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My Girlfriend will be reading a book on her kindle and just randomly start laughing at something that's happened in the book, sometimes hysterically, yet she doesn't laugh out loud often at comedy films or stand up. Is that normal? I've never laughed at a book...
I do the same thing. I'm way more likely to laugh out loud at a book than a movie, especially if I'm alone.
I have the complete works of Oscar Wilde and I dip in every now and again. In The Importance of Being Earnest, there's a gag every three or four lines and I laugh out loud at them. It won't be to everyone's taste but I find the following hilarious:
"It is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It is the first time in my life that I have ever been reduced to such a painful position, and I am really quite inexperienced in doing anything of the kind."
"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!"
I need to read that! I have a friend who's been reading it in public and giggling. The last book that made me laugh in public was The Plague by Camus.
You laughed at The Plague? You're a strange, strange girl. What about it made you laugh?
A few things. The behaviour of the townspeople and doctors sometimes made me laugh, especially very early on, such as when the dead rats stop turning up, and everybody sort of goes "Oh ok, I guess that happened. It's over now, though."
The excerpts and details gleaned from Jean Tarrou's journal probably made me laugh most. I like the part about the old man who goes on the balcony to try to spit on cats every day, and the fact that Tarrou is described as "agreeably impressed" by this.
This also made me laugh:
"It is Tarrou once again who paints the most faithful picture of our life in those days. Needless to say, he outlines the progress of the plague and he, too, notes that a new phase of the epidemic was ushered in when the radio announced no longer weekly totals, but ninety-two, a hundred and seven, and a hundred and thirty deaths in a day. 'The newspapers and the authorities are playing ball with the plague. They fancy they're scoring off it because a hundred and thirty is a smaller figure than nine hundred and ten.'"
There are bits and pieces of absurdity and dry humour, some of which I'm not completely certain are supposed to be funny, that are a bit harder to quote. The bit about Father Paneloux's sermon during the Week of Prayer has a tone of subtle disdain that I really like. The book is so bleak and dark that even the smallest bit of humour stands out in contrast.
Your explanation made me laugh a lot more than when I read the book. To be honest, I took Camus as a bit of a Kafka, where any humour was *entirely* unintentional.
I might be wrong, though, as to my eyes today it does indeed sound funny. I wish I could remember it but there was a bit in The Trial where I was convinced that old Kafka was having a super jape!
Well, if she found it funny, then yeah, it's normal to laugh. There are some really funny books. I'm almost finished Catch 22 and that certainly has funny stuff in it.:D
Ooh, and I thought Frankenstein was pretty funny too, actually. It's so over the top! Like the part where the creature is about to kill the kid, and he's all like, "you shall be my first victim." Hehehe, who even says that? I don't know, I just thought it was a bit of an odd thing to say before you murder someone. Strangely polite thing to letting them know prior to their murder. Ha!
Yeah, books can be really funny.:)
Pft! You mindreader. I was going to talk about Catch 22 in my answer but you got there first. Fine! I'll talk about Oscar Wilde instead. Glad you found Catch 22 funny, though. It's one of the funniest books I've read. I'll wait until you've finished it before I say anymore about it, though, because I noticed something interesting about it but you need to get to the end before I tell it you. :P
Ooh, I'm so curious now:D! I won't be able to finish reading it until the end of the week either:(. I can't believe I forgot Oscar Wilde, though! He seems so witty, reading the Picture of Dorian Gray was just the best. Oh, and one of the first things I watched at a Theatre was the Importance of Being Earnest. I was only 12 so a lot of it went over my head, but I really liked it. I remember something really funny about women with umbrellas, ha:P.
I'm really curious about Catch 22 now, though! Hmm.
Edit: just read your comment, love the quotes:D! Hahaha, Oscar Wilde is bloody brilliant.
I'm so jealous. I've never seen Earnest performed and haven't seen the film, either. I've only ever read the transcript. I should make it a point to at least see the film.
The Catch 22 thing is just a little thing, a personal viewpoint. But you may find it interesting. Next week. :P
It is a lovely quality, and you are honoured she does it in front of you.
In a book(or kindle) you can imagine how you would find whatever situation funny unlike a movie where you get whatever you see. Plus I do that too.
Well just think of it this way. Have you ever gotten a funny text from a friend, or laughed at something you read on facebook or in an instant message?
It's the same thing, just in a story format.
Maybe she read something naughty in the book. Which she found very funny.
I hurt myself laughing when I read a book of bill hicks stuff. Really, I was injured several times.
Get stoned and then try reading a book, it makes every line seem like the author was joking and did not intend it to be taken seriously which ends up making you laugh at every line.
I laugh at everything even this post made me laugh people just gave me funny looks.