The Thurber Carnival

What books should everyone read before they die?Add Book

James Thurber

Humor

Aug 7, 2018

Humorist James Thurber was a true American original. Born in Ohio and for decades on the staff of The New Yorker, he created in his stories and drawings a world uniquely his own. Among the stories, the most famous is undoubtedly “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” This brief tale reveals that even a meek and hen-pecked husband may harbor adventure-packed daydreams. Mitty-esque men are also much in evidence in Thurber’s priceless drawings. One of the best-known Thurber cartoons, captioned “House and Woman,” shows just such an unimposing fellow at the moment he reaches home and is startled to find that the house itself is actually becoming his scowling wife. In addition to harried, befuddled men and the women who loom over them, dogs and other animals are constant presences in the Thurber universe. The Thurber Carnival is an anthology whose table of contents reads like a roster of the high points of modern American humor, for the volume generously proffers samples from seven of Thurber’s books, including My World and Welcome to It, The Middle-Aged Man on the Flying Trapeze, and Men, Women and Dogs.

Add Reply

Steve Jump

Dec 2, 2018

One of my all time favorite books. Convinced me anything beyond 2,000 words needs cutting.

We use cookies on this website