John Kenney wanted to write a funny book about death. It’s about life instead. The author of 'I See You’ve Called in Dead' says the death of his firefighter brother was a catalyst for the novel.

Not long after, while writing funny songs for The Rosie O’Donnell Show, I developed a book of song parodies called "Take Me Out of the Bathtub." Sure, they were written in verse.

This article appears in the June 2025 print edition with the headline “The Not at All Funny Life of Mark Twain.” When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission.

Emily Henry fans are eagerly expecting her new novel after the success of 2024’s Funny Story. In September 2024, Henry announced the name of her next novel: Great Big Beautiful Life. Henry noted ...