Laurence Sterne was an English novelist known for his comic masterpiece, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman. His innovative style and humor greatly influenced modern literature.
If you enjoy reading books by Laurence Sterne then you might also like the following authors:
Denis Diderot was an influential French writer and philosopher whose work is clever, lively, and full of playful wit. If you enjoy Laurence Sterne’s humorous experimentation, Diderot’s novel Jacques the Fatalist might catch your interest.
The story follows Jacques and his unnamed master as they travel together, constantly arguing about fate, free will, and life itself. Their journey is unpredictable, filled with interruptions, stories within stories, and plenty of humorous detours.
Diderot frequently speaks directly to the reader, cracking jokes and teasing expectations. The result is a lively, amusing book that can be read again and again without losing its charm.
Henry Fielding was an 18th-century English novelist known for his lively wit and satirical humor. If you enjoyed Laurence Sterne’s playful, unconventional style in Tristram Shandy, Fielding’s novel Tom Jones might appeal to you.
The story follows the adventures and misadventures of Tom, an amiable, generous, but flawed young man whose kind heart often lands him in trouble. Fielding spins a comic and insightful tale filled with colorful characters and sharp observations about society.
Like Sterne, he frequently addresses readers directly, drawing them into the narrative with humorous commentary and ironic twists. If a clever, entertaining, and insightful story with vivid characters is your taste, Tom Jones is worth exploring.
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist known for sharp wit and imaginative storytelling. If you enjoyed Laurence Sterne’s playful and unconventional narrative in Tristram Shandy, Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels might catch your interest.
The book follows Lemuel Gulliver, a ship surgeon who lands in strange and distant lands after multiple shipwrecks. In one place he meets tiny people with big political disputes; in another, giants who find human follies amusing.
Swift cleverly uses these absurd adventures to poke fun at politics, society, and human nature. His humor and creativity invite readers to laugh while they think—especially appealing for those who enjoy Sterne’s literary style.
Readers who enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful storytelling and satirical wit might find Miguel de Cervantes equally appealing. Cervantes, a Spanish writer from the 16th and early 17th centuries, is best known for his masterpiece, Don Quixote.
This novel follows an elderly nobleman named Alonso Quixano, who becomes so obsessed with books about knighthood that he sets out as a self-declared knight, Don Quixote.
Along with his faithful companion, Sancho Panza, he embarks on absurd adventures—attacking windmills he believes are giants and imagining simple inns as grand castles.
Cervantes humorously critiques old-fashioned chivalric tales while offering deeper thoughts about reality, illusion, and human ideals.
If you enjoy Sterne’s clever humor and playful narrative style in Tristram Shandy, Cervantes’ Don Quixote could offer a similarly entertaining and thought-provoking reading experience.
Books by Flann O’Brien offer wit, absurdity, and playful literary forms similar to the style of Laurence Sterne. Readers who enjoyed Tristram Shandy might appreciate O’Brien’s novel The Third Policeman .
This book tells the peculiar story of a rural Irish narrator who finds himself entangled in a strange world after committing a misguided crime.
In this world, bicycles behave mysteriously, policemen ponder absurd philosophies, and the boundaries of reality become increasingly blurred.
O’Brien’s sharp humor, clever plot structure, and amusing dialogues give readers a reading experience that echoes Sterne’s charm and eccentric narrative techniques.
Italo Calvino was an Italian author known for imaginative storytelling paired with clever wit and playful narrative structures. If you enjoyed Laurence Sterne’s unconventional storytelling in Tristram Shandy, Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler might intrigue you.
This novel is a unique reading experience where you, the reader, become the protagonist. It guides you through multiple intriguing stories that keep getting interrupted in strange and unexpected ways.
Calvino weaves mystery, humor, and thoughtful reflections on reading to craft a book full of surprises. You’ll find shifts in perspective, playful twists, and stories hidden within stories. Those who appreciate Sterne’s humor and innovation could find Calvino equally delightful.
Jorge Luis Borges was an Argentine author famous for his clever literary style and unique, thought-provoking stories. If you’re intrigued by the playful storytelling of Laurence Sterne, Borges might offer a similarly enjoyable reading experience.
His collection Ficciones is a fascinating assortment of stories that challenge reality and imagination. In one intriguing tale, The Library of Babel, Borges describes an infinite library containing every possible book and combination of text ever written.
The stories within Ficciones blend reality with fantasy, exploring unexpected outcomes and ideas that surprise and captivate readers. Borges’ narratives are short yet richly layered, highlighting his creative genius and precise use of language.
Vladimir Nabokov was a Russian-American novelist famous for his playful narrative style and clever wordplay. If you enjoyed Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, you might appreciate Nabokov’s humor and imaginative storytelling.
In his novel Pale Fire, Nabokov experiments with a unique structure. The story unfolds through the extensive commentary of a pompous literary scholar named Charles Kinbote, who obsessively annotates a poem by his deceased friend, John Shade.
Kinbote’s unusual notes gradually reveal a plot filled with intrigue, mystery, and a humorous exploration of obsession and misinterpretation. Nabokov’s sharp wit and creative narrative tricks create a reading experience that shares Sterne’s playful approach to storytelling.
Readers who enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful storytelling and quirky humor will likely appreciate Thomas Pynchon. Pynchon is known for his complex narratives, eccentric characters, and surreal plots.
His novel The Crying of Lot 49 centers on a Californian woman named Oedipa Maas, who unexpectedly finds herself at the heart of a mysterious conspiracy. As she tries to unravel an underground postal service named Tristero, the boundaries between reality and paranoia blur.
The book is filled with absurd situations, clever wordplay, and satirical commentary on American life. Fans of Sterne’s humor and unique narrative style will easily connect with Pynchon’s inventive approach.
David Foster Wallace is an author known for his playful style and sharply intelligent humor, which fans of Laurence Sterne might appreciate.
His novel Infinite Jest offers an unusual take on modern life, with an entertaining yet thoughtful look at addiction, entertainment, and America’s obsession with pleasure.
The narrative is intricate, filled with unique and eccentric characters like Hal Incandenza, a teenage tennis prodigy facing personal crises, and Don Gately, an ex-addict involved in an unconventional rehab program.
Wallace often uses footnotes humorously and richly, giving the reader layers of amusing detail and depth. The novel weaves satire, drama, and deep insight into addiction and loneliness, presented in a style both playful and insightful.
If you enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful storytelling and unique narrative structure, Dave Eggers might appeal to you. Eggers is known for lively, experimental writing that challenges the usual storytelling forms, often with humor and wit.
In A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Eggers mixes memoir with fiction to tell his own story after losing both parents.
As he takes charge of raising his younger brother, Eggers explores life and grief through anecdotes, satire, and imaginative storytelling that surprises readers at every turn.
His inventive, somewhat irreverent style echoes the narrative originality found in Sterne’s Tristram Shandy.
George Saunders is an American author known for his playful narratives and original storytelling. His book Lincoln in the Bardo is imaginative and unconventional in style, reminiscent of Laurence Sterne’s experimental approach in Tristram Shandy.
Saunders explores Abraham Lincoln’s grief after losing his young son Willie. Set in a ghostly graveyard filled with characters who linger between life and afterlife, the book mixes history, fantasy, humor, and heartache.
It’s an emotional journey told through snippets of dialogue, historical excerpts, and ghostly commentary, offering readers a unique literary experience.
Readers who enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful approach to storytelling may find Donald Barthelme a natural fit. Barthelme’s work is experimental and often challenges traditional storytelling techniques.
In his book Sixty Stories, readers can explore imaginative scenarios and bizarre encounters filled with absurdity and wit.
One memorable story, The Balloon, describes a massive balloon unexpectedly appearing over Manhattan, changing people’s relationship with the city and each other.
Barthelme’s inventive stories mix humor, satire, and thoughtful insights, providing a reading experience similar in spirit to Sterne’s Tristram Shandy.
Books by John Barth often take readers on playful, imaginative journeys filled with humor and clever storytelling. Particularly, his novel The Sot-Weed Factor would appeal to readers who enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful and unconventional style.
Barth tells the tale of Ebenezer Cooke, an innocent young poet who sets sail from England to colonial Maryland to inherit his family’s tobacco plantation. The story is full of satire, witty banter, and absurd situations reminiscent of Sterne’s Tristram Shandy.
Throughout his adventures, Ebenezer encounters pirates, mistaken identities, and numerous humorous misfortunes that keep the tone light-hearted and engaging.
Barth’s witty mix of history and humor make his books a good match for anyone who appreciates Sterne’s original and entertaining narratives.
Readers who enjoy Laurence Sterne’s playful style and unconventional storytelling might appreciate Nicholson Baker. Baker is an author known for witty narratives and a deep appreciation for the small, seemingly trivial moments in life.
His novel The Mezzanine takes place entirely during the protagonist’s short escalator ride back to his office after lunch. The story unfolds through rich observations and entertaining trains of thought about shoelaces, vending machines, and the etiquette of restrooms.
Baker captures the humor and fascination in everyday things, similar to Sterne’s playful exploration of ordinary events in Tristram Shandy.