On International Day of Happiness, we’ve curated a list of quirky and light-hearted titles that will not only brighten up your bookshelves but also your lives with small doses of sunshine, laughter and humour
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I will judge you by your bookshelf by Grant Snider
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Spoileralert: This isn’t a storybook or novel. But we promise you that it will make you smile. This collection of gags and comic strips by the brilliant Grant Snider is a must-have for all those who take their bookshelf collections seriously, pore over it for hours, and find inspiration from it in ways that only they can reason. Snider has taken great care with this curation — you’ll break into peals of laughter at times, and on other occasions, there is philosophy and wisdom that will leave you in a mood. A good one, that is.
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
Pic Courtesy/OpenClipArt
Interestingly, when this book was released in 1889, there was confusion on whether humour was its theme, or if it was a travel book. Over time, readers got to understated the wit of Jerome’s storyline that revolves around the adventure of three men, George, William and ‘J’ along with their fox terrier called Montmorency who set out on a boat trip down the Thames from a break for their boring lives. What ensues is a compelling set of episodic trials that will keep the reader engaged and also see the funny side of their (mis)adventures.
Round and About; The Best of Thirty-Six years by Busybee
Like the great Mario, Busybee aka Behram Contractor had a pulse on the common man. He had the wizardry and craft to transform utterly mundane routines into laughable, hilarious episodes. These two titles are a nostalgic compilation of his column Round and About that would appear on the back page of the now discontinued tabloid, The Afternoon Despatch & Courier. Characters like the wife, his dogs, Bolshoi the boxer, and several others became part and parcel of our lives, thanks to his wordplay and light-hearted view of goings-on in Mumbai (then Bombay).
Blistering Barnacles by Albert Algoud
Captain Haddock. Pic Courtesy/Deviantart
The tagline reads an A-Z of The Rants, Rambles and Rages of Captain Haddock but we think it’s more than that. If you’re a fan of Tintin, the Belgian detective, his bumbling comrade, and his fabulous world of adventure and discovery, you’ll love this find that’s dripping with dry wit, classic abuses (that never veer into vulgar territory) and healthy doses of deadpan sarcasm. All the Captain’s utterances are neatly compiled with Hergé illustrations, into this delightful keepsake.
Best Cartoons (series) by Mario de Miranda
Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons
If there is an Indian visual storyteller who was able to create daily life routines through the life of ordinary folk with remarkable accuracy, it is Mario de Miranda. Using illustrations and minimal, mostly witty copy, his storytelling is brought to life by memorable characters and typical Indian scenarios — be it from his home state of Goa or his long association with erstwhile Bombay. The understated humour and LOL moments stay with the reader long after they are done flipping through these insightful compilations.
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