With the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) in full swing, ArtsHub thought it was a timely reminder to read some funny local books, just to keep the laughter flowing at home when you’re not queueing in line to see the hundreds of comedy acts in this year’s Festival. Here’s a personally curated selection of some recently published Australian releases:
I’d Rather Not by Robert Skinner
Skinner has been called the Australian David Sedaris and it’s easy to see why. Both have the same droll, self-deprecating humour and both mine their own lives for maximum mirth-making potential. I’d Rather Not is a collection of essays in which the author details his dramatic life – a series of small disastrous turns – but, as I said in my review, ‘This is no misery memoir that wallows in self-pity, with a rousing morale at the end that champions resilience atop a scrap heap.’ Instead, it’s a book with a several-laughs-a-page quotient.
