Literary Lapses & Nonsense Novels by Stephen Leacock (Hardcover)

“Literary Lapses” and “Nonsense Novels” are two collections of satirical short stories by Canadian author Stephen Leacock. The books were first published in 1910 and 1911 respectively, and both are considered to be landmarks in Canadian literature.

“Literary Lapses” contains a collection of humorous essays and short stories that parody various aspects of contemporary Canadian society, including politics, education, and the legal system. The stories are often absurd and exaggerated, but they also contain sharp social commentary and biting satire.

“Nonsense Novels” is a collection of six stories that parody the conventions of popular Victorian-era novels. Leacock creates hilarious and absurd plots, often involving characters who are caricatures of familiar literary archetypes such as the hero, the villain, and the damsel in distress. The stories are full of witty wordplay and absurd situations, and they are often cited as early examples of Canadian literary humor.

Together, “Literary Lapses” and “Nonsense Novels” showcase Leacock’s skill as a satirist and humorist, and his ability to use humor to comment on the social and political issues of his time. The books remain popular today, and are widely regarded as classics of Canadian literature.