5 Authors Penning Books Both Humorous And Touching
There's nothing wrong with a good mystery, thriller, or horror title, but there's only so many tough-guy detectives with gritted teeth that one can take before yearning for something a little more real. These authors have all chosen to focus on the real world, exploring both the funny and tragic sides of life with clever humor and revealing prose that gets at the heart of what it means to be human. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
5 Authors of Witty and Insightful Literature
Jay Wexler Discusses Our Non-Christian Nation
Quirky American Museums Offering Unique Experiences
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Museum of Man | San Diego, CA |
| Please Touch Museum | Philadelphia, PA |
| The Beat Museum | San Francisco, CA |
| Museum of Food and Drink | Brooklyn, NY |
| Museum of Death | Hollywood, CA & New Orleans, LA |
| International Spy Museum | Washington, DC |
| Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm | Tamworth Village, NH |
| Strong Museum of Play | Rochester, NY |
Paul McVeigh Reads From The Good Son
In Depth
While most authors write relatable and enlightening stories that tackle serious themes, only a few can make people laugh as they read along. There are countless novels and nonfiction titles that are funny yet insightful, and here, in no particular order, are some authors writing all sorts of books that are both humorous and heartwarming.
First up, at #1, we have Kelly Harms, the author of The Bright Side of Going Dark and The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane. She has worked with other bestselling authors, including Edgar, RITA, and Agatha award winners in her time as an editor at a division of HarperCollins, and later as an agent at the Jane Rotrosen Agency.
She's best known for her novel The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, which is about the eponymous librarian and single mother. After her estranged husband offers to watch their kids for a few months, Amy Byler escapes rural Pennsylvania and ventures to New York City in an effort to reinvent herself.
She's best known for her novel The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, which is about the eponymous librarian and single mother.
At #2 is Paul McVeigh. Born in Belfast, he began his career as a playwright before moving to London, where he wrote comedy shows before turning to prose. His short fiction has appeared in literary journals and anthologies published in the UK and USA, and his work has also been televised on Sky Arts.
McVeigh co-founded the London Short Story Festival, of which he was Director and Curator for 2014 and 2015, and he is an associate director at Word Factory. His debut novel, The Good Son, a tragic yet humorous coming-of-age tale about a young boy growing up in Troubles-era Belfast, won the Polari First Novel Prize and the McCrea Literary Award.
Next, at #3, is Jay Wexler, a Professor of Law at Boston University who, before teaching there, worked for two years as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Office of Legal Counsel. He publishes stories, humor pieces, and essays in a variety of print and online journals, many of which can be found on his site.
He publishes stories, humor pieces, and essays in a variety of print and online journals, many of which can be found on his site.
Among his nonfiction books is Holy Hullabaloos, a humorous travelogue documenting his journey across the country to investigate some of the most controversial Supreme Court cases concerning the separation of church and state. Wexler also wrote When God Isn't Green, a worldwide journey where he describes his travels around the world to explore the intersection of religion and the environment.
Next up, at #4, we have Carol Weston, an American writer and Yale graduate with an M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury College. Her first book, Girltalk, which came out in 1985, is a fun and insightful guide for girls ages eleven to eighteen, and it covers topics such as friendship, the body, and love.
Weston's Ava Wren series revolves around the eponymous fifth grader, and is a set of diary-style novels that impart touching and sometimes difficult lessons about growing up, friendship, responsibilities, and even love. The first entry, Ava and Pip, follows the outgoing protagonist as she uses her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness.
The first entry, Ava and Pip, follows the outgoing protagonist as she uses her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness.
Finally, at #5, is Meg Donohue, the USA Today bestselling author of novels such as Every Wild Heart and All the Summer Girls. Her first book, How to Eat a Cupcake, tells the story of two girls from vastly different backgrounds and their unlikely partnership a decade after a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.
Among her other titles is Dog Crazy, a poignant and funny tale of love and loss, confronting our fears, and the power of our pets to heal us. It is about a pet bereavement counselor named Maggie Brennan, who, while searching for a distraught woman's missing pooch, finds herself entangled in a mystery that forces her to finally face her biggest fear.
