Jerry Lewis has it wrong. For years he’s been stumbling over the idea that women can – or can’t – be funny. OK, he’s 88 years old, so maybe we should cut him a little slack and not go straight to what an uber-schmuck. On the other hand, come on dude! It’s almost 2015, do we really need to have this discussion?
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Today’s literary world offers an abundance of evidence that women have not only cracked the comedy glass ceiling, they have busted right through that bitch. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, Chelsey Handler, and Sara Silverman are just a few of the many women who have penned hilarious best sellers and have sold millions (not a typo) of copies.
In the interest of sharing the love, supporting the sisterhood, and promoting laughter for all, I present to you Kimba’s 12 Broads of Christmas. All of these women have written heartfelt laugh-out-loud books, many of them published just this past year. Most of these gals also have wonderful blogs that are worth following and sharing.
Looking for some ideas for presents for the women in your life? Check out these books and maybe pick up something for yourself because you deserve to laugh too.
The 12 Broads of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas… yeah, I’m not going to do that. You’re welcome.
1. A personal favorite is Vikki Claflin’s new book Shake, Rattle & Roll With It: Living and Laughing with Parkinson’s. My father-in-law had Parkinson’s, so I’ve seen it up close and personal. I’m in awe of Vikki’s gift for portraying life with this disease in a way that makes you laugh, not cringe.
2. Leslie Marinelli is the editor of You Have Lipstick On Your Teeth, and Other Things You’ll Only Hear from Your Friends In The Powder Room. This anthology of witty short stories from 39 funny-as-hell women writers definitely dispels any misconceptions about the abilities of women to make you laugh.
3. Gina Barreca has penned several books, my favorite being It’s Not That I’m Bitter Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World. You should also check out They Used to Call Me Snow White… But I Drifted: Women’s Strategic Use of Humor. Gina is the godmother of funny women writers.
4. This past year I discovered Elaine Ambrose and her wonderful Midlife Cabernet Life, Love & Laughter After Fifty. This is not Elaine’s first book; I plan to check out her other books in 2015. 
5. Tracy Beckerman’s Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir: How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs is a fun read with chapter titles such as Sometimes Eating Like a Grown Up Means Giving Up the Cheez Doodles.
6. Crystal Ponti is a contributing author for Clash of the Couples: A Humorous Collection of Completely Absurd Lovers’ Squabbles and Relationship Spats. Crystal, Meredith, and Camille will have you smiling, laughing and uttering Oh, I SO get that.
7. Jen Mann’s national best seller People I Want to Punch In the Throat: Competitive Crafters, Drop-Off Despots, and Other Suburban Scourges, was just released this past September and it’s already garnered over 200 reviews – 144 five-star endorsements! It’s a laugh riot, I promise. 144 people can’t be wrong.
8. Marcia Kester Doyle’s Who Stole My Spandex?: Midlife Musings from a Middle-Aged MILF is a first for Marcia, though she has contributed to several anthologies. I see many funny books in her future. 
9. The Big Book of Parenting Tweets: Featuring the Most Hilarious Parents on Twitter (edited by Kate Hall) has been out less than a month and it’s already generating exceptional buzz.
10. The “Bloggess” – aka Jenny Lawson – took the publishing world by storm in 2012 with her NYT bestseller Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. Nearly 2500 reviews! She’s the gold standard for funny, smart writing.
11. Stacey Gustafson’s Are You Kidding Me? My Life with an Extremely Loud Family, Bathroom Calamities, and Crazy Relatives covers the bases when it comes to all methods by which a gal can lose her mind. It’s a hilarious send-up of what women deal with on a daily basis. 
12. To round out our dirty dozen (and to also make my publisher happy) I’ll add my book I Was In Love With a Short Man Once. It’s not that I’m in the same league as these women, I’m just a broad wannabe. But, a gal can dream, right? Be on the lookout for the second book – Magic Fishing Panties – in 2015.
BTW, book reviews are the gift that keeps on giving for authors. Please consider posting a few reviews for these books. I know these women will most definitely appreciate your kindness.
Do you have a favorite woman writer you would like to recommend?
Cheers,
Kimba
Kathleen Packard says
December 17, 2014 at 11:24 pmWhat a great list….Laughter is good for the soul, it will be a pleasure to check these out…..
Kim Dalferes says
December 18, 2014 at 11:22 am“Laughter is the best medicine AND the best fish bait.” Quote from the new book. #shamelessplug
Liz Peterson says
December 17, 2014 at 8:33 pmI’m going to look for these books on tape. My commute to work will be transformed. Thanks, Kimba!
Kim Dalferes says
December 18, 2014 at 11:20 amGreat idea! I’m currently listening to “Wild” and loving it. On long drives I feel like I’m cheating on NPR.
Leslie @InThePowderRoom says
December 15, 2014 at 10:20 amWell someone’s definitely on Santa’s NICE list! Whoo-HOOOOO! Thank you Kimba! This is fantastic. And Jerry Lewis…bless his heart.
Kimba says
December 15, 2014 at 10:34 amReally love your anthology Leslie. Bless his heart indeed, but what a pecker wood!
Cathy Sikorski says
December 13, 2014 at 8:19 amDid you ever notice that women aren’t saying women aren’t funny???? Love this list, I”ve already read two of these. I just finished Heidi Clements book, “Welcome to Heidi”. Very naughty and funny look at a professional, single woman in Hollywood.
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 8:52 amWill definitely check out Heidi’s book – thx for the suggestion.
Angela Weight says
December 13, 2014 at 7:11 amWhat a great list! I’m always looking for something good to read.
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 8:55 amAngela, I vouch for all of them. Guaranteed to make you laugh and smile.
WendysHat says
December 13, 2014 at 7:09 amOh this is great! I love the titles of these books and would love to read them. Thanks!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 8:59 amI don’t think I can pick a favorite title. I tried, and it was like trying to pick a favorite child, not going to happen.
Elise Cohen Ho says
December 12, 2014 at 9:45 pmThis is certainly an interesting list to peruse. Thank you
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:00 amLet me know if you find one that resonates with you Elise. Lots to chose from.
Marquita Herald says
December 12, 2014 at 6:16 pmThis is wonderful Kimba and I’m going to check out each one of these books!
Oh, and just for the record – I used to work for a luxury resort here in Maui and part of my job was babysitting celebrities which I had to do for Jerry Lewis on 2 occasions – trust me when I say the man deserves the “uber-schmuck” title and then some and it has NOTHING to do with his age!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:03 amDisappointing to hear that about JL – I sure want to like him based on all his philanthropic work, but you never know how folks will behave once the cameras are off.
Astra Groskaufmanis says
December 12, 2014 at 4:10 pmThis is a great list! Congratulations and Merry Christmas to all of them, yourself included! Women’s humour makes me laugh til I cry. Rarely does men’s humour do that to me.
Jen Lancaster “Bitter is the new Black”, Caitlin Moran “How to be a Woman” are good ones too, and I certainly enjoyed fellow EBWW Robyn Brytant’s “Ketchup is a Vegetable”!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:04 am“Ketchup is a Vegetable” – another personal fave!
Kim Tackett says
December 12, 2014 at 3:22 pmI’ve always thought women were the funniest, especially women of a certain age. Paired with wine, always a treat!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:06 amFunny women and wine – NOW it’s a party!!
Nancy Hill (@Nerthus) says
December 12, 2014 at 2:38 pmOh, I read some of these women’s blogs and have a few of the books. Definitely talented and funny women. It is really hard to be funny when you can’t raise your eyebrows!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:06 amI hear ya sista!
Linda S Fitzgerald says
December 12, 2014 at 1:39 pmInteresting concept. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle. I love good satire, but you know comediennes were never my favorite; although I laughed heartily at the I Love Lucy Christmas special this past Sunday. She was the classic.
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:08 amLucille Ball was a trail blazer for sure. I LOVE the vigee-veja-vitamin skit – classic!
Lois Alter Mark says
December 12, 2014 at 12:51 pmI know many of these women and, yes, they are hilarious! I would rather listen to any of them over Jerry Lewis any day!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:09 amNo kidding. I used to really like JL, then I saw an interview, and, just, no.
Stacey Gustafson says
December 12, 2014 at 11:00 amThanks for the shout out! I am honored to be included in this great and hilarious group of broads. Now go get your funny on!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:10 amThx for joining our little shout out party – consider the funny VERY on!
Nancy Roman says
December 12, 2014 at 10:38 amUna LaMarche! (and me too – I am occasionally hilarious)
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:14 amI have no doubt that you are indeed a funny lady.
Vikki Claflin says
December 12, 2014 at 9:36 amWow, my happy dance is on overdrive about being included on this list! I’ll have this stupid smile on my face all day long! Thank you, Kimba!! Now I’m going out to buy all these books. 🙂
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:15 amLove that I’m partly responsible for that dumb ‘ol grin on your face. Hugs to you.
Elaine Ambrose says
December 12, 2014 at 9:12 amThanks for including me as one of your honored broads! These books are marvelous, and I want to be best friends with all the authors.
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:16 amWell Elaine, we can start as besties and then bring everyone else along.
Marcia @ Menopausal Mother says
December 12, 2014 at 8:59 amThank you so much for the shout-out! This is a great list—I’ve read almost every single one of these books and they are all hilarious! Thanks for sharing!
Kimba says
December 13, 2014 at 9:17 amThx for joining the party Marcia and hope you have a very fun weekend.