People considered Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc, French-born British writer, as a master of light English prose and also knew widely his droll verse, especially The Bad Child's Book of Beasts in 1896.
Sharp wit of Hilaire Belloc, an historian, poet, and orator, extended across literary output and strong political and religious convictions. Oxford educated this distinguished debater and scholar. Throughout his career, he prolifically across a range of genres and produced histories, essays, travelogues, poetry, and satirical works.
Cautionary Tales for Children collects best humorous yet dark morals, and historical works of Hilaire Belloc often reflected his staunch Catholicism and critique of Protestant interpretations. He led advocates of an economic theory that promotes and championed distribution of small-scale property ownership as a middle ground between capitalism and socialism alongside Gilbert Keith Chesterton, his close friend.
In politics, Hilaire Belloc served as a member of Parliament for the Liberal party, but the establishment disillusioned him. His polemical style and strong opinions made a controversial figure, who particularly viewed modernism, secularism, and financial capitalism as threats to traditional Christian society in his critiques.
Influence and vast literary legacy of Hilaire Belloc extends into historical circles. Erudition, humor, and a forceful rhetorical style characterized intellectual vigor and unique perspective, which people continue to study and to appreciate, on history, society, and human nature.
Found this book in my boyfriend collection. Was going to give it to his nephew, along with other books, for Christmas, but after I read this book I figured it must stay in our collection. The copyright date is 1966, a hard back cover with red trim, black lettering and a strange beast below the author's name.
This is one of those odd books that I realized would never be published today. The content is odd and the rhyme isn't very good for modern examples. It's more of the 19th century style that's why it's so different. The illustrations are simple and old fashioned of its time period. There are two to three areas that express abuse toward animals is 'bad type of lesson', but early on there is an illustration that expresses an adult with a wipe ready to strike the child.
This book was fine for its day, but not for modern readers. My mother had mentioned this book a year ago saying, "I wish I read 'More Beats for Worse Children' to you. It would have straightened you out."...uh...yeah right. This book wouldn't have even done anything for my brother. I just laugh as this book now, however, it is a classical piece of work that must be kept in our household library if not for nostalgia, but as a nice addition to the collection of old books.
Belloc's children’s books have an acerbic humor that will appeal to bored veterans of political correctness, especially teens. (More Beasts for Worse Children reads like a ruder, funnier Dr. Seuss, according to my daughter).... Read the full review at https://catholicreads.com/2019/03/16/...