The Rising Gorge

by S.J. Perelman

New York, London, and many regions of Africa provide the settings for the author's unlikely adventures

Genres: Humor, Essays

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Sidney Joseph Perelman, almost always known as S. J. Perelman, was a Jewish-American humorist, author, and screenwriter. He is best known for his humorous short pieces written over many years for The New Yorker. He also wrote for several other magazines, as well as books, scripts, and screenplays.

Reviews

[James O'Halloran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alas poor Yorick! I knew him, Horacio. A fellow of infinite jest.He has born me on his back a thousand times. And now how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.

Within the confines of its period, some very witty and amusing writing. The typical narrative setup though, of a grasping bombshell vs an old fat lecher, has certainly curdled a bit.

[William Leight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perelman can get a bit dated -- a lot of these pieces are inspired by books, movies, or cultural trends that are all but forgotten now -- but he's a sharp satirist and often very funny, which is why I keep rereading him. This is not quite his best stuff but comes close.

[Danny · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lackluster collection overall. "Eine Kleine Mothmusik" "Where Do You Work-a, John?" "Small is My Cinema, Deep My Doze" "Monomania, You and Me is Quits"
and "Love Sends A Little Gift of Noses" were among the few winners.

[Susan Katz]

Sometimes a book just carries the tone of its time. . .and this book I found nearly unreadable. I guess I'm just not a Perelman fan. It wasn't "hilarious," it was silly. And not in a good way.

[Sue Dounim · Rating 4 out of 5]

As many have pointed out, the cultural references and tropes that were apparently amusing and hilarious in the 1950s are not so much now. But if you can get past that, screw your monocle in firmly and enjoy Perelman's consummate virtuosity with the English language.
Not all the pieces included attain such lofty perfection, but at his best he's quite astounding.

[D'face · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perelman was a celebrated contributor to the New Yorker, so I was very pleased to be able to pick up this old hard cover collection of some of his articles from this and other magazines. There are some good lines and pieces here, but they have not aged well and appear all of a kind.

[E.J. Cullen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have fond memories of Perelman's humor. These days, I find it oddly stilted and dated.