Bryson ‘Bossypants’ by Tina Fey ‘Sorrow and Bliss’ by Meg Mason ‘The Sellout’ by Paul Beatty ‘The Break’ by Marian Keyes ‘This Is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay ‘The Idiot’ by Elif Batuman ‘Wow, No Thank You’ by Samantha Irby ‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer ‘Fight Night’ by Miriam Toews Read Next ‘Skippy Dies’ by Paul Murray ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’ by Maria Semple References

In a world that often feels like it is teetering on the edge of absurdity, sometimes the only sensible response is to laugh. Thankfully, the 21st century has delivered a literary goldmine of comedic gems—books that skewer modern life, celebrate its quirks, and provide a much-needed break from reality. From biting satire to offbeat memoirs to laugh-out-loud fiction, today’s authors have mastered the art of finding humour in even the most unexpected places.

And we have done the gloriously enjoyable job of whittling down such a goldmine to the 14 best. These are all stories that will have you snorting in public, giggling in bed, and maybe even crying from laughter (in the best way).

Whether you’re into dry wit, dark comedy, or full-on absurdism, there’s something here for every kind of reader who appreciates a good laugh….

The best laugh-out-loud books of the 21st century (1)

‘Me Talk Pretty One Day’ by David Sedaris

A master of wry, self-deprecating humor, the American humourist recounts childhood quirks, failed artistic dreams, hilariously awkward attempts to learn French and time spent living in Paris. The essays are sharp, strange, and sneakily poignant – and set a gold standard in comic writing.

Abacus, £10.99

‘Reasons to Be Cheerful’ by Nina Stibbe

Teenage Lizzie gets a job at a dental practice, navigating adulthood, identity, and romance. Winner of the 2019 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, Stibbe’s wit is dry and warm, perfectly capturing the mundane and quietly hopeful bits of British life.

Penguin, £9.99

‘The Road to Little Dribbling’ by Bill Bryson

20 years after publishing the 1995 classic Notes from a Small Island, in which he journeyed around the UK, Bryson revisits his favourite spots of his adopted country to see what has changed. Replete with his signature mix of affectionate snark and hilarious tangents, it makes for an equally charming, cranky, and laugh-out-loud road trip.

Black Swan, £10.99

‘Bossypants’ by Tina Fey

Easily the funniest celebrity memoir out there, Bossypants charts Fey’s rise from awkward teen years to her time on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. Self-effacing and incredibly droll, it’s a smart, pithy memoir with a pitch-perfect balance of depth and lightness.

Sphere, £10.99

‘Sorrow and Bliss’ by Meg Mason

This savagely funny novel explores mental illness, marriage, and identity through Martha, whose life is quietly unraveling. The humour is sharp and often uncomfortable, cutting through the sorrow with surprising emotional clarity. Sylvia Plath would have loved it.

W&N, £9.99

‘The Sellout’ by Paul Beatty

This bold, brutal comedy about race, identity, and American delusion was a worthy winner of the 2016 Booker Prize. A wild, fearless satire about a Black man who reinstates segregation in his LA neighborhood, in which Beatty’s dense, dazzling prose is both intellectually searing and laugh-out-loud absurd.

Oneworld, £9.99

The best laugh-out-loud books of the 21st century (3)

‘The Break’ by Marian Keyes

When Amy’s husband takes a break from their marriage, she is left navigating midlife chaos, heartbreak, and reinvention. Keyes blends emotional depth with sparkling humour, making even the most painful moments feel full of warmth.

Penguin, £9.99

‘This Is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay

Through diary entries of Kay’s time as a junior doctor, this memoir exposes the brutal, hilarious, and deeply human side of life working for a buckling NHS. It’s laceratingly funny and painfully honest, with gut-punches of empathy amid all the blood and bureaucracy.

‘The Idiot’ by Elif Batuman

Selin, a Turkish-American Harvard freshman, stumbles through love, language, and identity in the 1990s. Batuman’s deadpan prose captures the absurdity of being young, smart, and completely baffled by life. Hilariously existential.

Vintage, £9.99

The best laugh-out-loud books of the 21st century (4)

‘Wow, No Thank You’ by Samantha Irby

All of Irby’s essay collections are riotously funny, but perhaps none more so than her third. Taking in everything from ageing and sex to IBS, her voice is chaotic, sharp and a bit like your funniest, filthiest friend after one too many drinks – absolutely nothing is off limits.

Faber, £10.99

‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer

Arthur Less, a middle-aged gay writer, travels quite literally around the world to avoid his ex’s wedding. This Pulitzer-winner is a tender, slyly funny meditation on love, self-worth, and the ridiculousness of trying to run from your own life. A true gem.

Abacus, £10.99