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    NPR: The world is on fire but these books are funny.

    Corinne Segal
    By 
    August 20, 2019, 12:04pm

    Are you super sick of the news? So is NPR! It published a list, based on votes from more than 7,000 people, of the funniest books as selected by readers, hopefully some of which can help us all counter a growing sense of dread and despair. “We know you could use a laugh right now,” NPR Books editor Petra Mayer writes in her introduction to the list.

    Aparna Nancherla, Samantha Irby, Alexandra Petri, and Guy Branum curated the final picks. They include some classics—hello, David Sedaris and Nora Ephron—along with some titles that are a little less expected (Melissa Broder’s So Sad Today and its “darkly funny” outlook made the cut).

    It’s grouped into categories that include memoirs, essays, classics, YA, science fiction, and a special category for Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey, just for fun. Check out the full list—or read Lit Hub’s own list of funny books. Only 20, but you can trust us.

    Alexandra Petri Aparna Nancherla comedy essays Guy Branum memoir NPR Petra Mayer Samantha Irby

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