They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover—but what about its title? The good thing about books with funny or quirky titles is that they quickly catch your attention and make you interested in reading them.
When you scour the Internet for funny book titles, more often than not, many of them are humorous for one of the following reasons:
- It’s meant to be a funny book.
- When the book was published, some of the words or phrases used did not mean what they mean now.
- The author or publisher did not catch a double meaning to words or phrases in the title.
12 Hilarious Book Titles
Check out some of these hilarious book titles and see which ones capture your interest.
1. The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank by Erma
This title is intended to be funny, as it’s comedienne Erma Bombeck’s look at the problems of suburban living. She delves into the Great American Dream and contrasts expectations with reality through a winning, witty writing style.
2. The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice by Christopher Hitchens
This book offers a serious and thorough look into the life and impact of Mother Teresa, recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize for her work among the poor in Calcutta. The problem is that the title uses a term that refers to, well, a different kind of position!
3. How to Shit in the Woods by Kathleen Meyer
This survival guide for the great outdoors is focused on sharing techniques for graceful elimination in the backcountry, while also helping you become ecologically responsible through a direct, and sometimes irreverent, humorous writing style.
4. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman
This collection of humorous essays talks about Sarah Silverman’s own experiences growing up in a Jewish family in New Hampshire, including her struggle with bedwetting all the way until her teens. The frank and lighthearted approach adds to the appeal of this book.
5. Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
This title is a nod to Judy Blume’s YA bestseller, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. Chelsea Handler delves into her past in this collection of hilarious tales that span her experiences with family, school, her career, and relationships.
6. Toilet Paper Origami by Linda Wright
Uhm… we all want to impress our guests, right? But with fancy toilet paper folding? Maybe, but maybe not! Just in case you want to learn how to make pretty centerpieces in your bathroom using toilet paper, this is the book for you.
7. Why Don’t You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? A Mother’s Suggestions by Patricia Marx
If you’re looking for an amusing Mother’s Day gift, this collection of humorous one-liners are reportedly advice the author herself heard from her own mother. The illustrations by Roz Chast, New Yorker staff cartoonist, adds to the charm of this book.
8. Italian Without Words by Don Cangelosi and Joseph Delli Carpini
Who ever heard of learning a language without using words? Apparently, that’s what this book promises to do, by teaching you authentic body language and gestures that an average Italian understands, so you can get along without speaking a word while traveling or dining in restaurants in Italy.
9. The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time by Douglas Adams
Posthumously published, the title continues to reflect Douglas Adams’ witty use of words in his legendary Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy science fiction novel. This book contains essays, anecdotes, articles, and stories gleaned from his own writings that were tucked away in his computers.
10. Everything I Want to Do is Illegal: War Stories from the Local Food Front by Joel Salatin
After 40 years of being an ecological farmer, Joel Salatin brings us this book to explain why Americans are stuck in the kind of food they choose and eat. Combining passion with humor, he delves into the complexities of the food industry to help you understand what we’re up against.
11. Seriously… I’m Kidding by Ellen Degeneres
Who else could deliver that deadpan statement but sarcasm expert Ellen Degeneres? The tiny paperback version literally fits in the palm of your hand, containing pocket-sized tidbits to get you through a stressful day.
12. The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins
Although learning how to compost human waste is a rising interest, especially among tiny-home dwellers, the title itself uses a catchy word combination by coining the term “humanure.” Believe it or not, this book has sold more than 60,000 copies in America while being translated into at least 18 languages. Who would’ve thought that many people would be interested in the topic?
Creating Funny Book Titles
As you’ve probably observed while reading through this list, many of the hilarious book titles likely caught your attention whether or not the topic itself initially interested you! If you’re writing a book, you might want to bear this in mind as you brainstorm an attention-grabbing title.
Unless, of course, you’re writing about something that’s definitely no laughing matter—like, maybe, human poop?
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 20 Funny Books for Teens: The Best Books to Entertain Young Adults
- How to Write Comedy: 5 Tips for Making Readers Laugh
- 12 Books for Friends to Strengthen Bonds and Enrich Lives
- How to Write a Limerick: Tips and Examples
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
