The book follows the lives of two Jewish cousins, one a skilled escape artist and the other a talented artist, before, during, and after World War II. They create a popular comic book superhero, which brings them fame and fortune. However, their success is complicated by personal struggles, including the escape artist's attempts to rescue his family from Nazi-occupied Prague and the artist's struggle with his sexuality. The narrative explores themes of escapism, identity, and the golden age of comic books.

This satirical novel follows the story of an African-American man living in a small, agrarian town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. After his father's death, he attempts to reinstate slavery and segregation in his town as a means of creating a sense of identity for himself and his community. The novel explores themes of racial identity and equality in America, challenging societal norms and expectations through its provocative narrative.

"Deacon King Kong" by James McBride is a novel set in 1969 Brooklyn, where a drunken Deacon Sportcoat shoots a drug dealer named Deems Clemens in the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project. The shooting sets off a chain of events that brings together a cast of characters from the neighborhood, including a young drug dealer, a church-going widow, a corrupt cop, and a group of elderly church women. Through their perspectives, McBride explores themes of race, religion, and community in a vibrant and humorous tale.

"Then We Came To The End" is a satirical novel that follows the lives of a group of advertising agency employees during a time of layoffs and uncertainty in the early 2000s. The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator and explores the dynamics of office politics, relationships, and the struggle to maintain a sense of purpose and identity in the face of corporate downsizing. The novel is a witty and insightful commentary on modern work culture and the human condition.

This novel is a darkly comedic exploration of academia, focusing on the life of a struggling adjunct lecturer at a Midwestern university. After a bizarre accident results in the loss and miraculous reattachment of his finger, the protagonist discovers he has gained a supernatural ability to influence others' thoughts and actions. As he navigates the treacherous waters of academic politics, personal ambition, and ethical dilemmas, the story delves into themes of power, identity, and the commodification of higher education. The narrative combines elements of satire and horror to critique the absurdities of academic life and the precarious nature of intellectual pursuit in the modern world.

This novel follows the journey of Vladimir Girshkin, a young Russian immigrant living in New York City, who struggles with his identity and the expectations of his Jewish immigrant family. Desperate to escape his mundane job at the Emma Lazarus Immigrant Absorption Society and an overbearing girlfriend, Vladimir plunges into a world of crime and adventure that takes him from the Eastern European enclave of Little Odessa in New York to the chaotic streets of Eastern Europe. Through a series of misadventures, including dealing with gangsters, corrupt politicians, and a scheme involving a pyramid scam, Vladimir embarks on a comedic and poignant quest for success, love, and a sense of belonging. This debut novel is a satirical and insightful exploration of the immigrant experience, cultural assimilation, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

The novel follows a young American poet on a prestigious fellowship in Madrid, Spain, where he grapples with his work, relationships, and sense of self. He struggles with his own perceptions of authenticity, both in his poetry and his personal life, while navigating the cultural and language barriers of a foreign country. The protagonist's experiences are marked by a constant tension between reality and artifice, as he questions the value and impact of his own art in the face of world events.

"The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For" is a compilation of comic strips that provide a satirical take on contemporary lesbian life, politics, and social issues. The book is a blend of personal and political content, focusing on the lives of a diverse group of women, their relationships, and their struggles. The comic strips provide commentary on various aspects of the LGBTQ+ experience, including identity, community, and activism.

The novel follows the life of a 39-year-old single, childfree woman living in New York City who is dealing with the societal pressures and expectations of adulthood. Her journey is marked by her struggle to find happiness and fulfillment in her own terms, despite her unconventional lifestyle. The protagonist grapples with her relationships, career, and the looming presence of her family's tragedies, all while trying to understand what it truly means to be "all grown up".

"Mislaid" is a novel that explores themes of race, gender, and sexuality in 1960s Virginia. The story follows a white woman who, after leaving her husband, assumes a new identity for herself and her daughter as African Americans to avoid being found. The book delves into the complexities of identity and the societal constructs of race and gender, providing a satirical look at the absurdities of these classifications.

In this satirical science fiction novel, the story follows the adventures of a group of ensigns aboard the Universal Union's flagship Intrepid. They quickly realize that their ship's officers are frequently embroiled in dramatic and dangerous missions, while the lower-ranked crew members—often clad in red shirts—have a startlingly high mortality rate. The ensigns come to the shocking conclusion that they are actually characters in a badly written television show, and they must navigate a metafictional quest to confront their creators and change their fates to avoid being expendable casualties in the next away mission. The novel plays with the tropes of classic space operas and the concept of narrative determinism, delivering both humor and existential inquiry into the nature of free will and destiny.

This novel presents a satirical exploration of American capitalism and sexual politics through the story of a struggling salesman who invents an outrageous solution to sexual harassment in the workplace. His idea, which involves anonymous sexual encounters through a specially designed contraption to relieve male employees' urges without involving personal interactions, becomes a surprising success. As the protagonist navigates the complexities of patenting and marketing his invention, the narrative delves into themes of morality, exploitation, and the absurdity of corporate culture, all while maintaining a sharp, comedic edge. The book challenges readers to consider the lengths to which society will go to address symptoms rather than underlying issues, wrapped in a story that is both outlandish and thought-provoking.

The novel follows a failing writer about to turn 50, who receives an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. In order to avoid the event, he decides to accept every literary invitation he's been given and embarks on an around-the-world journey. As he travels from Paris to India, Berlin to Japan, he finds himself facing the big questions about love, aging, and how to live a life that matters.

The novel revolves around the interconnected lives of an eclectic cast of characters, all linked by a lackluster children's musical based on a beloved fictional character, Mister Monkey. Through a series of vignettes, the narrative explores the personal dramas, comedic mishaps, and poignant reflections of the play's actors, the audience members, and even the author of the book on which the play is based. The story delves into themes of art, reality, the impact of small actions, and the human search for meaning, all the while painting a satirical yet sympathetic portrait of the theater world and the varied individuals who find their lives touched by this seemingly trivial production.