Best of
Humor

1917

Parnassus on Wheels


Christopher Morley - 1917
    With his traveling book wagon named Parnassus, he moves through the New England countryside of 1915 on an itinerant mission of enlightenment. Mifflin's delight in books and authors is infectious--with his singular philosophy and bright eyes, he comes to represent the heart and soul of the book world. But a certain spirited spinster, disgruntled with her life, may have a hand in changing all that. This roaring good adventure yarn is spiced with fiery roadside brawls, heroic escapes from death, the most groaning boards in the history of Yankee cookery, and a rare love story--not to mention a glimpse at a feminist perspective from the early 1900s.

Piccadilly Jim


P.G. Wodehouse - 1917
    G. Wodehouse. In Picadilly Jim (soon to be a major motion picture), Jimmy Crocker has a scandalous reputation on both sides of the Atlantic and must do an about-face to win back the woman of his dreams. Uneasy Money sees the hard-up Lord Dawlish off to America to make a fortune, while in Cocktail Time events turn on the fate of a filmscript. Spring Fever is a light-hearted comedy involving love and various complications.

How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers


Robert W. Wood - 1917
    It contains the complete text of the latest edition of "How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers," (including "Animal Anatomies") together with three complete illustrated poems and two sketches that appears in earlier editions and had been omitted. A new introduction has been written for this book by Margaret Wood White.

Taming the Bicycle


Mark Twain - 1917
    Here, he comments on politics, education, the media, religion, and literature. The true subject of Twain's satire and burlesque is that strangest of all animals, the human being. In his novels, travel narratives, stories, essays, and sketches, Twain exposes such a variety of human foibles that one is left either laughing at the folly of human enterprise, blushing with shame at human behavior, or cursing the gods that would create such a silly animal. Twain does all three, often at the same time.

At Geisenheimer's


P.G. Wodehouse - 1917
    Broadway was full of people hurrying to the theatres. Cars rattled by. "All the electric lights in the world were blazing down on the Great White Way. And it all seemed stale and dreary to me. Geisenheimer's was full as usual. All the tables were occupied, and there were several couples already on the dancing-floor in the centre. "The band was playing 'Michigan': I want to go back, I want to go backTo the place where I was born.Far away from harmWith a milk-pail on my arm. I suppose the fellow who wrote that would have called for the police if anyone had ever really tried to get him on to a farm, but he has certainly put something into the tune which makes you think he meant what he said. It's a homesick tune, that. "I was just looking round for an empty table, when a man jumped up and came towards me, registering joy as if I had been his long-lost sister. He was from the country. I could see that. It was written all over him, from his face to his shoes. He came up with his hand out, beaming. "'Why, Miss Roxborough!' 'Why not?' I said. "'Don't you remember me?' "I didn't. "'My name is Ferris.' "'It's a nice name, but it means nothing in my young life.' "'I was introduced to you last time I came here. We danced together.' "This seemed to bear the stamp of truth. If he was introduced to me, he probably danced with me. It's what I'm at Geisenheimer's for. "'When was it?' "'A year ago last April.'"

Fragments From France


Bruce Bairnsfather - 1917
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.