Before outrage, before punditry, before cultural noise, there was satire sharp enough to puncture it all. In A Book of Burlesques , H. L. Mencken dismantles solemn opinion with laughter, exaggeration, and a refusal to be impressed. SNEAK PEEK Mencken does not debate respectable ideas. He costumes them, puts them under stage lights, and lets them overact. What remains is wit at full velocity. DESCRIPTION / SYNOPSIS Written in the early twentieth century, A Book of Burlesques is a fast-moving collection of satirical sketches, parodies, and comic exaggerations by one of America’s most formidable literary critics. Drawing on the theatrical tradition of burlesque, Mencken transforms sermons into farce, moral certainty into performance, and cultural seriousness into spectacle. Institutions, literary fashions, and public virtues all receive equal treatment, precise language, deliberate overstatement, and no exemptions. These pieces are brief, energetic, and unapologetically irreverent. Yet beneath the humor lies a disciplined form of cultural criticism. Mencken’s satire exposes habits of thought rather than attacking individuals, revealing how easily rhetoric replaces reason and how readily respectability confuses itself with truth. Both entertaining and intellectually bracing, this collection remains a compact demonstration of satire as a literary art—where laughter clarifies, exaggeration instructs, and mockery serves independence of mind. WHY READ THIS EDITION A classic work of American satire and parody - Ideal for readers of literary humour , cultural criticism , and early 20th-century literature - Sharp, accessible sketches—perfect for short, incisive reading - Presented in a clean, modern edition designed for clarity and longevity ABOUT THE AUTHOR Henry Louis Mencken was one of America’s most influential critics, essayists, and satirists. Known for his uncompromising prose and disdain for intellectual pretension, he shaped modern American literary criticism through wit, scepticism, and fearless clarity. ABOUT THIS EDITION This edition presents A Book of Burlesques as a classic work of literary satire, carefully formatted for modern readers while preserving Mencken’s original voice and pacing. Designed for readers who value both wit and craftsmanship, it belongs on the shelf alongside enduring works of American letters. PRODUCT DETAILS Title: A Book of Burlesques - Author: Henry Louis Mencken - Category: Classics / American Literature / Satire - Language: English - Trim Size: 5x8 inches