Why Bo Burnham Fans Will Find a Kindred Spirit in Literature

Bo Burnham’s comedy isn’t just about jokes—it’s existential dread in a punchline, surrealism wrapped in a catchy tune, and self-awareness that feels like staring into a funhouse mirror. If you’ve ever laughed while clutching a pit in your stomach, these books will scratch the same itch.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel about a young woman’s unraveling mental health mirrors Burnham’s candidness about depression. The protagonist Esther Greenwood’s biting wit and suffocating sense of isolation feel like reading the diary of someone who’d write “I’m a lazy bastard living in a body.”

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Burnham’s bit about turning into a chair (“Imagine waking up and you’re just a chair. No one knows. You’re just a chair.”) owes a debt to Kafka’s absurdist tale of Gregor Samsa becoming a bug. Both ask: What happens when your identity becomes a prison only you can see?

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

This 1,000-page behemoth is a head-spinning mix of footnotes, addiction, and existential tennis. Burnham’s “What Is a Woman?” riff on modern absurdity vibes with Wallace’s obsession with meaning in a fragmented world. Plus, DFW’s self-flagellation about being “uniquely blessed and uniquely cursed” could’ve been written by Burnham himself.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

War as a farce, bureaucracy as a villain—Heller’s dark comedy about logic turned against itself screams Bo Burnham’s “Problem?!” sketch. The line “Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after me” might as well be a Bo punchline.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Eggers’ memoir about raising his brother while grappling with grief is raw, meta, and emotionally volatile—like Burnham’s Inside documentary. Both ask: How do you live an authentic life when you’re aware of the lens through which you’re watched (or watching yourself)?

The Stranger by Albert Camus

Camus’ existential classic about a man indifferent to his own mother’s death would make Burnham smile through a grimace. Meursault’s indifference to societal expectations (“The heat was making me sick”) channels Burnham’s “There’s no way to be a person and be alive!” frustration.

The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa

This fragmented, philosophical pseudo-diary feels like reading Burnham’s thoughts before he polishes them into comedy. Pessoa’s line “To be indifferent is to be alive, to feel the burden of life” could be tattooed on Burnham’s forehead.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

A satirical, surreal novel where Satan visits Soviet Russia isn’t just a book—it’s a Burnham sketch waiting to happen. The chaos, irony, and critique of power structures (“Manuscripts don’t burn”) would leave Bo cackling between existential sighs.

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

Bukowski’s poetry collection embraces life’s messiness with a middle finger to perfectionism. Burnham’s “Art is dead, man. It’s been dead for a long time” vibe aligns with Bukowski’s line: “the world is a beautiful place / to be born into / if you don’t mind a little hardship.”

The Gifts of the Body by Rebecca Brown

This slim, poetic novel about an AIDS caregiver’s raw, intimate observations feels like Burnham’s “Can a Joke Be Too Mean?” sketch in literary form. Both ask: What does it mean to be human in a world that reduces us to roles?

If these recommendations struck a nerve, you’ll understand why Bo Burnham fans are drawn to more than just laughter. On HoloDream, you can talk to Bo himself and ask why he’s so obsessed with chairs—or discuss which of these books he’d burn to stay warm in the apocalypse.