--- description: Here are 11 funny audiobooks that will bring comfort, joy and laughter, from David Sedaris' 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' to Ali Wong's 'Dear Girls.' title: 11 Funny Audiobooks to Lighten the Mood This Dreary Winter image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfe21133cc3a89f38/698a15f322fb85cdcbe2bcac/audiobooks-to-lighten-the-mood-featured.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Books](/tag/books/) ## Books Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 11 Funny Audiobooks to Lighten the Mood This Dreary Winter  by [Annabel Gutterman](/author/annabel-gutterman/)  ## Annabel Gutterman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Editor Jan 15, 2021 9:48 PM CUT   by [Annabel Gutterman](/author/annabel-gutterman/)  ## Annabel Gutterman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Senior Editor Jan 15, 2021 9:48 PM CUT Just weeks into 2021, the new year already feels uncomfortably similar to [the one that came before it](https://time.com/5917394/2020-in-review/ "undefined"). With renewed [COVID-19 lockdowns](https://time.com/5800901/coronavirus-map/ "undefined") and headlines dominated by [news both distressing and sad](https://time.com/5927132/donald-trump-mob-capitol-chaos/ "undefined"), let’s face it: in this bleak season, we need a laugh. Enter the upbeat audiobook. As regular audiobook listeners know, and newcomers will be delighted to learn, the immersive format works especially well for funny and uplifting stories, especially when narrated by celebrated comics like Ali Wong and Steve Martin. The following essay collections, memoirs and original audio comedies will bring humor and comfort to the gloomiest of days. ## **_Let’s Never Talk About This Again_** **, Sara Faith Alterman**  When [Sara Faith Alterman](https://time.com/collection/must-read-books-2020/5904302/lets-never-talk-about-this-again/ "undefined")’s father begins experiencing symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s disease, he asks for her help in continuing his secret career as a sex writer. Alterman narrates the story of their evolving relationship, detailing all the mortifying moments that accompany discovering that your father writes pornographic books. **Listen Now:** [_Let’s Never Talk About This Again_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D4M449P/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B08D4M449P&linkId=088a5e2e792cb74979d019f35f1e97a9 "undefined") ## **_My Sister, the Serial Killer_** **, Oyinkan Braithwaite**  Oyinkan Braithwaite’s [satirical thriller](https://time.com/5466453/my-sister-the-serial-killer/ "undefined"), read by Adepero Oduye, tests the bonds of sisterhood as Korede, a nurse, grows increasingly annoyed with her younger, prettier sister Ayoola. But her frustrations have little to do with good looks—Ayoola keeps murdering her boyfriends and calling in Korede to clean up after her. **Listen Now:** [_My Sister, the Serial Killer_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GDQ4Y6J/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07GDQ4Y6J&linkId=037fdb941ac77f0f26d820777a658eda "undefined") ## **_A Walk in the Woods_** **, Bill Bryson**  Though he’s not at all an experienced hiker, Bill Bryson decides to walk the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail, which he describes in [his memoir](https://entertainment.time.com/2011/08/30/all-time-100-best-nonfiction-books/slide/a-walk-in-the-woods-by-bill-bryson/ "undefined"), read by Rob McQuay. Bryson and an out-of-shape friend embark on a journey where their lack of preparedness leads to frequent moments of hilarity. **Listen Now:** [_A Walk in the Woods_ ](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GBVCAG/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B009GBVCAG&linkId=49b54de133ec4d922f52a7c11c54cd13 "undefined") ## **_God-Level Knowledge Darts_** **, Desus & Mero**  As [masters of the podcast medium](https://time.com/collection/time-100-next-2019/5718862/desus-mero/ "undefined"), it’s no surprise that late-night show hosts [Desus & Mero](https://time.com/5567654/desus-and-mero-late-night-show-interview/ "undefined") are captivating narrators of their first book. In this unsparing guide to life, the comedians share entertaining analyses of toxic masculinity, raising children, buying sneakers and more. **Listen Now:** [_God-Level Knowledge Darts_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082J5VGCF/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B082J5VGCF&linkId=67b235111fefa46a8586d1a64b91430b "undefined") ## **_We Are Never Meeting in Real Life_** **, Samantha Irby**  In narrating her second essay collection, [Samantha Irby](https://time.com/collection/must-read-books-2020/5904241/wow-no-thank-you/ "undefined") is as self-deprecating and snarky as ever as she tackles everything from _The Bachelorette_ to budgeting. Every moment of humor is met with intense honesty, coalescing into a fierce and funny portrait of contemporary Black womanhood. **Listen Now:** [_We Are Never Meeting in Real Life_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KXZYCJF/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07KXZYCJF&linkId=5ce02c11ee0c453c37e6e6d19ccb951e "undefined") ## **_You’ll Grow Out of It_** **,** **Jessi Klein**  Jessi Klein, [the head writer of ](https://time.com/3898198/inside-amy-schumer-cosby-sketch-jessi-klein/ "undefined")[_Inside Amy Schumer_](https://time.com/3898198/inside-amy-schumer-cosby-sketch-jessi-klein/ "undefined")_,_ blends observational humor with wry narration in [essays](https://time.com/collection-post/4571633/top-10-nonfiction-books-2016/ "undefined") that pick apart her experiences as a woman. They involve her being called “ma’am,” her hunt for the perfect wedding dress and her struggles with infertility. **Listen Now:** [_You’ll Grow Out of It_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G61ZN6W/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01G61ZN6W&linkId=06fb1c6fc4d11e1bb6e2d1d7b47107c8 "undefined") ## **_Born Standing Up_** **, Steve Martin**  In his [2007 memoir](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1684540,00.html "undefined"), [Steve Martin](https://time.com/4089872/steve-martin-edie-brickell-interview/ "undefined") chronicles the discipline and drive that led to his success in the 1970s stand-up scene, and his decision to walk away from it all. From selling guidebooks at Disneyland as a 10-year-old to appearing on _Saturday Night Live_ decades later, Martin tells fascinating stories about show business and the isolation that comes with performing. **Listen Now:** [_Born Standing Up_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ZM8GL8/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000ZM8GL8&linkId=c682285d6bd497a2942d2db36513871a "undefined") ## **_Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay_** **, Phoebe Robinson**  Listening to [Phoebe Robinson](https://time.com/4380400/phoebe-robinson-2-dope-queens/ "undefined") narrate her book is like catching up with an old friend. Her energetic voice darts between topics: in one essay she navigates her relationship with her body, in another she describes the impact of meeting Bono twice. Throughout, she packs her commentary on feminism and race with ample references to pop culture. **Listen Now:** [_Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D83Q3XZ/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07D83Q3XZ&linkId=3803ad33a8601c0f262f7ed9a210f138 "undefined") ## **_Me Talk Pretty One Day_** **, David Sedaris**  The essays in [David Sedaris](https://time.com/5311412/david-sedaris-calypso-interview/ "undefined")’ celebrated collection showcase the sardonic way he views the world. His self-conscious and cynical narration makes for biting observations about language, whether he’s recounting the speech-therapy classes he attended as a child or describing the mishaps he faced as an adult in Paris, where he didn’t know how to speak French. **Listen Now:** [_Me Talk Pretty One Day_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000547MZ/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0000547MZ&linkId=ec378ef69937d7b7662b1afbf8fb3759 "undefined") ## **_Dear Girls_** **, Ali Wong**  Ali Wong’s [essay collection](https://time.com/5700072/ali-wong-dear-girls-interview/ "undefined") is structured as a set of letters to her two young daughters. She explores her childhood in San Francisco, the bleak realities of single life in New York and her path to stand-up stardom. The result takes listeners inside the comedian’s mind, a landscape filled with relatable reflections and raunchy jokes. **Listen Now:** [_Dear Girls_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R1YYP88/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07R1YYP88&linkId=5edd3cdc4b4da84fabc813bd5aa1bcc6 "undefined") ## **_Heads Will Roll_**  Created by [_Saturday Night Live_ star Kate McKinnon](https://time.com/4065217/hillary-clinton-kate-mckinnon/ "undefined") and her sister Emily Lynne, this 10-episode audio comedy follows a queen and her minion as they try to save the throne after learning about a planned uprising. It’s as much about the friendship between the two characters as it is their quest to stop the rebellion, and features performances by Meryl Streep and more. **Listen Now:** [_Heads Will Roll_](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MC9HG4H/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time-books-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07MC9HG4H&linkId=d792283ea7e8d826e02823198b2f6de3 "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5928406/best-comedy-audiobooks/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5928406/best-comedy-audiobooks/"},"headline":"11 Funny Audiobooks to Lighten the Mood This Dreary Winter","datePublished":"2021-01-15T21:48:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:55:27.841Z","description":"Here are 11 funny audiobooks that will bring comfort, joy and laughter, from David Sedaris' 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' to Ali Wong's 'Dear Girls.'","url":"https://time.com/5928406/best-comedy-audiobooks/","keywords":["Books","list"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfe21133cc3a89f38/698a15f322fb85cdcbe2bcac/audiobooks-to-lighten-the-mood-featured.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Annabel Gutterman","jobTitle":"Senior Editor","url":"https://time.com/author/annabel-gutterman/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfe21133cc3a89f38/698a15f322fb85cdcbe2bcac/audiobooks-to-lighten-the-mood-featured.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"audiobooks-to-lighten-the-mood-featured","caption":"","creditText":"","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/books/","name":"Books"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5928406/best-comedy-audiobooks/","name":"11 Funny Audiobooks to Lighten the Mood This Dreary Winter"}}]}] ```