Guest Post by Kathy Anderson
We’re here, we’re queer, and we have a funny story to tell you! Queer authors who write humor offer the gift of laughter to readers— is there anything better or more vital right now? These books will make you snort in public and giggle in bed. I love and crave funny books. So now that my first novel, The New Town Librarian, is out in the world, my biggest thrill is hearing people laugh when I read from it at author events and getting messages from readers who are amused by the antics of my main character, a wisecracking middle-aged queer hypochondriac librarian. Here are a few of my favorite funny finds lately from queer authors. Happy Pride Reading!
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
A hilarious collection of essays on everything from QVC shopping, public bathroom etiquette, Sex and the City fantasy rewrites, to my personal favorite, the challenges of sharing a refrigerator after marriage. She can and does make anaphylactic shock funny. Irresistible and relatable, Samantha Irby’s voice is one of a kind.
The Verifiers by Jane Pek
It is pure enjoyment to see the world through Chinese American lesbian Claudia Lin’s eyes in this utterly unique novel that’s part mystery, part fascinating exploration of the technology and psychology of online dating, part amateur detecting, and part comical family encounters.
The Secret To Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel
In this wryly funny graphic novel, Alison Bechdel chronicles her journey through decades of fitness fads on her quest for self-improvement and transcendence. Readers will enjoy revisiting gear and fitness crazes since the 1960’s, but will also delight in Bechdel’s sharp and humorous insights into her coming-out process, relationships, and adventures as an aging athlete. Another deeply rewarding book from a comic genius.
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
Hannah Gadsby is an international sensation for their brilliantly innovative comedy shows so it’s no surprise that their memoir is equally outstanding and unusual. In turns hilarious and heart-wrenching, the book charts their journey as a queer person growing up in Tasmania where homosexuality was illegal until 1997 to an adult autism spectrum diagnosis and astoundingly successful career in comedy.
In at the Deep End by Kate Davies
In this explicit and sassy romp of a novel, Julia is a 26-year-old beginner lesbian who dives right into the deep end on a wild sexual journey through sex clubs, BDSM scenes, and polyamory while deeply embroiled in a controlling relationship with a butch female artist. It’s a truly fun ride where we’re rooting for Julia every step of the way.
Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer
In this sequel to Greer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Less, hapless gay middle-aged novelist Arthur Less takes off on a misbegotten road trip around a divided America after a financial loss and the death of an old lover. Beautifully written, this comic novel tackles life’s absurdities and finding a place in the world as Arthur roams the country in a rusty camper van with a pug named Dolly.
Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel by Gabby Rivera
Juliet Milagros Palante, irrepressible Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx, comes out to her family and immediately leaves for Portland, Oregon for an internship with feminist author Harlowe Brisbane, known as “The Pussy Lady.” Juliet endures a breakup, falls in lust and love, and makes her way to a new queer life. Stunning illustrations from artist Celia Moscote make this this adaptation of Gabby Rivera’s acclaimed debut novel an absolute delight.
Kathy Anderson reads and writes funny books. She’s the author of The New Town Librarian (NineStar Press, 2023) and the short story collection, Bull and Other Stories (Autumn House Press, 2016), which won the Autumn House Press Fiction Prize and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards and Publishing Triangle’s Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction. She lives with her wife in Philadelphia, PA.
Leave A Comment