Ring Lardner has been one of America's most popular short story writers for nearly a century and here is his guide for any budding writers. This classic work was originally published in 1924 and is now being republished here with a brand new introductory biography of the author.

Satire, Humor and Irony in some cases have been regarded as the most effective source to understand a society, the oldest form of social study.Contents:The Cop and the Anthem by O. HenryThe Ransom of Red Chief by O. HenryWhat Stumped the Blue Jays by Mark TwainThe Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark TwainThe Toys of Peace by Saki (H. H. Munro)The Artful Hussar by Johann Peter HebelFrom The Surprising Adventures of Baro...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

This classic novel is the story of what happens when an idealistic, fiercely honest young man tries to reconcile Roman Catholic dogma with the realities of America of the 1940s. In this brilliantly comic and pungent tale, Lardner dissects the thought control of the McCarthy era, business ethics, racial intolerance, repressive sexual attitudes, the Manhattan nightclub set, "enlightened" penology, vigilantism, and other social phenomena. The ecstasy which Owen Muir seeks is of both the earth...

"You Know me Al" is a classic of baseball--the game and the community. Jack Keefe, one of literature's greatest characters, is talented, brash, and conceited. Self-assured and imperceptive, impervious to both advice and sarcasm, Keefe rises to the heights, but his inability to learn makes for his undoing. Through a series of letters from this bush-league pitcher to his not-quite-anonymous friend Al, Lardner maintains a balance between the funny and the moving, the pathetic and the glorious...

A sharp-eyed child watches his family's eastward migration turn into a rolling comedy of egos, detours, and domestic sparring. Through Bill's delightfully misspelled, deadpan voice, a boastful, quick-witted father presides over the chaos while his patient, sarcastic mother, siblings, and nurse respond with equal parts irritation and affection. What begins in Chicago unfolds as a cross-country road trip through Michigan, Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and upstate New York, where wro...

First published in 1929, public domain. Lardner, American humorist and short-story writer, is known for his mordant wit, exemplified in satirical stories and sketches of American life in the early 20th century told in the language of athletes, stockbrokers, secretaries, chorus girls, etc. This is a compilation of almost all of his best stories.

One of Lardners celebrated stories is Alibi Ike first published in 1915 in the Saturday Evening Post. The author in this short tale follows the career of a funnily strong-headed baseball player who is always ready to give farcical alibis for his failures as well as laughable reasons for his victories. Alibi Ike is only the nickname given to the protagonist Frank X. Farrell. When the story was successfully adapted to cinema in 1935, Alibi became one of Americas popular comic figures. Thanks to...

That the history of the invention of a piece of mechanism, and the description of its structure, operation, and uses, should be capable of being rendered the subject matter of a volume, destined not alone for the instruction of engineers or machinists, but for the information and amusement of the public in general, is a statement which at no very remote period would have been deemed extravagant and incredible. Advanced as we are in the art of rendering knowledge popular, and cultivated as ...

**Ditch Diet Shame and Embrace a Christ-Centered View of Food and Yourself· For anyone tired of obsessing over food, weight, and appearance· Discover the freedom you long for by silencing that critical voice in your head· From a trusted nutrition coach and personal trainer**Even though as Christian women we know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, many of us have been in a war with our own bodies for years. We tediously track calories, eliminate food g...

"Gullible's Travels, Etc." is a collection of satirical short stories by Ring Lardner, an American author known for his wit and keen social commentary. Published in 1917, the book contains humorous and often biting observations of American life and culture in the early 20th century. Lardner's work is characterized by its sharp dialogue, ironic humor, and a deep understanding of the American vernacular.Lardner uses the character of Gullible to explore various aspects of society, poking fun ...