'Why should I not publish my diary?' asks Mr. Pooter.
George and Weedon Grossmith were born in London into a theatrical family and it was natural that they should both take up careers on the stage. Weedon initially studied art but later joined his brother George in the theatre. 'The Diary of a Nobody' was a joint effort with Weedon also providing illustrations. It first appeared as a serial in 'Punch' between 1888 and 1889 and was published in book form in 1892. The diary chronicles 15 months of the day-to-day life of Mr. Charles Pooter, a City of London clerk.
The self importance, social aspirations, snobbery and delusions of the diarist are the material for this classic humorous work.
'Why should I not publish my diary?' asks Mr. Pooter.
George and Weedon Grossmith were born in London into a theatrical family and it was natural that they should both take up careers on the stage. Weedon initially studied art but later joined his brother George in the theatre. 'The Diary of a Nobody' was a joint effort with Weedon also providing illustrations. It first appeared as a serial in 'Punch' between 1888 and 1889 and was published in book form in 1892. The diary chronicles 15 months of the day-to-day life of Mr. Charles Pooter, a City of London clerk.
The self importance, social aspirations, snobbery and delusions of the diarist are the material for this classic humorous work.
George and Weedon Grossmith's The Diary of a Nobody paints a detailed picture of life in 1892. Pooter's diary notes his daily business, parties, embarrassments, and his agitated relationship with son Lupin - a strikingly familiar world, brought to life by Keith Wickham, which provides continual amusement.
Says Charles Pooter, "I fail to see-because I do not happen to be a 'somebody'-why my diary should not be interesting." Surprisingly, Mr. Pooter's life is fascinating! The fascination is two-fold: firstly, his astounding arrogance that we should care about his domestic trivia and narcissistic scribblings. Secondly, we can all sympathize with (and wince at!) this ridiculous slave to convention.
Above all, Mr. Pooter's life is funny! His constant battles with tradesmen, his pathetic pride and banal wit, his clashes with his carefree son, his absurd social crises and petty dilemmas: all are part of Mr. Pooter's life as a worried, proud, and anxious Nobody! Listeners are certain to learn why Hilaire Belloc asserted that Pooter was "an immortal achievement."
REVIEWS
"[A] masterpiece of comic irony...Frederick Davidson's impeccable reading is truly inspired, in perfect unity with the Pooteresque view of the world."-AudioFile
GEORGE GROSSMITH (1847-1912) and WEEDON GROSSMITH (1852-1919), were brothers whose father was a friend of Henry Irving (whose theater was managed by Bram Stoker), Ellen Terry and her family, and other theatrical people. Both pursued successful theatrical careers. In 1852 The Diary of a Nobody began to appear in Punch, with text by both brothers and illustrations by Weedon. Its popularity with a wide range of readership was immediate, and has not faltered.
This delightful Victorian comic diary is a classic of English Humour which has never been out of print since its first publication in 1892. City clerk Charles Pooter asks: 'Why should I not publish my diary... because I do not happen to be a "somebody"?' He proceeds to catalogue all the social clangers he makes unwittingly as he bumbles his way through life, yet a sympathy develops for Pooter in the face of it all. The Diary of a Nobody is an ideal text for the talents of Martin Jarvis.
