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This “jewel at the heart of English comic literature” chronicles the daily fortunes and misfortunes of a middle-age, middle-class clerk (William Trevor, The Mail on Sunday). Since its original publication in 1892, The Diary of a Nobody has become a much-loved classic. It is a fictional man's dissection of the everyday drama of his life as an office worker in a London firm. With dry wit, the authors step into the character of Charles Pooter as he navigates work life with not-so-respectful young coworkers and family life with his charming wife, Carrie, and impetuous son, Lupin. From home repairs gone wrong (painting the tub red), to the comings and goings of his friends Cummings and Gowings, Pooter painstakingly shares intimate details of his existence, with the (not completely absurd) hope of maybe someday having his memoir published. An ongoing tally of the good jokes he makes shares space with descriptions of grievous insults to his person, party mishaps, the annoying behavior of everyone around him, and Lupin's on-again off-again employment and engagement status. The Diary of a Nobody gives everyone a reason to laugh—and recognize themselves in Pooter's droll prose. “The funniest book in the world.” —Evelyn Waugh, author of Brideshead Revisited “There's a universality about Pooter that touches everybody... [he] fits into the tradition of absurd humour that the British do well, which started with Jonathan Swift and runs through Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear to Monty Python.” —Jasper Fforde, Time Out “Pooter himself is as gentle as you could wish, a wonderful character, genuinely lovable. The book is beautifully constructed.” —Andrew Davies, The Herald

The anthology'The Greatest British Classics of All Time'presents an unparalleled collection of literary masterpieces that encapsulate the breadth and depth of British literary traditions. This compendium traverses a multitude of genres including gothic horror, romantic poetry, satirical prose, and whimsical fantasy, reflecting the diverse aesthetic styles that have emerged across centuries. Readers will journey through the rich, imaginative worlds of renowned figures such as Shakespeare's timeless reflections on the human condition, Stoker's chilling gothic narratives, and Carroll's fantastical adventures, each offering unique insights into themes of society, morality, and the human psyche. The luminaries featured in this anthology are titans of the British literary canon whose works have significantly influenced and shaped literary discourse. The collection draws from a period marked by profound historical transitions ranging from the Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution, capturing responses to shifting cultural tides. This diverse mosaic of writers, including the likes of Jane Austen's astute social commentaries, Wilde's witticisms, and Doyle's pioneering detective fiction, embodies the polyphonic voices that have not only enriched British literature but have also resonated globally, highlighting the evolution of narrative forms and thematic explorations. This anthology is a treasure trove for connoisseurs and new readers alike, offering an educational odyssey into the richness of British literature. Through the fascinating interplay of distinct authorial voices and literary styles, it provides a kaleidoscopic view of human experience.'The Greatest British Classics of All Time'is a crucial resource for anyone who seeks to understand the ever-evolving dialogue between past and present within the literary arts, making it an invaluable addition to any literary collection.

Dive into the life of a normal man with a normal family in this humorous novel told in diary entries from one Charles Pooter: husband, father, and someone who experiences relatable social embarrassments and humiliations. As he chronicles a year in his life, he discusses his twenty-year-old son's foray into the dating scene, the couple's attempts at blending in with higher society, and his general interactions with friends and co-workers. Originally released as an intermittent serial in Punch, a satirical magazine, The Diary of a Nobody is the literary genius of two brothers who told it like it is.

George Grossmith (9 December 1847 – 1 March 1912) was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades. As a writer and composer, he created 18 comic operas, nearly 100 musical sketches, some 600 songs and piano pieces, three books and both serious and comic pieces for newspapers and magazines. Grossmith is best remembered for two aspects of his career. First, he created a series of nine memorable characters in the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan from 1877 to 1889, including Sir Joseph Porter, in H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), the Major-General in The Pirates of Penzance (1880) and Ko-Ko in The Mikado (1885–87). Second, he wrote, in collaboration with his brother Weedon, the 1892 comic novel “The Diary of a Nobody”. (Excerpt from Wikipedia)

The Diary of a Nobody is a novel written by brothers George and Weedon Grossmith that helped to establish a genre of humorous popular fiction based on lower class aspirations. It also paved the way for other kinds of fictitious diary novels in the 20th century.

- The updated 1910 edition. - Contains a note from the authors, written 1892. - Features all 33 original illustrations by Weedon Grossmith. - Bonus features: a publisher's note and letters from Lord Roseberry and Augustine Birrell, MP. - An extract from an essay by Hilaire Belloc, MP. - Fully searchable table of contents. - Exquisitely formatted and presented in e-book form. The Grossmith brothers'comedic masterpiece allows us a peek inside the diaries of the absurdly self-important Charles Pooter, a London banker frustrated by life at every turn. Detailing the snubs and disappointments and gaffes that befall the hapless Pooter, The Diary of a Nobody has been an laugh-out-loud success for well over a century. As former prime minister Lord Roseberry says in the notes to this Apostrophe Books edition: “I regard any bedroom I occupy as unfurnished without a copy of it.”

'¿Por qué no habría de publicar mi diario? A menudo he visto memorias de personas de las que nunca había oído hablar, y no acierto a comprender —por la mera razón de que yo no sea'alguien'— por qué mi diario no habría de ser interesante. Solo lamento no haberlo comenzado cuando era joven.'Así empieza este divertidísimo relato de quince meses en la vida del señor Charles Pooter, un empleado de la City londinense, de clase media y con aspiraciones sociales. Por sus páginas irán apareciendo personajes inolvidables como su esposa Carrie, o su hijo Lupin, sus amigos el Sr. Cummings y el Sr. Gowing, y la novia de Lupin, Daisy Mutlar. Las anécdotas registradas en este diario están llenas de inocencia y de la alegría de la vida de este empleado medio y su gusto por los juegos de palabras y los chistes. Es también, sin pretenderlo, un registro exacto de los modales, costumbres y experiencias de los londinenses de la época victoriana tardía. Esta novela cómica, escrita por George Grossmith y su hermano Weedon, con ilustraciones de este último, apareció por primera vez en la revista Punch entre 1888 y 1889, y se imprimió en forma de libro en 1892. Se la considera una obra clásica del humor y nunca ha dejado de imprimirse.'El libro más divertido del mundo.'Evelyn Waugh

George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor and singer, who is best known for a series of nine characters in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, as well as the novel,'The Diary of a Nobody', which he wrote in collaboration with his brother, Weedon. Weedon Grossmith had been trained as a painter, but was forced to turn to the stage for financial reasons. The brothers were both successful actors and playwrights, specializing in comic roles.'The Diary of a Nobody'first appeared in the magazine'Punch'in 1888-1889, its popularity prompting the publication of a book that has remained in print since 1892. The'nobody'of the story is Charles Pooter, a self-important, middle aged bank clerk who is oblivious to his own gaffes and the snubs of those he considers inferior. This book's sharp satire of social insecurity and snobbery in the late Victorian era, through the overly serious voice of Pooter, will leave readers in stitches.