The Origins of English Nonsense

by Noel Malcolm

Overview

A major rediscovery and reevaluation of a lost strand of English literature from one of today’s most brilliant scholars.

Nonsense verse in England is generally thought to have its origins in Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll. Noel Malcolm’s remarkable book lays before us the extent of its flourishing a full two hundred and fifty years earlier, with the work of such now nearly forgotten nonsense poets as Sir John Hoskyns and John Taylor. It presents an anthology of their work, much of it published here for the first time since the 17th century, and in a long introduction discusses the origins and development of the genre in England, and the history of medieval and Renaissance nonsense poetry in Europe. It is a brilliant addition to the study of English literature in the 17th century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780007483099
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/14/2016
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishers
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	564 KB

About the Author

Noel Malcolm is one of Britain’s most original scholar-journalists. He is the chief non-fiction reviewer for the Sunday Telegraph and writes widely on both literary and political matters. He is the editor of Hobbes’s correspondence and author of the best-selling Bosnia: A Short History. He briefs governments all over the world on Bosnia and Balkan matters and speaks most western and eastern European languages, both ancient and modern. He is now writing a biography of Hobbes.

Noel Malcolm is one of Britain’s most original scholar-journalists. He is the chief non-fiction reviewer for the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ and writes widely on both literary and political matters. He is the editor of Hobbes’s correspondence and author of best-selling ‘Bosnia: A Short History’. He briefs governments all over the world on Bosnia and Balkan matters and speaks most western and eastern European languages, both ancient and modern. He is now writing a biography of Hobbes.