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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
The narrator, Charles Pooter, is a middle-class clerk who is very concerned with keeping up appearances. He is somewhat of a boor: he repeats his jokes, he reveres those he perceives as higher-class even if they are jerks, he is unkind to his servants. His son Lupin is an independent thinker who is interested in the theater and speaking his mind, which vexes Pooter. Pooter is the opposite of Bertie Wooster. Wooster lives a rich internal life and is very witty and imaginative, which makes him great to read but makes the film adaptations somewhat lacking. The inside of Pooter's head is incredibly boring and drab, but he would be hilarious on film because the things that are funniest about him are in other people's perceptions. As the 1001 Books book mentions, Basil Fawlty is the type.
It was not all that funny. I warmed up to it toward the end, though. I much prefer Wodehouse's humor, since it is not as mean. I felt sorry for Pooter because I disliked him so much!
It was not all that funny. I warmed up to it toward the end, though. I much prefer Wodehouse's humor, since it is not as mean. I felt sorry for Pooter because I disliked him so much!
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well if you enjoy British humor (knowing it to be dry) then you'll like this book. It's a very short read and can be read in a day. I love the humor in it and would very much like to see the BBC adaptation of it. Another 1001 book bits the dust!
Enjoyed this classic much better than the Forsythe saga.
funny
lighthearted
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Humor for another time and place. I can see how this book (especially in its original, serial form in Punch) might be quite amusing—so many self-interested characters who, at the heart of it, are really only concerned with imagining their lives to be more interesting than they really are. In many ways, it's still relevant—humanity's desire for status and attention has only been exacerbated in an age of social media—but outside of Diary's Victorian, middle-class context, the daily reflections of Mr. Charles Pooter strike a far-less interesting chord now.
Sometimes, foolish comedies are just the thing to provide a light chuckle in lighthearted times; but... this year (2020) doesn't exactly fit that bill and foolish humor is rarely to my own personal liking anyhow. I prefer to read stories wherein the main characters are at least somewhat conscientious of their actions, well-meaning in their intentions, and reflective of lessons learned. This is not that sort of book, but it is perhaps worth reading if you enjoy books that examine their main characters through sarcasm (instead of sincerity).
Sometimes, foolish comedies are just the thing to provide a light chuckle in lighthearted times; but... this year (2020) doesn't exactly fit that bill and foolish humor is rarely to my own personal liking anyhow. I prefer to read stories wherein the main characters are at least somewhat conscientious of their actions, well-meaning in their intentions, and reflective of lessons learned. This is not that sort of book, but it is perhaps worth reading if you enjoy books that examine their main characters through sarcasm (instead of sincerity).
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a delightful suprize. I will admit that I probably liked it more due to the fact that I read it during COVID19 in 2020, but the focus of the everyday happenings in a family and their friends was wonderfully normal. Worries about getting something out of the yard, getting an invite to an event, and getting along with people was a joy to read about.
The copy I had was second hand and heavily annotated. Usually I would avoid reading a book with so many annotations, but it ended up feeling like an secret buddy read with a mystery reader. They noticings were quite different than my own (and they were also quite expressive!), all of which lent to an interesting and engaging reading experience.
This is the #55 book I have read for the Shannon Reads "Those Books" Exploration, and it makes that list for being #186 on the BBC Big Read.
The copy I had was second hand and heavily annotated. Usually I would avoid reading a book with so many annotations, but it ended up feeling like an secret buddy read with a mystery reader. They noticings were quite different than my own (and they were also quite expressive!), all of which lent to an interesting and engaging reading experience.
This is the #55 book I have read for the Shannon Reads "Those Books" Exploration, and it makes that list for being #186 on the BBC Big Read.
A good old laugh. Puns got a bit wearing after a while.
Like Jerome K. Jerome and P. G. Wodehouse combined, but possibly with a dash more tragedy...
Like Jerome K. Jerome and P. G. Wodehouse combined, but possibly with a dash more tragedy...