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This week we're looking at a comic novel we love, and talking a bit about why it’s inspiring to us as writers and why you should read it. After that, we’ve got a couple of recommendations of things we’ve been into lately: a new Shakespeare podcast and some old-timey cartoons.

Another Funny Novel We Like, And Why Should Read It

Welcome to another installment of our ongoing series (see the first one here) in which we spotlight funny novels that we love and talk a little bit about why they’re successful, and what fellow humor writers can learn from them about craft and writing longer works.

Today we’re talking about one of our favorite comic novels of all time. It’s full of dry, observational jokes, fun formal choices, and inventive wordplay — and its author is also a McSweeney’s Internet Tendency contributor and one of the founders of The Believer.