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Nonsense Novels
A gift? Yes-a gift for you. You're welcome.—from the introduction by Daniel Handler
Nonsense Novels sends up the silliest conventions of the ghost story, the detective story, the rags-to-riches story, the adventure story, the shipwreck story, and, of course, the story itself. Among other things. Here the close cultivation of cliché yields a bumper crop of absurdity and the utterly ludicrous turns up at every new twist of the tale.
This is a satirical masterpiece. Stephen Leacock was a genius.
Nonsense Novels sends up the silliest conventions of the ghost story, the detective story, the rags-to-riches story, the adventure story, the shipwreck story, and, of course, the story itself. Among other things. Here the close cultivation of cliché yields a bumper crop of absurdity and the utterly ludicrous turns up at every new twist of the tale.
This is a satirical masterpiece. Stephen Leacock was a genius.
229 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1911
45 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Leacock
517 books103 followersStephen P. H. Butler Leacock, FRSC, was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humorist in the world. He is known for his light humour along with criticisms of people's follies. The Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour was named in his honour.
Wikipedia article.
Wikipedia article.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 11, 2025
"ذهب عذابات حبهما سدى. لم يكن أي منهما ما ظنه الآخر، وهو عين ما يحدث دائماً مع قصص الحب في هذا العالم."
كتاب "روايات غير منطقية" للكاتب الإنجليزي "ستيفن ليكوك" هو عبارة عن 10 قصص تحمل أغلبها طابع السخرية والهزل، بشكل مُتقن وبأسلوب فكاهي، وذلك ما قد يصدم القارئ في أول القصص ثم سرعان ما يعتاد عليه ويفطن للسخرية التي يقوم بها الكاتب في أول الأمر من أنواع الروايات؛ كروايات الجريمة والرعب والرومانسية والروايات الروسية والروايات التاريخية، وروايات الصراعات مع النفس والمجتمع، وتقريباً لم يترك نوعاً أدبي إلا وسخر منه بفكاهة حقيقية، وبسطور مُمتعة.
إلا أن بعض القصص حملت طابع السخرية السوداء كقصة: "رجل يرتدي الأسبتوس: حكاية رمزية عن المستقبل" و"منغمس في أعشاب البحر، أو مبتئس في المحيط" الذي شعرت فيهما أن السخرية السوداء طاغية وتلمس أوتاراً لأوجاع حقيقية وليست هزلية كأغلب القصص.
هذا النوع من الكتب قد يتفاوت درجة الإعجاب به، وخصوصاً أن الكتابة من أجل السخرية نفسها لا يستسيغها البعض، ولكن، الكاتب نفسه لم يحمل الكتاب أكثر مما يحتمله، وفي تصديره قال إنه "لا يريد من هذا الكتاب الصغير إلا أن يُحيي في قلب أي شخص مسرة عابرة في أوقات الفراغ، أو منحه استراحة وجيزة عندما يحول حزن الفؤاد وعناء الجسد دون التعمق في قراءة أعمال أجدر ببذل الجهد"، وهذا ما أدعي أن الكاتب قد نجح فيه بشكل كبير، وسخريته كانت فعالة على طول القصص، بل وسيجعلك تُفرق بنفسك بين الروايات التي تحمل سخرية خالصة مُضحكة وسخرية سوداء تُثير التفكير. أيضاً يجب الثناء على الترجمة التي جاءت بشكل مُميز يلائم"روشنة" الكاتب فعلى الرغم أن الكتاب قد صدر في عشرينات القرن الماضي إلا أنها لا زالت جذابة ومُضحكة ولم يعفو عليها الزمن.
لمُحبي السخرية والقصص والقراءات الممتعة، هذا الكتاب لكم بكل تأكيد.
February 2, 2019
Ever since I studied "With the Photographer" in college, I have been a fan of Leacock - an irreverent and weird wordsmith. His over-the-top comic stories are pure genius. I was in stitches while reading this, most of the time.
December 5, 2015
Another author I stumbled across at Project Gutenberg, and read this month for a Literary Birthday Challenge. I might not have liked Mr. Leacock in person: note this from the wiki article about him He opposed giving women the right to vote, disliked non-Anglo-Saxon immigration... but this Canadian writer (again quoting wiki) between the years 1915 and 1925, Leacock was the most popular humorist in the English-speaking world. And one last wiki quote: ...the American comedian Jack Benny recounted how he had been introduced to Leacock's writing by Groucho Marx when they were both young vaudeville comedians.
Maybe it was knowing this last little tidbit that made me think about so many comedy teams while I was reading Leacock's 1911 book Nonsense Novels. I could just imagine a combination of The Marx Brothers, Abbot and Costello, and maybe Danny Kaye all getting together to act these stories out on The Carol Burnett Show.
There are ten stories here, each one poking fun at various genres of fiction. From the detective with supposed incredible powers of deduction in Maddened by Mystery: or, The Defective Detective to the young man who goes to sea to earn his fortune in Soaked in Seaweed: or, Upset in the Ocean (An Old-fashioned Sea Story.) I was giggling all the way through the book.
My two favorites were Guido the Gimlet of Ghent: A Romance of Chivalry which tells of the ill-fated love between Guido and Isolde, two lovers who have never met. Here is a description of Isolde when we first meet her:
Isolde the Slender stood upon an embattled turret of the castle. Her arms were outstretched to the empty air, and her face, upturned as if in colloquy with heaven, was distraught with yearning.
Anon she murmured, "Guido"—and bewhiles a deep sigh rent her breast.
Sylph-like and ethereal in her beauty, she scarcely seemed to breathe. In fact she hardly did.
Willowy and slender in form, she was as graceful as a meridian of longitude. Her body seemed almost too frail for motion, while her features were of a mould so delicate as to preclude all thought of intellectual operation.
She was begirt with a flowing kirtle of deep blue, bebound with a belt bebuckled with a silvern clasp, while about her waist a stomacher of point lace ended in the ruffled farthingale at her throat.
That is not such a goofy start, but believe me, it gets a lot sillier. And what happens when Guido and Isolde finally meet face to face? I'm not telling, but...no, I'm not telling.
My favorite was Gertrude the Governess and I dare you not to think of Jane Eyre if you should ever read this story. Double dog dare you, even. Once at night, when Gertrude withdrew to her chamber and before seeking her pillow, prepared to retire as a preliminary to disrobing—in other words, before going to bed, she flung wide the casement (opened the window) and perceived (saw) the face of Lord Ronald. He was sitting on a thorn bush beneath her, and his upturned face wore an expression of agonised pallor.
Now I know everyone has a differently shaped funny bone. Just because these stories tickled mine to pieces they may not affect yours at all. But I am definitely going to read more of Mr. Leacock's work. And see who else from the golden era of comedy I can imagine acting out the scenes while I read.
Maybe it was knowing this last little tidbit that made me think about so many comedy teams while I was reading Leacock's 1911 book Nonsense Novels. I could just imagine a combination of The Marx Brothers, Abbot and Costello, and maybe Danny Kaye all getting together to act these stories out on The Carol Burnett Show.
There are ten stories here, each one poking fun at various genres of fiction. From the detective with supposed incredible powers of deduction in Maddened by Mystery: or, The Defective Detective to the young man who goes to sea to earn his fortune in Soaked in Seaweed: or, Upset in the Ocean (An Old-fashioned Sea Story.) I was giggling all the way through the book.
My two favorites were Guido the Gimlet of Ghent: A Romance of Chivalry which tells of the ill-fated love between Guido and Isolde, two lovers who have never met. Here is a description of Isolde when we first meet her:
Isolde the Slender stood upon an embattled turret of the castle. Her arms were outstretched to the empty air, and her face, upturned as if in colloquy with heaven, was distraught with yearning.
Anon she murmured, "Guido"—and bewhiles a deep sigh rent her breast.
Sylph-like and ethereal in her beauty, she scarcely seemed to breathe. In fact she hardly did.
Willowy and slender in form, she was as graceful as a meridian of longitude. Her body seemed almost too frail for motion, while her features were of a mould so delicate as to preclude all thought of intellectual operation.
She was begirt with a flowing kirtle of deep blue, bebound with a belt bebuckled with a silvern clasp, while about her waist a stomacher of point lace ended in the ruffled farthingale at her throat.
That is not such a goofy start, but believe me, it gets a lot sillier. And what happens when Guido and Isolde finally meet face to face? I'm not telling, but...no, I'm not telling.
My favorite was Gertrude the Governess and I dare you not to think of Jane Eyre if you should ever read this story. Double dog dare you, even. Once at night, when Gertrude withdrew to her chamber and before seeking her pillow, prepared to retire as a preliminary to disrobing—in other words, before going to bed, she flung wide the casement (opened the window) and perceived (saw) the face of Lord Ronald. He was sitting on a thorn bush beneath her, and his upturned face wore an expression of agonised pallor.
Now I know everyone has a differently shaped funny bone. Just because these stories tickled mine to pieces they may not affect yours at all. But I am definitely going to read more of Mr. Leacock's work. And see who else from the golden era of comedy I can imagine acting out the scenes while I read.
August 23, 2007
At the turn of the century, thanks in large part to Walter Scott, gothic novels were all the rage. And many of them sucked. Sucked hard. Lords, shadows, stormy nights... If you have ever had to cram 'Jane Eyre' for an English literature exam, forced yourself to endure 'Mill on the Floss' or 'Jude the Obscure', or felt utterly beaten by Mary Shelley, this is the pefect remedy. What more can I say? Oh, except, yes, 'Gertrude the Governess, or Simple Seventeen.' You will never view mining techniques in Rumania with a staight face again. Bua-ha-ha-ha-ha. Ha.
January 24, 2024
ستيڤن ليكوك كان مجايل مهم جدًا لمارك توين ومن أبرز الكُتَّاب الساخرين في زمانه، لدرجة إن كتير من القراء لقبوه بـمارك توين الكندي.
الكتاب عبارة عن 10 قصص قصيرة ساخرة، موضوع سخريتها هو الأدب نفسه، أو الضروب الأدبية وأساليب كتابتها في زمانه، في الكتاب دا، ليكوك بيسخر من روايات المحققين السريين، وروايات الرعب الخوارقي، والروايات الرومانسية الفروسية، وروايات الجريمة، والروايات الميلودرامية، والأدب الروسي، وروايات المغامرات البحرية، وروايات الخيال العلمي.
الكتاب عبارة عن 10 قصص قصيرة ساخرة، موضوع سخريتها هو الأدب نفسه، أو الضروب الأدبية وأساليب كتابتها في زمانه، في الكتاب دا، ليكوك بيسخر من روايات المحققين السريين، وروايات الرعب الخوارقي، والروايات الرومانسية الفروسية، وروايات الجريمة، والروايات الميلودرامية، والأدب الروسي، وروايات المغامرات البحرية، وروايات الخيال العلمي.
April 18, 2012
Nonsense Novels was recommend to me by my friend Jason and I'm so very glad he did. The stories within are absolutely absurd, but they are brilliant and hilarious because of it. But then again, some of the genres these stories mock are equally absurd, though they are not nearly as entertaining to read.
"Guido the Gimlet of Ghent" was far and away my favorite of the stories, followed closely by "Sorrows of the Super Soul" and "Soaked in Seaweed", but everything in Nonsense Novels is a good read and there are tons of great lines that made me laugh out loud, which is very rare for me when I read, I usually laugh on the inside when I'm alone. One line in particular from the Guido story really struck me as hilarious:
"The love of Guido and Isolde was of that pure and almost divine type, found only in the middle ages."
It may be funnier to me than others because I had recently proofread an essay about life in the middle ages, part of which dealt with the love stories that came from the time period and how they were, in short, overly romanticized due to the poor quality of life and a need to take their minds off it. And while that certainly isn't a symptom that has been confined to the middle ages its seems to ring truer during that time period then any other. Only in the middle ages, indeed.
Anyhoo, if you love satire, you should love these stories. If you don't love satire, well, then, I feel very sorry for you. I've heard rumors that you can buy a sense of humor on eBay for a very reasonable price.
"Guido the Gimlet of Ghent" was far and away my favorite of the stories, followed closely by "Sorrows of the Super Soul" and "Soaked in Seaweed", but everything in Nonsense Novels is a good read and there are tons of great lines that made me laugh out loud, which is very rare for me when I read, I usually laugh on the inside when I'm alone. One line in particular from the Guido story really struck me as hilarious:
"The love of Guido and Isolde was of that pure and almost divine type, found only in the middle ages."
It may be funnier to me than others because I had recently proofread an essay about life in the middle ages, part of which dealt with the love stories that came from the time period and how they were, in short, overly romanticized due to the poor quality of life and a need to take their minds off it. And while that certainly isn't a symptom that has been confined to the middle ages its seems to ring truer during that time period then any other. Only in the middle ages, indeed.
Anyhoo, if you love satire, you should love these stories. If you don't love satire, well, then, I feel very sorry for you. I've heard rumors that you can buy a sense of humor on eBay for a very reasonable price.
Want to read
October 4, 2014Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
April 1, 2012
No, these are not in any sense of the word novels. They are stories poking excellent fun at various genres of short stories, such as Sherlock Holmes detective stories, adventures at sea, visits to the future, chivalry, the Scottish Highlands, the supernatural, and romance. Leacock reminds me somewhat of S. J. Perelman, who was responsible for much of the Marx Brothers' best lines.
In "Soaked in Seaweed," Leacock's humor could very easily have come from the author of Acres and Pains and Rising Gorge:
This is excellent humor, and I was in the mood for it.
In "Soaked in Seaweed," Leacock's humor could very easily have come from the author of Acres and Pains and Rising Gorge:
As I stepped on the deck I could not help a slight feeling of triumph, as I caught sight of my sailor-like features reflected in a tar-barrel that stood beside the mast, while a little while later I could scarcely repress a sense of gratification as I noticed them reflected again in a bucket of bilge water.And again:
The vessel was on the eve of departure. Her deck presented that scene of bustle and alacrity dear to the sailor's heart. Men were busy nailing up the masts, hanging the bowsprit over the side, varnishing the lee-scuppers and pouring hot tar down the companion-way.At first I was not quite sure how to take Nonsense Novels, but as I read on, I began to enjoy it so thoroughly that I resolved to find some other of Leacock's works and hope they were anywhere near as funny.
This is excellent humor, and I was in the mood for it.
October 27, 2024
"*هدية؟
**نعم - هدية لك.
*على الرحب والسعة".
الجملة أعلاه مقتطعة من تقديم الأديب/ دانييل هاندلر، لطبعة حديثة نسبيّا من هذا الكتاب، صدرت باللغة الأصلية له (الإنجليزية)، والذي كان قد نُشر للمرة الأولى عام 1911، بعنوان/
"Nonsense Novels",
وللأسف لم ترد ترجمة هذا التقديم في هذه الطبعة باللغة العربية رغم احتمال أهميتها لوضع القراء في سياق مجتمع الكتاب وزمانهم ومكانهم، خاصة مع شيوع الروايات "القوطية" آنذاك، (وهو نوع أو نمط من الأدب يجمع بين الخيال والرعب والموت والرومانسية في بعض الأحيان).
المؤلف/ ستيفن ليكوك،
Stephen Leacock,
كندي الجنسية، من مواليد ديسمبر عام 1869 في المملكة المتحدة، عمل أستاذا للاقتصاد السياسي في جامعة كندية عريقة ومرموقة، عُرِف بين الأعوام (1915 إلى 1925) بحسه الفكاهي الساخر الخفيف متحدثا وكاتبا، من��قدا حماقات كانت تُرتكب في مجتمعه، وقد فاز في حينه بجائزة الأعمال الكتابية غير الخيالية، وكانت وفاته في شهر مارس عام 1944.
يسلط كتاب "روايات غير منطقية" أو: [روايات لا معنى لها]، حسب ما أتوقعه ترجمة حرفية للعنوان الأصلي - الضوء على أحداث مختلفة في عشرة قصص قصيرة تقع ضمن أنحاء مختلفة من انجلترا أو في اسكتلندا أو في نيويورك؛ قصص يمكن وصفها بأنها [سخيفة ولكن مضحكة .. ناقدة بجرأة ولكنها هادفة بوضوح، ومنتقدة بشدة للجشع وللطمع]، منها قصة عن الأشباح، وأخرى عن مفتش المباحث، وثالثة عن الثراء الفاحش، ورابعة عن المغامرات، وخامسة عن حطام سفينة، وسادسة عن الرومانسية والفروسية وغير ذلك.. كل القصص العشرة بها محصول وفير من العبثية، وتظهر السخافة المطلقة مع كل منعطف جديد في كل قصة، ولتنتهي كل قصة بنهاية غير متوقعة ولكنها ساحرة وساخرة، وليس نادرا في هذا الكتاب ظهور العنصر النسائي فيها بشكل ثانوي على الهامش، أو متصفا بالسذاجة؛
كتاب به فكاهة ممتازة، وبحاجة لقارئ صبور يتمتع بمزاج جيد.. علما بأني لم استوعب ما ورد في عنوان القصة السادسة من أنها "تُرجمت آليا عن الأصل الروسي".. ومع ذلك فإني أوصي بقراءته.
الكتاب تحفة من السخرية، تحفة تُثبت أن مؤلفه، ستيفن ليكوك، كان عبقريًا في التمعن في سلوكيات مجتمعه وإظهارها وانتقادها بشكل ساخر، مع إبراز خلفياتها، ولعل خير ما يمثل ذلك الجملة التالية التي وردت ضمن إحدى قصص الكتاب:-
"حب جويدو وآيزولد نقي وشبه سماوي، حب لا تجده إلا في العصور الوسطى.. لم ير أحدهما الآخر قط، لم يسمع أحدهما الآخر وهو يتكلم، لم يوجدا معا، لم يعرف أحدهما الآخر .. ومع ذلك تحابّا"؛
قد يكون الأمر ملفتا للنظر بالنسبة لي، لأنني قمت مؤخرًا بالاطلاع على مقال عن الحياة في "العصور الوسطى"، والذي تناول في جزء منه قصص الحب التي انتشرت أخبارها في تلك الفترة الزمنية، وكيف تم إضفاء طابع رومانسي عليها بشكل مفرط بسبب رداءة جودة الحياة آنذاك والحاجة إلى صرف أذهان الناس عن تلك الرداءة.. وآمل ألا يفوت القراء التمعن مليا في خاتمة الحكاية المذكورة للخروج بالعبرة منها (صفحة 43 من الكتاب).
صدرت هذه الترجمة العربية في شهر نوفمبر 2023، عن [منشورات جدل: الكويت، السعودية، مصر]، ولم أجد فيها مثلبا غير أني تمنيت لو أنها قد احتوت ترجمة التقديم الوارد في طبعة اللغة الإنجليزية لأهميته لاستيعاب مغزى وسياق الحكايات العشرة الواردة فيه، أو أن الكتاب قد احتوى، على الأقل تعريفا مختصرا به، فضلا تعريف بالمؤلف، سواء من ناشر هذه الترجمة أو من المترجم نفسه الذي أبدع واجتهد في النقل للغة العربية، وفي قيامه بإعداد العديد من الهوامش التوضيحية التي كانت ضرورية لاستيعاب معظم تفاصيل حكايات هذا الكتاب.
**نعم - هدية لك.
*على الرحب والسعة".
الجملة أعلاه مقتطعة من تقديم الأديب/ دانييل هاندلر، لطبعة حديثة نسبيّا من هذا الكتاب، صدرت باللغة الأصلية له (الإنجليزية)، والذي كان قد نُشر للمرة الأولى عام 1911، بعنوان/
"Nonsense Novels",
وللأسف لم ترد ترجمة هذا التقديم في هذه الطبعة باللغة العربية رغم احتمال أهميتها لوضع القراء في سياق مجتمع الكتاب وزمانهم ومكانهم، خاصة مع شيوع الروايات "القوطية" آنذاك، (وهو نوع أو نمط من الأدب يجمع بين الخيال والرعب والموت والرومانسية في بعض الأحيان).
المؤلف/ ستيفن ليكوك،
Stephen Leacock,
كندي الجنسية، من مواليد ديسمبر عام 1869 في المملكة المتحدة، عمل أستاذا للاقتصاد السياسي في جامعة كندية عريقة ومرموقة، عُرِف بين الأعوام (1915 إلى 1925) بحسه الفكاهي الساخر الخفيف متحدثا وكاتبا، من��قدا حماقات كانت تُرتكب في مجتمعه، وقد فاز في حينه بجائزة الأعمال الكتابية غير الخيالية، وكانت وفاته في شهر مارس عام 1944.
يسلط كتاب "روايات غير منطقية" أو: [روايات لا معنى لها]، حسب ما أتوقعه ترجمة حرفية للعنوان الأصلي - الضوء على أحداث مختلفة في عشرة قصص قصيرة تقع ضمن أنحاء مختلفة من انجلترا أو في اسكتلندا أو في نيويورك؛ قصص يمكن وصفها بأنها [سخيفة ولكن مضحكة .. ناقدة بجرأة ولكنها هادفة بوضوح، ومنتقدة بشدة للجشع وللطمع]، منها قصة عن الأشباح، وأخرى عن مفتش المباحث، وثالثة عن الثراء الفاحش، ورابعة عن المغامرات، وخامسة عن حطام سفينة، وسادسة عن الرومانسية والفروسية وغير ذلك.. كل القصص العشرة بها محصول وفير من العبثية، وتظهر السخافة المطلقة مع كل منعطف جديد في كل قصة، ولتنتهي كل قصة بنهاية غير متوقعة ولكنها ساحرة وساخرة، وليس نادرا في هذا الكتاب ظهور العنصر النسائي فيها بشكل ثانوي على الهامش، أو متصفا بالسذاجة؛
كتاب به فكاهة ممتازة، وبحاجة لقارئ صبور يتمتع بمزاج جيد.. علما بأني لم استوعب ما ورد في عنوان القصة السادسة من أنها "تُرجمت آليا عن الأصل الروسي".. ومع ذلك فإني أوصي بقراءته.
الكتاب تحفة من السخرية، تحفة تُثبت أن مؤلفه، ستيفن ليكوك، كان عبقريًا في التمعن في سلوكيات مجتمعه وإظهارها وانتقادها بشكل ساخر، مع إبراز خلفياتها، ولعل خير ما يمثل ذلك الجملة التالية التي وردت ضمن إحدى قصص الكتاب:-
"حب جويدو وآيزولد نقي وشبه سماوي، حب لا تجده إلا في العصور الوسطى.. لم ير أحدهما الآخر قط، لم يسمع أحدهما الآخر وهو يتكلم، لم يوجدا معا، لم يعرف أحدهما الآخر .. ومع ذلك تحابّا"؛
قد يكون الأمر ملفتا للنظر بالنسبة لي، لأنني قمت مؤخرًا بالاطلاع على مقال عن الحياة في "العصور الوسطى"، والذي تناول في جزء منه قصص الحب التي انتشرت أخبارها في تلك الفترة الزمنية، وكيف تم إضفاء طابع رومانسي عليها بشكل مفرط بسبب رداءة جودة الحياة آنذاك والحاجة إلى صرف أذهان الناس عن تلك الرداءة.. وآمل ألا يفوت القراء التمعن مليا في خاتمة الحكاية المذكورة للخروج بالعبرة منها (صفحة 43 من الكتاب).
صدرت هذه الترجمة العربية في شهر نوفمبر 2023، عن [منشورات جدل: الكويت، السعودية، مصر]، ولم أجد فيها مثلبا غير أني تمنيت لو أنها قد احتوت ترجمة التقديم الوارد في طبعة اللغة الإنجليزية لأهميته لاستيعاب مغزى وسياق الحكايات العشرة الواردة فيه، أو أن الكتاب قد احتوى، على الأقل تعريفا مختصرا به، فضلا تعريف بالمؤلف، سواء من ناشر هذه الترجمة أو من المترجم نفسه الذي أبدع واجتهد في النقل للغة العربية، وفي قيامه بإعداد العديد من الهوامش التوضيحية التي كانت ضرورية لاستيعاب معظم تفاصيل حكايات هذا الكتاب.
July 26, 2008
this is a very funny collection of short satirical fables written by leacock in the early 20th century. i wanted to love it love it love it and sometimes i did but in the end i only just thought it was really good. some truly perfect sentences though. i would never have thought this kind of thing was being written that long ago.
October 2, 2021
Bu öykülerin her biri bir tür parodisi: Şövalye hikayesi, deniz macerası, Noel mucizesi, büyük kentte yükseliş, geleceğe zamanda yolculuk, saf aşıklar v.s. v.s. Yazar klişelerle dalga geçmiş ve bunu okumak çok keyifli, ama üslubu biraz hoyrat; incelikli bir hiciv pek göremedim. Öyküler biraz aceleye getirilmiş gibi; ya da ben tam içine giremedim, bilemiyorum...
October 27, 2025
الأدب الساخر وجه آخر للحكمة الممكنة في عصر أرهقه رتابة الفكر، إذ يبدو أن السبيل الوحيد للنجاة من عبث العالم هو أن نضحك عليه بوعي. روايات غير منطقية، عشر قصص قصيرة تدور حول ضياع المعنى لكنها مازالت حيّة! قصص تشكّل مرآة لما آل إليه الإنسان "الحديث": مخلوق مهووس بالفهم لكنه لا يفهم ذاته، فالعالم ليس سوى انعكاس مشوّه لرغباته..
قدّم ليكوك مجموعة من القصص التي تسير على يديها، منتقدًا بطريقته الخاصة "الكليشيهات" والأساليب النمطية السائدة في بعض الأنواع الأدبية، مثل: أدب الجريمة، والرومانسية، والرعب... في إحدى القصص، يتحول الحب إلى خيال يتغذى على صور وصدى أسماء. حبيبان لا يلتقيان قط، لكن بينهما حبًا أسطوريًا لا يقل قوة عن أوهام القرون الوسطى. ومع ذلك، حين يلتقيان أخيرًا، يكتشفان أن كل ما بنياه من أسطورة كان قائمًا على خطأ في الهوية: كل منهما أحبّ صورة الآخر لا حقيقته. يلمّح ليكوك إلى أن الحب يقوم على الخيال الذي نصنعه لأنفسنا عن الآخر. فكل عشقٍ هو سوءُ فهمٍ جميل!!
سخرية من الأدب، ومن الوجود الإنساني المتورط في حماقته النبيلة؛ من ذلك الكائن الذي يبتكر المعنى للخواء الفكري..
ليكوك ماكر هنا.
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قدّم ليكوك مجموعة من القصص التي تسير على يديها، منتقدًا بطريقته الخاصة "الكليشيهات" والأساليب النمطية السائدة في بعض الأنواع الأدبية، مثل: أدب الجريمة، والرومانسية، والرعب... في إحدى القصص، يتحول الحب إلى خيال يتغذى على صور وصدى أسماء. حبيبان لا يلتقيان قط، لكن بينهما حبًا أسطوريًا لا يقل قوة عن أوهام القرون الوسطى. ومع ذلك، حين يلتقيان أخيرًا، يكتشفان أن كل ما بنياه من أسطورة كان قائمًا على خطأ في الهوية: كل منهما أحبّ صورة الآخر لا حقيقته. يلمّح ليكوك إلى أن الحب يقوم على الخيال الذي نصنعه لأنفسنا عن الآخر. فكل عشقٍ هو سوءُ فهمٍ جميل!!
سخرية من الأدب، ومن الوجود الإنساني المتورط في حماقته النبيلة؛ من ذلك الكائن الذي يبتكر المعنى للخواء الفكري..
ليكوك ماكر هنا.
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August 21, 2014
Not really novels, but a collection of very silly and absurd short stories, ‘Nonsense Novels’ was highly entertaining for me. It is surprising that with an original publication date of 1911 all these tales are still so funny. His satire is equal opportunity; he manages to make fun of us all even after more than 100 years.
March 17, 2017
Some of the stories in this collection were amusing, others less so. In the spoof of various types of novels, Leacock does make some points about the society of the time, especially mocking the greedy and the selfish. The only story I really enjoyed was the last one, "The Man in Asbestos", the most serious and thoughtful story of the ten.
April 22, 2015
Really liked it. Contrary to it's name, the stories actually are sensible. Provided you read between the lines. Satire at its best.
December 11, 2024
تقييم الكتاب ⭐️⭐️
عنوان الكتاب: “روايات غير منطقية" للكاتب ستيفن ليكوك - ترجمة: محمود راضي
عدد الصفحات: 152 صفحات
دار النشر: منشورات جدل
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رأيي:
"مجموعة قصصية (10 قصص) تشترك في عدم وجود اي منطق في القصص المطروحه 😅. في القصه الاولى تحدث عن المحقق العظيم ومحاولته لحل لغز اختطاف الامير .. رواية غريبة فهناك اشخاص يزحفون وغيرهم يمشون على اربع واما القصة الثانية فتتحدث عن الاشباح وفي هذه القصة حاول شخص ان يقنع صديقه عن الاشباح وانه بامكانه ان ينقل الاموال لهم وطلب من صديقه ان يضع بعض المال فاذا اختفى المال هذا يعني ان الاشباح اخذوه ..
والقصة الثالثه عن عشيقين لم يلتقيا ولم يرى اي منهما الاخر ولم يتحدث اي منهما الى الاخر .. والاغرب كيف ان كل منهما وجد مجسداً صغيرا يمثل الاخر او ربما هذا ما عتقداه .. ولكن ماذا سيحدث عندما يلتقيان؟!
كان اسلوب الكاتب في اغلب القصص ساخر ومستفز 😅."
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ملاحظة: "الترجمة جيدة."
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عنوان الكتاب: “روايات غير منطقية" للكاتب ستيفن ليكوك - ترجمة: محمود راضي
عدد الصفحات: 152 صفحات
دار النشر: منشورات جدل
.
.
رأيي:
"مجموعة قصصية (10 قصص) تشترك في عدم وجود اي منطق في القصص المطروحه 😅. في القصه الاولى تحدث عن المحقق العظيم ومحاولته لحل لغز اختطاف الامير .. رواية غريبة فهناك اشخاص يزحفون وغيرهم يمشون على اربع واما القصة الثانية فتتحدث عن الاشباح وفي هذه القصة حاول شخص ان يقنع صديقه عن الاشباح وانه بامكانه ان ينقل الاموال لهم وطلب من صديقه ان يضع بعض المال فاذا اختفى المال هذا يعني ان الاشباح اخذوه ..
والقصة الثالثه عن عشيقين لم يلتقيا ولم يرى اي منهما الاخر ولم يتحدث اي منهما الى الاخر .. والاغرب كيف ان كل منهما وجد مجسداً صغيرا يمثل الاخر او ربما هذا ما عتقداه .. ولكن ماذا سيحدث عندما يلتقيان؟!
كان اسلوب الكاتب في اغلب القصص ساخر ومستفز 😅."
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ملاحظة: "الترجمة جيدة."
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July 23, 2025
Comedy has come a long way since this was written. This book is much like reading an obvious month python sketch over and over, but it is not without its moments. There are some banger lines in this book.
May 19, 2021
i found out twentieth century humor was not my cup of tea after reading this book so at least i learned something
September 8, 2024
Made me go "hee hee hoo hoo"
Read
January 20, 2025some funny bits and i really enjoyed the last story but most of it was boring
November 5, 2025
مجموعه من الروايات تعكس خيال الكاتب ستيفن ليكوك وابداعه بطرح القصص بطريقه جذابه يطرح بها افكار متنوعه تتناول قضايا المجتمع بمكتلف انواعها طرح الكاتب عدة افكار بشكل قصصي بارع منها: جشع الانسان وحبه للمال، شذاجة النساء بالحب،تصور الحياه المستقبليه و لم شمل العائله بعد فقدان الامل. و افكار اخرى 👏🏼
December 12, 2016
Thanks to Goodreads, you have just stumbled a gold mine of every possible parody on this planet. I still can't understand why Stephen Leacock is not as huge a name as Douglas Adams. Maybe luck truly is a bitch. Nevertheless...
Now before coming across this book, I was truly suffering from a Good Book Withdrawal. The last good work of fiction I read was Rosie's Project and that was over two months ago. But, like they (random collective of random people) often say, good things come to those who go through a lot of shit in a small span of time.
Nonsense novels is a collection of superficial spoofs about every imaginable literary genre - the detective story, the hero story, the antihero story, the sea drama, the family drama, etc. He basically took a certain theme that most writers made a formula of and then annihilated it.
But unlike most spoofs and parodies, Leacock never risked turning over-critical and over-assessing. You can see his efforts to keep the reader laughing, and nothing more. He was superficial, as if to almost suggest the mood of writers who repeat a literary formula to achieve a shortcut to fandom. And one can only admire his intention to do this - he made fun of others by making fun of himself - there is character in such an attempt.
But the reason I will choose to forget this book soon is the same reason this book was written for - it was nothing more than pure and unmemorable fun, like a zipless fuck. And there's a magic in forgetting such a thing.
Now before coming across this book, I was truly suffering from a Good Book Withdrawal. The last good work of fiction I read was Rosie's Project and that was over two months ago. But, like they (random collective of random people) often say, good things come to those who go through a lot of shit in a small span of time.
Nonsense novels is a collection of superficial spoofs about every imaginable literary genre - the detective story, the hero story, the antihero story, the sea drama, the family drama, etc. He basically took a certain theme that most writers made a formula of and then annihilated it.
But unlike most spoofs and parodies, Leacock never risked turning over-critical and over-assessing. You can see his efforts to keep the reader laughing, and nothing more. He was superficial, as if to almost suggest the mood of writers who repeat a literary formula to achieve a shortcut to fandom. And one can only admire his intention to do this - he made fun of others by making fun of himself - there is character in such an attempt.
But the reason I will choose to forget this book soon is the same reason this book was written for - it was nothing more than pure and unmemorable fun, like a zipless fuck. And there's a magic in forgetting such a thing.
September 24, 2014
A collection of stories with the usual structure and a large dose of nonsense thrown in. It turns typical stories on their heads with varying degrees of comedic effects. If you aren't familiar with Stephen Leacock's writings they are a digestable dose to find if you like the flavour. It is where Inspector Clouseau meets Alice in Wonderland in a Canadian mind, that is slightly reminiscent of some short Monty Python sketches.
My favourite stories were "Gertrude the Governess" and "A Hero in Homespun." The first was a brilliant intrigue and love story that was predictable in its ending. The vocabulary was wide ranging, which had me reading for a dictionary every few pages. The second was hilarious because the reader knows it to be in part true. Those who are jobless or like to pick on New York will enjoy this immensely.
If you read only two stories in this brief collection, you won't go wrong with "Gertrude the Governess" and "A Hero in Homespun."
My favourite stories were "Gertrude the Governess" and "A Hero in Homespun." The first was a brilliant intrigue and love story that was predictable in its ending. The vocabulary was wide ranging, which had me reading for a dictionary every few pages. The second was hilarious because the reader knows it to be in part true. Those who are jobless or like to pick on New York will enjoy this immensely.
If you read only two stories in this brief collection, you won't go wrong with "Gertrude the Governess" and "A Hero in Homespun."
May 22, 2012
This novel was published exactly 100 years ago and 100 years later it will still provoke laughs and readers will still be amazed by the wit contained within. It is 10 chapters of an inventive mind mocking the different writing tropes in various genres (e.g. Sherlock Holmes, Scotland romance, rags to riches story, the Old homestead). While I will admit some chapters work better than others and some of the genres are not as well known in 2011 as they were in 1911 the humour still leaps out of the page. What makes me smile so much after reading this book is the discovery that good humour is good humour and it can stand the test of time of 100 years. I wish the humour novels of today were as funny as this novel is. Also recommended: Three Men in a Boat.
February 17, 2014
A collection of humorous short stories that parody popular genres like the sleuth story, medieval tale of chivalry, tragic Russian romance, and paranormal mystery. 1911.
Full review & other book recommendations at Another look book
Hands-down the funniest short story collection I've ever read. Maybe even the funniest writing I've ever read?!? I can't wait to enjoy more of Stephen Leacock's humor writing!
Also, something cool I learned from Wikipedia: in 1911 (the year Nonsense Novels was published), it was said that more people had heard of Stephen Leacock than had heard of Canada. As in, Canada THE COUNTRY. (Where he lived and published, by the way, though he was English-born.)
Full review & other book recommendations at Another look book
Hands-down the funniest short story collection I've ever read. Maybe even the funniest writing I've ever read?!? I can't wait to enjoy more of Stephen Leacock's humor writing!
Also, something cool I learned from Wikipedia: in 1911 (the year Nonsense Novels was published), it was said that more people had heard of Stephen Leacock than had heard of Canada. As in, Canada THE COUNTRY. (Where he lived and published, by the way, though he was English-born.)
December 17, 2018
This anthology is Mr. Leacock’s send-up of various genres. The supernatural ghost tale, the detective novel, the rags-to-riches tale and more are all shot at with the superb skill of a keen-eyed archer and none of them misses the mark. Gently amusing, pointed and witty, Nonsense Novels reveals a sharp love of literature as well as the knowing deprecation it takes to laugh at it. More amusing than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (if less action packed), this novel is a must-have for those who know that even the classics can stand a little ribbing.
September 4, 2016
Smiles and giggles
This collection made me wonder if there are different kinds of laughter corresponding different types of humor. The tales are whimsically silly so I usually read with a smile on my face. They were genuine stories not a collection of jokes. I would read along and trip over a gem that would cause me to giggle and giggle to the point of wondering if I'd ever stop.
No hearty guffaws, no chuckles nor sniggers. Some tales more enjoyable than others, but after a while I began to ration them to one per bedtime when I normally devour a novel in a few nights.
It may not be to everyone's taste, but this book delighted me.
This collection made me wonder if there are different kinds of laughter corresponding different types of humor. The tales are whimsically silly so I usually read with a smile on my face. They were genuine stories not a collection of jokes. I would read along and trip over a gem that would cause me to giggle and giggle to the point of wondering if I'd ever stop.
No hearty guffaws, no chuckles nor sniggers. Some tales more enjoyable than others, but after a while I began to ration them to one per bedtime when I normally devour a novel in a few nights.
It may not be to everyone's taste, but this book delighted me.
August 2, 2011
These short stories were silly and....nonsensical! Not sure I was in the mood for silly and nonsence novels, but there you have it. I enjoyed Asbestos Man and the description of the year 3000 (or thereabouts since they don't bother to keep time in the future). And Guido the Gimlet - a romance of chivalry - was fun to read since I just finished Don Quixote. I guess I am going to actually have to read a genuine chivalric romance novel. I totally didn't get the introduction by Daniel Handler - at all - not at all.
March 3, 2011
This book got a bit lost in the shuffle, so it became my bus book! I think I enjoyed the stories more having read them a bit spread out as they are all of a very similar structure. I’d never read Leacock before and will now be looking for a few others of his to read. I am sure I will think back on these stories when I come across the clichés he has captured so well when they pop up in other books.
August 18, 2011
Read 229 pp. 1911 edition via google books online (link below). A very fun, light pastiche of assorted popular genres and their characteristic cliches from 100-120 years ago. Detective, gothic, romantic, science fiction, the sea story and more all take a hit.
why spend good money on those crappy reprints of free, public domain works?
http://books.google.com/books/about/N...
why spend good money on those crappy reprints of free, public domain works?
http://books.google.com/books/about/N...
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