Having taught a course on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland (in the spring I will be teaching Through the Looking Glass), my research often brought up Lear's name -- whether to compare to Carroll or contrast. So I thought I should pick up Lear's Book of Nonsense and see for myself.

In the collection were whimsical verses and a couple of short stories as well as a few "recipes" (the result of which no one would want to eat) and many many limericks (which, though he did not invent the genre -- it more likely having emerged the prior century -- he defintely popularized it). He also has a menagerie of fantastical animals to "teach" the alphabet.

Surely "The Owl and the Pussycat" is one of the magical poems from my childhood....probably, Lear's best and why it was the only piece of his that I had been familiar with.

His verse, like Carroll's work, has word play, invented words, and a tendency towards violence. I enjoyed reading his work, but I will not be left with any lasting memories of characters or places or images. Still, I can see a parent reading these poems to their kid and both enjoying the fun of the sounds of words and rhymes.

An enjoyable book of nonsense with beautiful illustrations. I can just imagine the fun children of the 19th Century would have had reading these silly limericks and their associated illustrations. A lot of nostalgic fun.

There once was a reader from Westbrook
Who sat down to read Edward Lear's book.
She read and she read
And when finished she said,
"There's a surfeit of limericks in this book."

There was a young man named Ed Lear,
Whose verses could bring on a tear,
And they were ever so funny
Plus he wrote them for money,
But you'll laugh at them all, never fear!

I just don't think limericks are for me.

There once was a poet named Lear
Whose rhymes weren’t entirely clear
But admired for his wit
I have to admit
It’s a rhyme scheme to which I’m endeared.

That said, a book of Lear limericks is an amusing way to spend day 13 of #thesealeychallenge. That said, writing limericks has moved on from the way Edward Lear wrote them: where the ‘punch line’ is often a slightly amended version of the first or second line - for example

There was an Old Person of Tring,
Who embellished his nose with a ring;
He gazed at the moon,
Every evening in June,
That ecstatic Old Person of Tring.

First published in 1846 it is full of gorgeous little sketches to accompany each poem and a autobiographical nonsense verse which begins:

‘"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!"
⁠Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
⁠But a few think him pleasant enough…’

It is delightful to read if in the mood for what it is - nonsense, though in this volume, only the limericks.
Stuff and nonsense, but delightful!

I don’t think that I will be sharing this one with kids. Some of the poems were funny, but also a bit creepy.

My kid loved having this read to her!

I really really enjoyed this book, it was fun, lighthearted and just really enjoyable. It was a very easy read, I didn't understand what half of the poems mean but that just made it more interesting for me. Some of them were a bit concerning and questionable but funny nonetheless. It's always nice to read this right after a busy tiring day.

Location: Kineruku
With: Best friend

A very light reading to boost today’s mood with its own dark jokes or pure innocent comedy. Suit for kids. Or just to lit up your mood to read some more.

Update: kinda sleepy here to read with a companion of hot chocolate and morning fine breeze.

No illustrations, limericks only

The wonderful drawings are not here nor are the big poems. What is this book without The Owl and th

Fun collection of limericks originally published in 1846. I think the combination of nonsense verse with Lear's appropriately silly illustrations is what really makes this book fun.

I was able to read this online at http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/BoN/i...