I Read Books: Diary Of A Nobody
In this late Victorian comedy, Charles Pooter, the nobody of the title, is a lower middle class clerk doing something in the city. He is very self-important and concerned with propriety. As might be imagined he constantly finds himself in unlikely situations that offend him. His son keeps doing things he disapproves of, tradesmen keep treating him in ways he doesn’t like, he and his friends make bad jokes and sometimes are unhappy at being the butt.
As well as being an amusing satire (occasionally farce and a bit of slapstick), the period details are fascinating. Because Pooter is often getting the wrong end of the stick he has to explain what he thought was going on and what was actually going on to as part of the joke and this gives some insight into how people travelled, communicated, went on holiday, visited each other, went to events, arranged for delivery, ate, drank, paid and so forth. It’s a mine of useful bits of the age if you’re looking for that kind of thing.
Read This: For a fast moving entertaining Victorian Domestic Comedy
Don’t Read This: If a pompous nobody having pointless non-adventures will just aggravate you
Out Of Copyright: And available online.
