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.

This beautifully illustrated volume brings together the finest works of Ring Lardner, one of America’s most distinctive literary voices of the early 20th century. Known for his sharp wit, ear for dialogue, and keen sense of irony, Lardner masterfully captured the quirks of American life through sports, relationships, and social satire. The collection features You Know Me, Al, a groundbreaking series of fictional letters from a naive baseball player that brilliantly parody fame, ambition, a...

In "My Four Weeks in France," Ring Lardner deftly employs humor and keen observations to reflect on his experiences during a month-long sojourn in France. The narrative unfolds in a conversational style, blending epistolary elements with witty anecdotes that capture the idiosyncrasies of both the French and American cultures. Lardner's sharp wit and nuanced character portrayals echo the literary lineage of early 20th-century American humorists, while simultaneously engaging with the broade...

In 1917, Ring Lardner was sent on assignment as a war correspondent on the French front for a series of reports for Collier's magazine. Appearing in serialized format in the magazine before its eventual publication as a book, My Four Weeks in France recalls Lardner's experiences in his new wartime role. Being a humorist and a satirist, it would have been inconsistent with his typical format to write harrowing stories about the horrors of combat. For this reason, this book instead consists ...

In "You Know Me Al: A Busher's Letters," Ring Lardner employs a distinctive epistolary format to narrate the experiences of a naïve, small-town baseball player named Jack Keefe. Through a series of humorous and often sardonic letters written to his friend Al, Lardner cleverly critiques the world of professional baseball in the early 20th century. The book showcases Lardner's keen ear for dialogue and his mastery of colloquial speech, reflecting the intricacies of American vernacular. The ...

Published in The Saturday Evening Post between 1916 and 1917, the stories that make up Gullible's Travels follow the comical misadventures of a long-suffering husband and his aspiring socialite wife. The unnamed protagonists and their hapless attempts to climb the social ladder serve as a canvas for Ring Lardner to satirize marriage, social dynamics, and the newly emerging middle class of the late 1910s. In 1917, the first five stories about the unnamed narrator and his "Missus" were compi...

The arrogant, proud, and mostly illiterate Jack Keefe of Bedford, Indiana had already established a career pitching for the minor league baseball club in Terre Haute. His strong pitching arm attracted the attention of Chicago White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and before he knew it, Keefe had been signed to play for the team. Through the ups and downs of his life, from his baseball career, to his marriage and family, to his service in World War I and his eventual return to baseball, Jack Kee...

"The Real Dope" by Ring Lardner is a captivating exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the often humorous intricacies of life. Lardner's sharp wit and keen observations shine through as he delves into the world of sports and the people surrounding it. The narrative is rich with dialogue that captures the essence of the characters, making it a delightful read for those who appreciate clever storytelling and the nuances of everyday life. Lardner's unique voice and style ...

We rely on your support to help us keep producing beautiful, free, and unrestricted editions of literature for the digital age. Will you support our efforts with a donation ? Ring Lardner was a prolific 20th century American humorist and journalist best known for his baseball stories and reportage, whose corpus nevertheless spans a wide range of genres and styles. He began his professional career as a sports reporter, but his literary career began in earnest in 1913 when he took over the C...

At the height of the Jazz Age, Ring Lardner was America’s most beloved humorist, equally admired by a popular audience and by literary friends like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edmund Wilson. A sports writer who became a sensation with his comic baseball bestseller, You Know Me Al, Lardner had a rare gift for inspired nonsense and an ear attuned to the rhythms and hilarious oddities of American speech. He was also a sharp and dispassionate observer of the American scene. His best stori...

In "You Know Me Al: A Busher's Letters," Ring Lardner employs a brilliant epistolary format to capture the humor and disillusionment of early 20th-century American baseball. The narrative unfolds through a series of letters penned by the naïve yet earnest character, Al, an aspiring professional baseball player, as he navigates life in the big leagues. Lardner's distinctive voice combines colloquial language and sharp wit, effectively conveying both the excitement and absurdities of sport,...

Ring Lardner was one of the most prolific humorists of the early 20th century. While he was most famous for the frequent appearances of his short fiction in numerous popular magazines of the era, he was also a prolific writer of poetry. His daily column for the Chicago Tribune entitled "In the Wake of the News" was generally a sports news column, but oftentimes served as a platform to publish his poetry. Many of his more sentimental poems from this column—the ones written about his childre...