By Naomi Lane on June 5, 2024 ( Leave a comment )

Funny Books for Women

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In an era when every time I hop on online I see reports about how the world is on fire, sometimes I long for a good old-fashioned belly laugh. Through the years I’ve turned to humor books written by women to drag me out of a life funk. I prefer women authors in most cases because they’re more relatable and know exactly how to describe the feeling of finding a forgotten snack-size Snickers in your bag like it’s a lost treasure.

I’ve rounded up a list of my favorite funny books for women. They also happen to be written BY women – some of the most hilarious women on the planet. I can honestly say that every one of these queens have inspired my writing in some way. I hope you find them as spit-out-your-coffee funny as I have.

Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler

This is the latest of six hilariously funny books by Chelsea Handler, all of which have earned her a place in the comedic author hall of fame. You likely know Chelsea from her standup, late-night talk show or the cult favorite Girls Behaving Badly. I became a Handler stan with her dirty, deadpan humor on Chelsea Lately.

I’ve read all of Chelsea’s books, and while it’s hard to pick a favorite, this one stands out. It takes a different spin by delving into the emotional trauma she experienced as a child when her brother died. After years of repression, she seeks therapy, and takes us with her into the sessions. Mind you, it’s still riotously funny, with stories about her dog almost biting off her nipple and becoming one of those celebs who can’t change the mode on her TV.

In Chelsea’s other books, you’re laughing hysterically the whole way through. In Life Will Be the Death of Me, you’ll also find compassion for a woman who finally reveals her human side.

Read Life Will Be the Death of Me here.

Other funny books for women by Chelsea Handler:

Bossypants by Tina Fey

OK, unless you’ve been growing potatoes with Matt Damon on Mars for the last two decades, you already know that Tina Fey is one of the messiahs of the comedy world. After conquering as the head writer on SNL then creating 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mean Girls, she stepped into the literary world with Bossypants, a collection of essays that showcases her clever-quirky-awkward-snarky brand of humor. Reading Tina’s work makes me question what the hell business I have trying to write humor – she’s just SO good. She muses on growing up in the 70s with Greek-girl hips (not so popular at the time) and gives us some of the dirty deets behind the scenes in the SNL writer’s room. Read this iconic funny book by this iconic funny woman and your day will instantaneously become brighter.

Read Bossypants here.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong

Thank goddess for Ali Wong. Before she crushed standup in her Netflix special Baby Cobra (if you haven’t watched it, why the hell not?), I was dubbed the foul-mouthed raunchy broad in the room. But next to Ali, I sound like an Amish school marm. She addresses Dear Girls to her own daughters, giving them sacred life lessons while instructing them not to read the book until they are over 21, as most of the stories will horrify them. And this is what I love about Ali – she isn’t afraid to be her lewd, crude (and refreshingly honest) self. All the things women aren’t supposed to be, while men do it and everyone slaps their knees howling. Get this book and prepare to cackle and blush – if you’re over 21 of course.

Read Dear Girls here.

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Unlike some of the other authors on this list, Samantha Irby is not a performer. She started with a humble Blogspot blog (remember Blogspot?) telling all-lowercase stories about her acute IBS, obsession with bad TV and other cringeworthy yet secretly relatable matters. The blog blew up and, long story short, she’s now authored five New York Times best sellers and writes for series like And Just Like That and Shrill. Sam (I call her Sam, because she seems chill that way) has a talent for writing like no one else I’ve ever read. She has an enviable gift for storytelling that’s intellectual and lowbrow at the same time, and it works. Quietly Hostile is her most recent compilation of stories that harkens back to her thoughts and experiences during the pandemic, laying her guts out on the page as she does, to the delight of every reader.

Read Quietly Hostile here.

Other funny books for women by Samantha Irby:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Is there a woman alive who doesn’t want to be Mindy Kaling’s BFF? She writes in a style that makes you feel like you’re sitting on the couch with her in a hair mask gorging kettle corn by the fistful straight out of the bag. After reading each chapter, you’ll want to slip into her DMs chiming, “OMG girl, same!” In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, she talks about going from being the funny brown girl at Dartmouth to writing an Off-Broadway show to landing her dream gig writing on The Office – but always remains charmingly down to earth, making you feel like she’s “just like us.” Since this book, she’s written several other best sellers and went on to create the TV show The Mindy Project (now on Netflix) plus a number of other comedies starring women of color. Read all her books, she’s one of the best.

Read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? here.

Other funny books for women by Mindy Kaling:

Why Not Me?
Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) – book series:

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

Issa Rae, the brilliant mind behind the hit series Insecure (watched it twice), brings her hilarious storytelling to The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. In this gem of a book, Issa tackles the everyday absurdities of life as an introverted black woman navigating the bizarre world of social interactions, dating mishaps and the weirdness of just being human. With a discerning eye for the ridiculous, Issa recounts her journey from an awkward childhood to becoming a YouTube sensation and a powerhouse in Hollywood.

The book is an assortment of embarrassing narratives, laugh-out-loud moments and poignant reflections on identity and self-acceptance. If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out or recoiled at your own social missteps, this book is your new best friend. Issa proves that embracing your awkwardness can be the funniest and most empowering adventure of all.

Read Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl here.

Single Woman Dating by Naomi Lane

Alright, yes, this is a shameless plug for my own book, but naturally I’m gonna include it in a blog post called “Funny Books for Women.” I’m a woman, I wrote it for women and women have told me it made them laugh and I am choosing to believe they are not lying just to make me feel better (although you never know, so take this with a grain of salt). If you’re single or have ever been single or know a woman who’s single, my own anecdotes and unpopular opinions in Single Woman Dating might deliver a chuckle or two. If you read it, I’d love to hear what you think. As long as you’re not a total jerk.

Read Single Woman Dating here.

I Hate Everyone, Starting with Me by Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers is the OG queen of comedy. I’ve got mad respect for this trailblazer who would not could not stop working and bringing the funny, even in her 70s. Published two years before her death in 2014, I Hate Everyone… Starting with Me holds nothing back without offering a rat’s ass about political correctness. It’s not a gripping tale of fiction or a collection of essays, but 261 pages of LMAO-worthy jokes (some short, some long) that will take the piss out of your day. It’s easy to just pick up and read a page or two and not forget where you were a few days later if you’ve got an ADHD-addled brain like me. As the title suggests, Joan hates everything and everyone and doesn’t stop at herself – she’s not afraid to shovel out the self-deprecation. It may be an old school guilty pleasure, but you will laugh your buns off.

Read I Hate Everyone… Starting with Me here.

Other funny books for women by Joan Rivers:

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

This is the first book by Jenny Lawson, who established her signature stream-of-consciousness style of writing in her insanely popular blog, The Bloggess. Her autobiographical Let’s Pretend This Never Happened contains outrageous if not unbelievable accounts of growing up in small town Texas with a taxidermist father, who once threw a live bobcat into the lap of her new boyfriend upon coming to meet the family for the first time. Ya know, just for shits and giggles. Jenny’s path is one that most bloggers dream of: gaining an enormous, devoted following then getting offered a sweet book deal. To date, she’s written four best-selling memoirs – all screamingly funny.

Read Let’s Pretend This Never Happened here.

Other funny books for women by Jenny Lawson:

Decade of Stupid by Melisa Mae

If you enjoy reading about my dating debacles, you’ll hang onto every word of Miss Melisa Mae’s book that shares real profiles and encounters with the half-wits that slipped into her online dating DMs. In Decade of Stupid, you’ll see exactly what made Melisa after 10 years swear off online dating for good, such as “Mr. 5150: searchn for sumthing real” and “Mr. Fish: Check out my big 10 inch..!!!” (real usernames). Anyone who has ever tried online dating will relate and commiserate. The message: girl, it ain’t you. It’s them. Pick this one up for a quick and super funny read.

Read Decade of Stupid here.

Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer’s The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo is like rifling through the diary of your funniest, most irreverent friend, who also happens to have no filter. She takes us on a wild ride through her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories of awkward teenage moments, regrettable hookups and the absurdity of fame. With her wit and raw honesty, Amy tackles everything from body image to family drama. And just when you think you’ve got her figured out, she hits you with moments of vulnerability that remind you why she’s not just a comedy queen, but a genuine human being. It’s a book that makes you snort-laugh but also feel a bit more okay with your own awkwardness.

Read The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo here.

Did I miss any? What are some of your favorite funny books for women? Please, share the funny.