OK, so this list is a bit specialized. But it's a good one for some light summer reading, nu? The list came to mind as I was reading Absurdistan, a farcical look at geopolitics, love and religion. Most of these picks were read in my book club, which has a Jewish theme, but not all were universally loved. In fact, some were roundly criticized, despite my praise. Go figure. The list (in no particular order):

1.  Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart. A favorite partly because the protagonist reminded me of another esteemed character, Ignatius J. Reilly of A Confederacy of Dunces.

2. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Boy loses family, boy finds family. A poignant Holocaust-related tale with laughs, no less.

3. Foreskin's Lament by Shalom Auslander. A very unorthodox take on Orthodox youth. 

4. God Knows by Joseph Heller. It's an oldie, but I couldn't resist listing this favorite. Picture the Biblical story of David as told in a standup routine by Woody Allen.

5. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. Brings a laugh for the premise alone: The Jewish homeland is created in Alaska instead of Israel.  Oy!