A Laugh, a Chuckle or May be Just a Smile

What makes a great book great? I believe that a touch of good humor in a book’s narrative goes a long way in doing this job. Any book without a good dose of humor, fails to keep the reader in its grips however strong the story is. The humor could be out-right, mild or subtle according the author’s and the narrator’s personality. It could be slapstick, sarcastic, witty or extremely sophisticated. A book without humor is a book I have to force myself to finish.

All great literature in my belief, besides having strong and cute characters and fascinating storylines, has a very good sense of humor in its narrative. From classics like To Kill a Mockingbird to fantasies like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter; from Shakespeare to Arundhati Roy; Anne Frank and Mahatma Gandhi – Every great book that ever impressed me had its own kind of humor. It’s the lack of this crucial ingredient that Jane Austen and even Ayn Rand even with their thought provoking realism and philosophy failed to make my list of author’s to search for in the book aisles. Too drab, unfunny. Romantics like Charles Dickens on the other hand told sad tales with such innocent humor that lifted my heart and the corners of my lips. Gotta love something that makes you smile!