Ah, April Fool’s Day. I’ll leave the gags to the kids, thanks. I’m more interested in sharing with you some of my favourite (writing) fools. And there's also long weekend coming, so why not skip seconds at the brunch table and get some "me" time with a funny read?
A fool is “a professional jester, formerly kept by a person of royal or noble rank for amusement.” There are many, many reasons I’d kill to be royalty (curtsies from everyone who greets me, tiaras for days, and I’m sure I’d never have to clean a toilet), but the idea of having my own professional jester, kept for personal amusement, ranks high. (Frankly, isn't that the reason many of us had kids in the first place?)
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The reality is that the closest I’m going to get to royalty is lunch at Burger King followed up by a Dairy Queen blizzard, and the closest I'll get to a court jester is the sitcoms I binge on. But I’m happy to share some of the literary offerings of my favourite sitcom fools; those comedy writers I’d keep in my court for personal amusement…
by Tina Fey
Tina Fey’s story of life as she’s known it is thoroughly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. She is whip smart, cutting and ultimately, the mom that you’d most like to hang out with at the back of the bus during your daughters’ field trip to the farm.
by Amy Poehler
So many people who have read this had the same reaction, “I expected to like Amy Poehler’s book, but I didn’t expect to LOVE it so much.” While most comedian’s books are all about the funny, Amy’s book is all about life, and a lot of how she sees life is wickedly funny. She’s got a political edge to her that has a veneer of comedy, but she clearly wants that veneer to be transparent enough to get her message across.
by Mindy Kaling
I remember discovering Mindy Kaling’s shopping blog “Things I’ve Bought That I Love” years ago and feeling like I’d found my retail soul sister. She loves pretty things, adores shopping and likes to dish about what she’s bought. Her 2011 memoir invited readers past the shopping excursions, tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood.
by B.J. Novak
Proving you can have a Y-chromosome and still be funny, I’ve included BJ Novak’s collection of short stories in this post. Newly available in paperback, it was one of my favourite surprises of the 2014 literary scene. I should have known that an ex-boyfriend of Mindy Kaling would be intelligent, witty, and write very, very well, but this book still exceeded my expectations. Novak (best known as Ryan the Temp, from The Office) delivers a huge collection of short stories that will make you laugh out loud, nod your head in agreement and - on occasion - exclaim in agreement. (Unfortunately for me I read this on the subway, nodding, grinning and exclaiming in public).
So, on this day of fools, don your favourite tiara, pick up a book, and let them entertain you.
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