Stephen Leacock (1869–1944)

This was Stephen Leacock’s last collection of essays, published posthumously with an introduction by his niece. It was easily my least favourite of his books so far. I was not impressed by the first essay, “Are Witty Women Attractive to Men?” (Spoiler alert: he does not think so.) Unfortunately, one cannot come to Stephen Leacock for nuanced discussion of gender roles. The introduction to this collection claims that he did think women should be paid properly for raising children and show more running the household, but he was less keen on women breaking the traditional gender roles. So that was a miss. I also, as a 21st-century reader, did not appreciate the essay about the British empire, especially when it talked about western Canada being “empty” until 1870. NO IT WASN’T, THERE WERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THERE FIRST!!! For me, Leacock is at his best when riffing on or parodying fiction, such as the essay “Living with Murder”, where Leacock obsessively times every little aspect of a dinner with a friend in case the friend is murdered and Leacock has to make an account of his whereabouts.

If you’re interested in Leacock’s work, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town is absolutely the way to go. Last Leaves can be left on the shelf. show less

This was pure unadulterated satirical fun. The title tells you what to expect. The collection of vignettes is full of small town characters that could be found anywhere in America, and apparently in Canada, at any time from the late 19th century right up to the present time. You might have to look harder for them these days, but I know they are still out there, seeing the world from their front porches and bar stools rather than through the lenses of the Big Guys in the City. Every ordinary show more little episode is laced with cleverness and affectionate humor. My favorite by far was the disastrous (but routine) sinking of the excursion steamer on Lake Wissanoti, with about half the town aboard. Picture the Mariposa Belle settling comfortably to the bottom of the six-foot deep lake, and its passengers handily snatching their would-be rescuers from unseaworthy rowboats and dinghies in "one of the smartest pieces of rescue work ever seen on the lake." You might think of Mark Twain, or Garrison Keillor, while reading this. show less

This collection of 10 literary pastiches made me laugh out loud a LOT. At least once per story I was at least snorting, if not outright shrieking with laughter. My favourite stories were the detective story parody and the sea story parody — they were so over the top, it was perfect. I did get unironically invested in the old homestead story too.

This might almost be even funnier than Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, although I’d have to read that again to be sure. At any rate, I would show more certainly recommend this for anyone who has a nodding acquaintance with the various genres of Victorian fiction. They may also be funny on their own, because they are so delightfully absurd. show less

"I don't know whether you know Mariposa. If not, it is of no consequence, for if you know Canada at all, you are probably well acquainted with a dozen towns just like it."

This book is widely regarded as a classic example of Canadian literature. Its reputation as a funny book is also well known, given that its author is the namesake of an award for humour writing. But does it live up to the hype? After all, it was published over 100 years ago; humour can change a lot in that length of time. show more Fortunately, wry humour is relatively timeless. Leacock relates the adventures (or non-adventures) of the denizens of Mariposa with a flair for the dramatic and tongue firmly lodged in cheek. It's based at least in part on Leacock's experiences in the town of Orillia, Ontario, which has since adopted the name of the Sunshine City in tribute. However, residents of small towns across Canada might recognize a few of the characters as living in their own towns.

This was a book where, at the end of a chapter, I would say "That has to be my favourite chapter." Then I would read the next chapter and say "No, that's my favourite chapter." And so on. Each story is self-contained, making it a very good book to read on the bus or as a bedside book, and each showcases a different character or set of characters. My favourite stories were the ones where a minor event was blown completely out of proportion by the townspeople, such as "The Mariposa Bank Mystery" and the classic "The Marine Excursion of the Knights of Pythias", with honourable mention to "The Great Election in Missinaba County" for making me laugh lightheartedly about politics for a change (as opposed to cynically).

If you like books set in small towns, or the early days of Canada, then you should check out this book. The recent CBC adaptation, featuring Gordon Pinsent as the elder Stephen Leacock, is also well worth looking into. show less