The Stray Lamb

By Thorne Smith

Book Overview

"The Stray Lamb" is a whimsical and irreverent masterpiece of humorous fantasy from the celebrated author Thorne Smith. The story follows T. Lawrence Lamb, a quiet and respectable suburbanite who finds his mundane existence suddenly upended by a series of extraordinary, supernatural transformations. Gifted-or perhaps cursed-with the ability to shift into various animal forms, Lamb embarks on a riotous journey through his social circles, viewing the world through the eyes of a horse, a seagull, and even a kangaroo.

Set against the backdrop of the late 1920s, this novel serves as a sharp social satire, poking fun at the rigid conventions and pretensions of middle-class society. Smith's signature wit and penchant for the absurd shine through as Lamb navigates the chaotic consequences of his metamorphoses, leading to a series of scandalous and hilarious situations. As one of the foundational works of urban fantasy, "The Stray Lamb" captures the boisterous spirit of its era while exploring themes of identity and liberation. This delightful romp remains a classic of lighthearted literature, celebrated for its imaginative premise and timeless comedic charm.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1026014301
• ISBN13: 9781026014301
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Review of "The Stray Lamb"

Mr. T. Lawrence Lamb had a wife, a daughter, and a commutation ticket. He worked hard, looked at women on trains and did nothing about it, suffered his wife to play about platonically (he thought) with a Mr. Leonard Gray, who was interested in amateur theatricals. Mr. Lamb was, in a word, the Great American Commuter. That was before he met the russett man in the woods, and woke up one morning to find himself a handsome balck stallion, practically free from his wife and the world. It interfered with his business and social life, but Mr. Lamb didn't particularly mind that - and there were compensations. After that Mr. Lamb became in succession a good many different kinds of creature, all of which helped to give him a new viewpoint on the world - as for instance: a sea-gull, watching the beautiful Sandra in her less public moments. "The Stray Lamb" is a hilarious book, a gay, ribald, knowing book, with a deep strain of wisdom and humanity flowing beneath the brilliance of the story.