The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens

When I was a kid, my mother always talked about how funny this book was. It was a little slow going for me, but after about halfway and I thought it was great! Unlike some of Dickens' other novels, the Pickwick Papers only has a loose main plot and is mainly a collection of stories about Mr. Pickwick and his friends. Each chapter was written purely for the entertainment value of a good humerous story. My favorite thing about the book is that we follow the Pickwickians through various seasons and settings. There's a Pickwick, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Election Day, Wedding Day, and so much more. Fun fact: Mr. Pickwick's faithful servant's name is Sam--the same name as Frodo's servant in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.