You bring up some excellent points. One of my book groups was excited about reading Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris as their December book, and although the book started out great with the hysterical Macy’s holiday elf essay, “Santaland Diaries”, by the time we got to the “Season’s Greetings to Our Friends and Family”—with the narrative involving a dead baby in the dryer—most of the group’s mirth had turned to disgust.

I’ve found that books with a great primary story and discussable themes—but with an undertone of comedy work best for book clubs. A few of my favorites include Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, featuring Helen Simonson’s droll British humor; A Dog’s Purpose, by W. Bruce Cameron, which has you diving for the tissues one moment and laughing out loud the next; and Allegra Goodman’s The Cookbook Collector, which deals with some heavy themes of stock market crashes and the tragic events of 9/11, and yet the author appears to be writing half the book with her tongue firmly lodged in her cheek. I think this type of subtle humor works well for book groups, because it gives them tons of issues to discuss, while toning down some of the drama and disaster with good old-fashioned humor. And as you pointed out, we all can use a few more laughs.

Cheers!
The Book Club Cheerleader