Peck's Bad Boy and His Pa

by George W. Peck

Mr. Peck was born in New York in 1840, but he lived in Wisconsin from 1843 until his death, April 16, 1916. He was connected with newspapers at Whitewater, Jefferson, La Crosse, and Milwaukee. He founded the Sun at La Crosse in 1874, and later removed it to Milwaukee, where he called it Peck's Sun. At one time he was unquestionably the best-known writer in Wisconsin, and the best-known Wisconsin writer throughout the country, which fame came to him through his Peck's Bad Boy sketches. He was also the author of Peck's Compendium of Fun , Peck's Sunshine , together with almost countless sketches which usually were in some way connected with the mischief-loving, mirth-provoking Bad Boy. Neighbors of the Pecks in Whitewater tend, by their recollection of the former Governor, to confirm the suspicion that not all of Peck's Bad Boy was fiction, and that the author himself may have played a not inconsiderable part in the scenes therein depicted. Mr. Peck's fellow-citizens in Milwaukee honored him with the mayoralty, and the citizens of the state made him Governor from 1891 to 1895. He had a keen memory for his old friends; and citizens, both young and old, who could remind him of some of his old neighbors in Whitewater or Jefferson were always sure of a pleasant chat with him.

347 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1883

About the author

George Wilbur Peck was an American writer, politician, and the 17th Governor of Wisconsin. He founded newspapers in Ripon and La Crosse, Wisconsin. The latter weekly newspaper contained Peck's humorous writings, including his famous "Peck's Bad Boy" stories.

Reviews

[Majenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...and then he threw a camp chair at me and told me to go to Gehenna. Ma says that's the new hell they have got up in the revised edition of the Bible for bad boys." (p.18).

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been re-reading this and enjoying it. Sad its finished (again) I have my grandfather’s original hard cover. Love it !

[Wes Cuffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Hilarious, what a little bugger and what mischief he gets into, left with tears of laughter. This is a book you will never forget, This is Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes circa 1885, maybe a little crueler to his father. Great, great read

[Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are hilarious little slapstick pieces, written by a former (or was he sitting?) governor of, I believe, Michigan, in the late eighteen-hundreds. They were weekly newspaper columns. Inasmuch as they were comic without being political, I'd put these more in the mode of a forerunner to the comic strip. In each story a mischievous lad ensnares his father. In one story, the boy substitutes rubber bands for pasta on his father's dinner plate. This sort of activity is repeated several hundred times in this collection. There are illustrations in the Dover facsimile edition, an edition I imagine is out of print now. The illustrations are of the very realistic sort newspapers and dime novels sported in the late nineteenth century, and clearly these were made to accompany these stories. The collection itself was issued originally around 1900 and I think it was a bestseller.

[Carolyn Di Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book SO much! I just seriously laughed and laughed. I read parts out loud to my kids and they laughed! Yes, he's the meanest kid I ever heard of, and I don't think the gang members in my neighborhood could even hold a candle to the vicious (yet hilarious), things our boy has done!
Being from Milwaukee, I also found it amusing to picture the areas in the book as late 19th century streets!
It does help to be a bit familiar with the slang of the times, but if not, it is easy to "Bing" the information. Not for the faint of heart or wussy, touchy-feely types!

[Marko-Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

It will be quite helpful to move one's mindset to the 1880's to appreciate the humour of the situations presented. Having seen photographs of some of the sets and actors used in the theatrical version of these stories gave my mind more images on which to base my mental pictures. Some knowledge of everyday life and speech during that period of American history is also helpful.

[Clarence Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Nostalgia

The book is a very entertaining piece of comical nostalgia from the 1880s. Widely made into burlesque routines of the past and a stage play.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious collection of 19th century practical jokes.

[Srikumar Krishna Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. What a discovery? :)
A rib tickling collection of stories involving Peck & his dad.
After every naughty act, the way he runs off to the grocery store to have a quick chat (or a confession) with the owner, is really humorous, and also the justification he comes up with for his acts are also hilarious.
Hoping & praying that there are more in the series to be explored.