Edward Lear's book of nonsense

A selection of Lear's Best Limericks & Illustrations
Faithfully Reproduced in Colour from the 1870 Edition

It was while Edward Lear was drawing the animal in Lord Derby's private zoo that he befriended the children of the house and composed limericks and drew comical sketches to amuse them. A number of these were published in 1846 as 'A Book of Nonsense'. In 1861 Lear enlarged the book and had it reprinted by the Dalziel brothers, two of the foremost wood engravers of the Victorian period. They were also responsible for issuing it in full colour in 1870. This is the first modern reprint of a selection from this unique It presents 40 of Lear's most fanciful limericks and pictures, featuring a bizarre menagerie of birds and animals, eccentric people and extraordinary and absurd occurrences.
One of the first juvenile books with no more pretentious aim than to entertain, the simplicity of Lear's illustrations and the timeless quality of his 'nonsense' makes it as appealing, today as when it was created nearly 150 years ago.
The introduction summarizes Lear's eventful life and includes some of hie original drawings. It valso outlines the publishing history of A Book of Nonsense - a work that must surely rate at one of the most popular children's books of all time.

Engelstalig, goede staat, met ill., 45 blz.