Book Cover of The Diary of a Nobody

The Diary of a Nobody

by George Grossmith

Grossmith’s comic novel unveils the daily chronicles of the pompous and clumsy middle-aged clerk Charles Pooter, who has just moved to the London suburb of Holloway with his wife Carrie. Nonetheless, the family’s fresh start is not quite what they had in mind. Set in the late Victorian era, the diary accurately documents the manners, customs, trends and experiences of the time. First appearing in Punch magazine through the years 1888-89, The Diary of a Nobody was first published in book form in 1892 and has entertained readers ever since. Written as diary entries, the novel records the daily mishaps and follows the humiliations of the Pooter family. Life in the Pooter household consists of busy interactions, endless renovations and mundane chores, giving the impression of an ordinary functioning family. However, it is this simplicity that ignites humor as the scenarios are played out. The social ladder is of key importance in the novel, as the Pooters high social aspirations are depicted through their humorous attempts to conceal their lower middle class status. Unsurprisingly, their attempts backfire and only make them look more ridiculous in the eyes of their acquaintances. Pooter’s obliviousness and pretentious behavior is often the core of his minor feuds and public acts of humiliation. Moreover, fuel is added to the fire when the reckless Lupin suddenly appears at his parent’s doorstep and merely sheds more light and embarrassment on the household. Throughout the satire, Pooter is nothing less than a magnet for trouble and must face the never ending cycle of social gatherings, home renovations and finding solutions to work and family differences.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1892

Authors

George Grossmith image

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...

Books by George Grossmith

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

In Brief Authority Cover image

In Brief Authority by F. Anstey

In Brief Authority, a satirical fantasy novel set against the backdrop of World War I, follows a nouveau riche British family whisked away to the magi...

Mysteries of Paris - Volume 3 Cover image

Mysteries of Paris - Volume 3 by Eugène Sue

This volume of "Mysteries of Paris" continues the compelling story of Rodolphe, a man of noble birth living in disguise as a Parisian laborer. His ext...

Camilla Cover image

Camilla by Fanny Burney

Camilla, Frances Burney's third novel, delves into the complexities of love, courtship, and societal expectations in late 18th-century England. The st...

Cliff-Dwellers Cover image

Cliff-Dwellers by Henry Blake Fuller

Cliff-Dwellers is a novel by Henry Blake Fuller that explores the social and economic changes taking place in Chicago in the late 19th century. The no...

Letty Cover image

Letty by Arthur Wing Pinero

This compelling story follows the life of Letty, a young woman who finds herself entangled in a web of romance, scandal, and personal transformation....

Stine Cover image

Stine by Theodor Fontane

Stine, a young woman from a modest background, finds herself drawn to the attention of Graf Waldemar Haldern, a sickly young nobleman. Their romance b...

Don Quixote Vol. 01 Cover image

Don Quixote Vol. 01 by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha or just Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. It was originally published in two par...

Maîtres sonneurs Cover image

Maîtres sonneurs by George Sand

Le roman est paru dans Le Constitutionnel en juin et juillet 1853. Il raconte la vie des « cornemuseux » à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, dans le Berry et l...

Three Years Cover image

Three Years by Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov's 'Three Years' explores the complex dynamics of love, marriage, and societal pressures. The story follows Laptev, a wealthy but unappea...

Speeches: Literary and Social Cover image

Speeches: Literary and Social by Charles Dickens

Step into the world of Charles Dickens beyond his beloved novels in "Speeches: Literary and Social." Delve into the mind of the renowned Victorian aut...

Reviews for The Diary of a Nobody

No reviews posted or approved, yet...