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Today we’re talking about an absurd novel, told as a series of embedded stories about a real, but not very well known historical figure. After that, we’ve got a couple of recommendations of things we’ve been into lately: A revealing 2004 interview with an all-time great actor, and a funny game.

A Funny, Episodic, Historical Novel That We Like

This is the third funny novel we’ve highlighted in the newsletter (the first and second are here) and this is the most absurdist one we’ve discussed so far. Based on a real historical figure, the novel is a series of secondhand stories all set within a parody frame. On the level of joke writing and formal choice, it’s a book that any humor writer looking to work on something longer should look to for inspiration.