The Ex-Wives by Deborah Moggach is one of the author’s many contemporary novels.  However, she is most well known for an historical novel called Tulip Fever, set in 17th century Amsterdam.

The Ex-Wives opens with the central character of Buffy (Russell Buffery), an actor, feeling old and sorry for himself.

He has ex-wives, as well as other partners he hasn’t married, children and step-children and now has to quite literally pay for his past “mistakes”.

As someone who has started to feel the aches and pains of getting old myself, I found the explanations of some of his “problems” comically entertaining.

Deborah Moggach, The Ex-Wives

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Having the Builders in by Reay Tannahill combines two of my favourite fiction categories – historical and humour.

Have you ever tried to live in a home where builders are undertaking major work? If so you will probably relate to a lot of the problems described in the book, even though it is set hundreds of years ago. Hopefully this hasn’t involved any sudden deaths though, or the threat of an invasion from across The Channel.

Most books by Reay Tannahill are serious looks at history, whether fact (including Sex in History and Food in History) or historical fiction (including The Seventh Son about Richard III and Fatal Majesty about Mary Queen of Scots). Then, towards the end of her life, she wrote two great humorous historical fiction books. Sadly, she died in 2007, aged 77.

Having the Builders In, Reay Tannahill

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Cupid’s Dart by David Nobbs contains Great British social humour, which I found very entertaining.

David Nobbs is also the creator of Reggie Perrin, along with many other comedy works in the form of novels, as well as TV and radio scriptwriting.

Before earning his living as a writer he was in the army, a journalist and an advertising executive. Born in Kent, and now living near Harrogate, he is adept at bringing eccentric British personalities sharply to life. He has obviously mastered the technique of “people-watching”.

Cupid's Dart, David Nobbs

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I have been a fan of Danny Wallace for quite a while now – ever since I read his collaboration with Dave Gorman on the book ‘Are You Dave Gorman?’ Since then Danny has gone on to write a number of books of his own, all based on mad boyish escapades which manage to take him to far flung places and sometimes land him in a bit of bother! His latest book that I have read – Friends like These – is written in the same vein, although it does have some quite thought provoking and poignant moments too. It is also quite mad as well, which is the style I have come to know and love from Danny Wallace!

As he writes this book, Danny is fast approaching his thirtieth birthday which seems to be causing him a bit of a crisis. Although he is happily married to Lizzie, they own their own home and he has an interesting career;

Danny Wallace, friends, travel

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The Complete Prose of Woody Allen is a bumper collection of comic fiction and essays and consists of the three Woody Allen books of humorous prose – Getting Even (1971), Without Feathers (1975), and Side Effects (1980). There are over fifty pieces of comic writing here which makes the book both great value for money (my paperback copy is 473 pages long) and a handy companion to dip into on a train or when you are stuck for something to read. The book is a good example of Allen’s versatility and comic flair and the pieces, mostly written for The New Yorker originally, are very much in the spirit of SJ Perelman and Groucho Marx, absurdist but with a cerebral comic twist courtesy of Allen and plenty of references to history and classic literature.

comic, Essays, Woody Allen

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