This is one of my favourite books and I often dip into it. I really enjoy reading parodies, even if I haven't read the writer being parodied. As Simon Brett says, often you recognise 'exactly the kind of thing' that the author means. Some great humorists are represented here: J.B.Morton, C.S.Calverley and J.K.Stephen among many others. More modern examples come from the regular competitions held by the 'New Statesman' magazine, and one sometimes wonders about the identities concealed behind the pseudonyms of the competitors. The authors parodied range from Shakespeare through Conan Doyle, A.E Housman and Graham Greene to John Wain (by Clive James) and Clive James! Some parodies are short story length, others are very short:
When lovely woman stoops to folly/ The evening can be awfully jolly.
Highly recommended.
