8 Humorous Books Featuring Misfits and Their Misadventures
Posted on October 1, 2018
by April S
Welcome to our funny fiction series. We’re highlighting a variety of elements of humorous fiction to help our readers find that next great read (and hopefully a few laughs along the way). This blog post features misfits and their misadventures.
What do you mean by misfits?
The dictionary defines the word misfit as “something that fits badly” or “a person who is not suited or is unable to adjust to the circumstances of his or her particular situation.” The average person may think of a misfit in terms of someone who’s a bit clumsy, eccentric and/or quirky.
The books featured in this blog post are all fiction. They’re chock full of characters that are misfits in every imaginable way – they don’t quite fit in, their decision making skills aren’t the greatest and you’ll definitely find yourself thinking – “why would anyone do that?” The stories are funny, offbeat, engaging and witty. They’re designed to make the reader laugh – and are absolutely hilarious!
3 Words that describe these books …
Funny, Quirky and Witty
1. The Salmon of Doubt : Hitchhiking the Universe One Last Time by Douglas Adams A final installment in the series that began with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is taken from the late author’s previously unpublished personal files and features the same offbeat adventures of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, and their companions. Amazon: 4.5* | Goodreads: 3.92* |
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2. No Phule Like an Old Phule by Robert Aspirin with Peter J. Heck Determined to kick Phule out of the Space Legion, General Blitzkrieg sends a team of environmental investigators to uncover the truth about Phule and his Omega Company, which is currently hosting a group of big-game hunters out to bag a dinosaur on Zenobia. This book is part of a series: Phule’s Company, book 5. Amazon: 4.0* | Goodreads: 3.78* |
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3. Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel An uproarious tale told in alternating voices follows the stories of a pet shop owner and a curmudgeon who find themselves on the run from police, terrorists, and a pizza chain mascot. Amazon: 4* | Goodreads: 3.56* |
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4. The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone Dahlia Moss, unemployed and at the end of her rope, accepts a new job that will lead her to murder, a massive online game, and maybe even love. Amazon: 3.9* | Goodreads: 3.62* |
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5. The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland Over the course of several months, two retail workers at an office supply superstore–Roger, a divorced, middle-aged “aisles associate” at Staples, and his young co-worker, Bethany, an early twenty-something, former Goth–strike up a unique epistolary friendship, in a novel about love, loneliness, and the offbeat comforts of modern-day life. Amazon: 3.9* | Goodreads: 3.5* |
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If you enjoyed The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland, you may also like …
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6. Dogwalker: Stories by Arthur Bradford A collection of short fiction by an O. Henry Award-winning author presents twelve thought-provoking, humorous tales that capture the lives and fortunes of some of society’s colorful misfits and mutants. Amazon: 3.8* | Goodreads: 3.83* |
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If you enjoyed Dogwalker by Arthur Bradford, you may also like …
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7. The Wangs vs. the World by Jade Chang A wealthy but fractured Chinese family loses everything in the financial crisis before embarking on a haphazard but ultimately redemptive journey across America as part of an effort to reclaim ancestral lands in China. Amazon: 3.3* | Goodreads: 3.3* |
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If you enjoyed The Wangs vs. the World by Jade Chang, you may also like …
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8. Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple Initiating small changes that she hopes will reverse negative patterns in her life, Eleanor Flood is derailed by her family members’ unethical practices before an encounter with a former colleague triggers dramas that reveal a buried secret. By the author of national best-seller “Where’d You Go, Bernadette.” Amazon: 3.1* | Goodreads: 3.19* |
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