A Book of Nonsense
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Product Description
The Book of Nonsense is a book written by Edward Lear. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This fantastic novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, The Book of Nonsense is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply delight in reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Edward Lear is highly recommended. Published by Quill Pen Classics and perfectly produced, The Book of Nonsense would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone’s personal library.Amazon.com Review
“He reads but he cannot speak Spanish, / He cannot abide ginger-beer; / Ere the days of his pilgrimage vanish, / How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!” writes the 19th-century English poet Edward Lear in “Self Portrait of the Laureate of Nonsense.” When The Book of Nonsense was first published in 1845, under Lear’s pseudonym, Derry Down Derry, it was a success–some say it turned the once stodgy, didactic world of children’s literature on its head.
This rollicking poetic romp starts with “A Book of Nonsense” (1846), a slew of more-odd-than-bawdy limericks about the Young Lady of Wales, the Ancient Man of Vienna, and many, many more, all accompanied by the spare, whimsical ink drawings done by Lear himself. Part two urges readers to leap into “Nonsense Songs, Tales, Botany and Alphabets” (1871), including the classic “The Owl and the Pussy-cat” and “The Jumblies” (who “went to sea in a Sieve”), along with equally rib-tickling but lesser known selections such as “The Nutcrackers and the Sugar-Tongs.” In this section, you’ll also learn instructions for how to make Crumbobblious Cutlets, a “Nonsense Botany” guide featuring the Bottlephorkia spoonifolia and the Manypeeplia upsidownia, and “Nonsense Alphabets,” weird small poems about quills, rattlesnakes, screws, and additional words beginning with letters.
Part three merrily inflicts “More Nonsense Pictures, Rhymes, Botany, &c.” (1877) on readers with the well-known plant Washtubbia circularis and more wacky limericks such as “There was an ancient person of Bar, / Who passed all her life in a jar, / Which she painted pea-green, to appear more serene, / That placid ancient person of Bar.” As icing on a very weird cake, the last section offers “Laughable Lyrics, A Fourth Book of Nonsense Poems, Songs, Botany, Composition, &c.” (1877), notably including “The Pobble Who Has No Toes.” Lear’s odd sense of humor infuses every line of his ever skillful verse, which is regularly alliterative, and permanently very silly. Lear, the Laureate of Nonsense, frolics frivolously, and no one should ever go to sea in a Sieve lacking a copy of this book in tow. (All ages) –Karin Snelson
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This has to be the dumbest book I’ve read. It has riddles and rhymes that really don’t make sense. I know I would rather read real poetry and literature, not this. I don’t even reflect that tiny kids would like this confusing book.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
Stacy is incorrect, anyone who has seen the spongebob epesode where he looks in additional people’s dreams will remember Gary’s quoted poem “there once was a man from peru, who dreamed he was eating his shoe. The man awoke with a fright, in the middle of the night, to find that his dream had come right.” and wanted to find works like it (myself, for one) will like this book.
I’m writing this for people who, like myself, have no thought what this book is about untill you read it, because of some idiot’s belief that “this book has been formatted from it’s origenal version…” is some magic axiom that tells us what the book is about.
This book has dozens of hilarious fleeting tales in miniture peom form. Here is an example of some of my favorites.
“There was an ancient man of Quebec– a beetle ran over his neck; But he cried “With a needle, I kill you O beadle!” That mad ancient man of Quebec.”
“There was an ancient man with a poker, who painted his face a red ochre. When they said “You’re a guy!”, he made no answer, But knocked them all down with his poker.”
and my favorite of them all, which any spongebob fan would like, “There was an ancient man of Peru, who watched his wife make stew; but once, by mistale, in a oven she did bake, that unfortunate man of Peru.”
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
I’m going to review this briefly as a book for children, which is what it is. I read most of this to my 3-year-ancient (including all the limericks and most of the poems, and a small of the additional stuff). As long as I didn’t read it too regularly, my son was usually game for this. He liked it but he didn’t like it to pieces. The nonsense and silliness certainly appeals to silly small kids, and why shouldn’t it? And as far as I’m concerned, it’s brilliant, and deservedly considered classic children’s lit., but frankly, I didn’t reflect it was five-stars fantastic. The conceits and poetry are not permanently exactly inspired, and the illustrations are pretty crude, although plenty entertaining.
“The Owl and the Pussycat” (which we’ve read many times) and some of the limericks are certainly five-star selections in any case.
At $5, this is a nice cheap edition. It would help if the pictures were in color, but I gather you’re getting it closer to what was published in the 19th century here.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
I am very disappointed in this book. When I looked at it on Amazon there were pictures. Why was it not mentioned that there were no pictures in this particular book?
Bring shame on on you for misrepresenting this book. Now I have to return it and get one with Edward Lear’s imaginative art work as well.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
As a graduate student in history, I know that the Edward Lear original included hilarious illustrations that make this work even better and, therefore, the reading more enjoyable. The poems are fun but it would have been nice if it included the pictures.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5