Short Circuits

By: Leacock, Stephen

Ordinary logic rarely survives contact with ordinary life. A lesson, a pastime or a modern invention can begin in sober good sense and, within a few deft turns, collapse into glorious absurdity. These humorous essays and comic sketches seize upon familiar habits of thought, then expose their hidden vanity and inconsistency through mock instruction, parody, wordplay and arguments that become funnier the more seriously they are pursued. Education, sport, technology and popular culture all provide material for this restless satirical imagination. Children's verse and nursery conventions are subjected to playful scrutiny, while golf becomes an occasion for improbable mathematics. Aviation and other modern pursuits receive similarly straight-faced treatment. Rather than following a single protagonist or continuous setting, the collection moves freely between imagined situations, adopting whatever voice or comic form best suits each target. Every piece stands alone, yet each shares a talent for making foolishness sound impeccably reasoned. Beneath the nonsense lies sharp social observation: people cling to rules, display their expertise, defend contradictions and turn simple activities into elaborate systems. The prose remains accessible even as its reasoning veers into farce, creating comedy from the gap between solemn explanation and ridiculous conclusion. Broad in subject but precise in method, these satirical essays repeatedly short-circuit common sense, revealing how easily confidence can masquerade as wisdom. This book was out of print for decades and is now republished by Alpha Editions. It has been restored for today's and future generations. This edition is not just a reprint - it's a collector's item and a cultural treasure.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9378416985
• ISBN13: 9789378416989
• Release Date: January 2027
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"