So you like books that make you laugh - but British comedy often feels like another language.

Welcome to Book 2 of The Middler's Library: eight careful, affectionate reviews of comic English novels that surprised me, confused me, and made me laugh out loud.

From the mountaineering parody of The Ascent of Rum Doodle to the cosmic absurdity of The Hitchhiker's Guide series, these essays explain what's funny, why it matters, and how jokes survive translation (or don't).

Short on time, curious about culture, or simply hunting for a good chuckle? I've read the awkward, baffling and occasionally brilliant bits so you don't have to - and I'll point you to the best passages, the cultural blindspots, and the books you'll want to read twice.