Most of the Most of S.J. Perelman (Modern Library Humor and Wit) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "SCENE: The sweatshop of S. Claus, a manufacturer of children's toys, on North Pole Street..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Lady Mary, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From a letter from Groucho Marx to S. J. Perelman: "From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it."

"The funniest writer since--himself."--Gore Vidal -- Review

Review

From a letter from Groucho Marx to S. J. Perelman: "From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it."

"The funniest writer since--himself."--Gore Vidal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 572 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library (May 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679640371
• ISBN-13: 978-0679640370
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #461,731 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lengthy Volume of Perelman Prose, March 28, 2002

By	Ricky Hunter (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Most of the Most of S.J. Perelman (part of the Humor and Wit series of Modern Library) is a lengthy, though abridged, volume of the Perelman pieces from 1930 - 1958, many of which originally appeared in the New Yorker, among other magazines. This book should not necessarily be read straight through, as I did to my slight regret, as it can become a little overwhelming. There is some dating in the material but it is more of a delight how little effect time has taken on the comedy. The best pieces are, without a doubt, the marvelous Cloudland Revisited sequences where the author looks at books and movies he admired in his youth to see what horrible things time, experience and maturity have done to them. These selections are the treasures of the volume. A fine look at the almost lost art of a certain form of humour writing at its height. A wonderful volume to be savoured slowly.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy This if You Wore out Your Copy of THE MOST OF SJP, July 12, 2000

By A Customer

It's the same book except it's missing treasures like "Dusk in Fierce Pajamas" (the Diana Vreeland parody). 5(000,000) stars for S.J.P. and 3 stars for the "editor".

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What The-?, October 14, 2000

By	El Kabong - See all my reviews

Don't get me wrong, Sid's a five-star talent....but whose brain-damaged idea was it to reissue an abridged version of MOST OF, one of the great American works of humor & satire? Isn't it enough of a crime against humanity that so little Perelman is available as it is? You'd think a EXPANDED version -a two volume set, f'rinstance- would be more apropos, no? Steve Martin's a pleasant enough comedian, but having the author of CRUEL SHOES in as celebrity-editor is an innovation I'm a little leery of. Besides, why would the late (and sorely-missed) Perelman NEED an editor at this point? Herewith, my free advice to Modern Library: either reprint MOST OF in toto, or just collate ALL of Perelman's work in expensive bound volumes and charge the moon and sky for it. (I guarantee that anyone who would grudgingly buy this would spring for a more definitive omnibus edition.) Of course, as this IS Perelman, naturally it's great reading and a must-buy if you don't have the earlier edition. But don't further punish an audience of starving Perelmaniacs with any more 'editors' who feel compelled to edit!