Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself

By Robert Montgomery Bird

Book Overview

Dive into the whimsical and macabre world of 19th-century America with Robert Montgomery Bird's "Sheppard Lee, Vol. I of 2: Written by Himself." This rediscovered gem of American fiction blends historical detail with gothic sensibilities and laugh-out-loud humor. Journey through a bygone era as experienced, and written, by Sheppard Lee himself.

A captivating exploration of its time, this historical novel offers a unique perspective on American life, seasoned with a generous dose of gothic intrigue. Bird masterfully weaves together elements of humor and the uncanny, creating a reading experience that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. A classic example of 19th-century American storytelling, "Sheppard Lee" promises a journey you won't soon forget. Prepare to be amused, intrigued, and transported.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1023264048
• ISBN13: 9781023264044
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 138 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A delightful American masterpiece

I spent four days reading and enjoying this wonderful novel, and spent another four days reading about it in the pages of Google Books. I found that this unsigned review captures everything I loved about the book. It appeared in the September, 1836 issue of "The Knickerbocker: Or New York Monthly Magazine." ******* OF all the native productions of the season, commend us to Sheppard Lee. We must however initiate the reader into the proper manner of perusing the work, before adverting more particularly to its qualities. The various 'books' which it contains should be read at short intervals; the volumes should be closed at the termination of each metamorphose of the author, as the curtain falls upon the different scenes of a drama; in this wise, the reader may enjoy in parcels a delicious bundle of all sorts of clever intellectual wares. The writer wins at once upon our regard, by the choice requisites of truth and freshness, and a plain unvarnished delivery of what he has to say. The separate characters which he assumes are each a picture, drawn to the life, and some of them, without doubt, from life. He gives the reins to an exuberant fancy, but is not so profusely inventive as to distract attention or curiosity. His humor is capital, and always naturally displayed, and his satire bites shrewdly, without any appearance of ill nature or malignity, which too often accompany sarcasm. [The Reviewer then quotes extensively from Sheppard Lee's life as a politician; reviews of the time often contained dozens of pages of the books being reviewed.] On throwing off his first existence, Lee becomes a rich brewer of Philadelphia: but although he has suddenly risen from poverty to affluence, he is not without his troubles. For example, [and again the book is extensively quoted; this is a small section that gives the modern reader a flavor of the whole book]: "You see, gentlemen -- (I'll take another glass of that port, Mr. Doolittle) -- you see what we must all come to! This is one of the small penalties one must pay for being a gentleman; when one dances, one must pay the piper. Now would my friend Hig- ginson there give a whole year of his best brewing, that all the pale ale and purple port that have passed his lips had been nothing better than elder-wine and bonny-clabber. But never mind, my dear sir,' said the son of AEsculapins, with a coolness that shocked me; 'as long as it's only in your foot, it's a small matter.' " 'A small matter !' -- I grinned at him ; but the unfeeling wretch only repeated his words -- 'A small matter!' " I had never been sick before in my life. As John H. Higglnson, my worst complaints had been only an occasional surfeit, or a moderate attack of booziness; and as Shep- pard Lee, I had never known any disease except laziness, which, being chronic, I had grown so accustomed to that it never troubled me. But now, ah, now! my first step into the world of enjoyment was to be made on red-hot ploughshares and pokers; my