Bedtime stories
June 19, 2011 9:01 AM Subscribe
Suggest your favorite short autobiographical humorous stories.
I love reading at night before I go to bed, but I cannot stop if the story keeps going - so I need some short stories. I read for escape and I love reading about people's experiences of this specific, ridiculous, hilarious and off beat world, and if I learn something in process - great. Straight forward writing styles are preferred. I have just read and enjoyed Willa Cather, Dave Barry, James Herriot, and Anne Lamott. Thanks MF!
I love reading at night before I go to bed, but I cannot stop if the story keeps going - so I need some short stories. I read for escape and I love reading about people's experiences of this specific, ridiculous, hilarious and off beat world, and if I learn something in process - great. Straight forward writing styles are preferred. I have just read and enjoyed Willa Cather, Dave Barry, James Herriot, and Anne Lamott. Thanks MF!
There's no school like the old school: try Erma Bombeck.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 9:24 AM on June 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by WaspEnterprises at 9:24 AM on June 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bill Bryson's early travel books are funny as hell, and while they're not short stories they are totally suitable for taking a chapter at a time. I particularly recommend "Neither Here Nor There" and "Notes From a Small Island".
posted by Decani at 9:26 AM on June 19, 2011
posted by Decani at 9:26 AM on June 19, 2011
Richard Feynman's collections of reminiscences "Surely you're Joking, Mr Feynman" and "What Do You Care What Other People Think" are exactly what you're looking for.
posted by Jakey at 10:15 AM on June 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Jakey at 10:15 AM on June 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Frank O'Connor has written some very funny short stories that are autobiographically-inspired about growing up and life in Ireland during the early to mid 20th Century. His collected short stories are well worth it. Be warned, not all of them are happy, frothy fun--the first story in the collection and arguably his best known, Guests of the Nation, deals with the IRA and hostage-taking. There are humorous lines, but that is not the overall tone. Others, however, like First Confession are pure fun.
posted by HonoriaGlossop at 11:12 AM on June 19, 2011
posted by HonoriaGlossop at 11:12 AM on June 19, 2011
The book Pardon Me, but You're Eating My Doily! and Other Embarrassing Moments of Famous People by Robert Morley is just what you're looking for. It's a collection of autobiographical stories by famous people telling of times they did fool things. It's a stitch!
posted by davereed at 11:18 AM on June 19, 2011
posted by davereed at 11:18 AM on June 19, 2011
Seconding Bill Brysons Travel books. I have read them over and over again. Easy to read just one chapter of if you need to sleep. His science and language books are also very good but probably not great pre bed time reading as I find them too interesting to put down.
posted by wwax at 2:54 PM on June 19, 2011
posted by wwax at 2:54 PM on June 19, 2011
David Sedaris - all of his work, but I especially liked Me Talk Pretty One Day. Here's an excerpt about his brother.
posted by Paragon at 3:08 PM on June 19, 2011
posted by Paragon at 3:08 PM on June 19, 2011
seconding David Sedaris, my favourite is Naked
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:28 PM on June 19, 2011
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:28 PM on June 19, 2011
Jim Thompson's autobiographical books: Bad Boy and Roughneck.
posted by Mr. Justice at 10:08 PM on June 19, 2011
posted by Mr. Justice at 10:08 PM on June 19, 2011
All three of my go-to suggestions for short autobiographical humorous stories have already been mentioned in this thread, but I'll reiterate:
James Thurber has some wonderful autobiographical stories (as well as some very funny fiction short stories too). I'm not sure which collection to recommend as the one I have seems to be out of print.
Richard Feynman, particularly 'Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman' and 'What Do You Care What Other People Think?'.
David Sedaris is perfect for this kind of writing. All of his books would probably suit, but I'd especially recommend 'Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim' and 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'.
posted by maybeandroid at 1:20 AM on June 20, 2011
James Thurber has some wonderful autobiographical stories (as well as some very funny fiction short stories too). I'm not sure which collection to recommend as the one I have seems to be out of print.
Richard Feynman, particularly 'Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman' and 'What Do You Care What Other People Think?'.
David Sedaris is perfect for this kind of writing. All of his books would probably suit, but I'd especially recommend 'Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim' and 'Me Talk Pretty One Day'.
posted by maybeandroid at 1:20 AM on June 20, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by bibliophibianj at 9:04 AM on June 19, 2011