Funny Books of Short Stories, Essays, & Tales In his reasoning, Almond calls the story “funny as hell,” and writes that by reading the story “we are forced to acknowledge that the heart and its deranged pursuit of love cannot be disabled or even diminished by our neurotic defenses.” It is a weird story through and through, but ends on an oddly warm note. Known humor writer Steve Almond chose this story as the winner of the 2015 Barthelme Prize.
I think my favorite description of it comes from Electric Literature, which I laughed after both before and after reading the story: “Spoiler: it’s about alligators, but it’s also not about alligators.” “ Taylor Swift” by Hugh Behm Steinberg, published in Gulf Coast Literary Journal “Gator Butchering for Beginners” is visceral, graphic in its details of skinning an alligator, while cutting in with details on relationships. It’s strange and it’s weird and it’s jarring, but Kristen Arnett is a master of these, having written the perfectly strange and funny novel Mostly Dead Things. Reading this, you will not laugh in glee as much as in discomfort. “ Gator Butchering for Beginners” by Kristen Arnett, published in Electric Literature The stories about Charlies grow more shocking each day. This story centers on a young boy who tells his parents about a classmate named Charles who is “awfully fresh” in class, constantly getting into mischief and being punished. “The Lottery” and The Haunting of Hill House), Jackson also wrote humorous essays and short fiction on parenthood. Aside from Shirley Jackson’s well-known creepy fiction (e.g. I found this story both funny and unsettling, which to me describes the very essence of parenthood. “ Charles” by Shirley Jackson, published in Library of America’s Story of the Week Amelia Gray really nails the hilarity of angry ranting in this story, with lines like “Someone found a swan once that was twenty-four years old and probably it was mating for life, which everyone made a big deal out of even though the swan was not even old enough to rent a car.” The ending is like someone shutting a door in your face, but you’re so glad they got that treasure of words out before they did. Let’s talk about swans and all the shit they do. By signing up you agree to our terms of use “ The Swan as a Metaphor for Love” by Amelia Gray, published in Electric Literature, originally published in Joyland Los Angeles in 2012 Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. This selection attempts to gather a spectrum of humor, though it by no means is an exhaustive list. Additionally, many good writers often use humor to explore concepts and ideas that may be uncomfortable, controversial, or even downright disturbing. What is funny to some may not be funny to others.
So, in the midst of researching and fact-checking news reports and washing your hands for at least 30 seconds (I hum the song “Africa” while I scrub), here is a list of 16 funny short stories and books to brighten your mood. The Mayo Clinic said there are both short-term and long-term effects of a good laugh, from soothing tension to improving the immune system. Having a sense of humor is good for you, and don’t just take it from me. And in times of stress, there’s nothing like a good laugh and some funny short stories. There’s a lot going on, and feeling alarmed and anxious puts a lot of stress on the body. If you’ve been concerned watching the news lately, you’re not alone. It’s a dreary, overwhelming world out there.