Description du livre
The Classic Collection of Thorne Smith brings together some of the most entertaining and distinctive works of one of America’s great comic fantasists. Lavishly illustrated, this collection includes such beloved novels as Topper, Dream’s End, The Stray Lamb, Did She Fall?, and other signature works that showcase Smith’s irreverent humor and imaginative flair.
Thorne Smith is best known for blending light fantasy with sharp satire, romantic comedy, and social parody. His stories often introduce supernatural or surreal elements—ghosts, visions, and improbable coincidences—into the orderly world of middle-class respectability, exposing hypocrisy, repression, and the absurdities of modern life. Topper, his most famous novel, exemplifies this approach with its mischievous spirits and comic disruption of bourgeois conventions.
Beneath the playful surface, Smith’s writing frequently carries a subversive edge. Works like Did She Fall? and The Stray Lamb explore themes of desire, conformity, and moral pretension, using wit and fantasy to question social norms. Dream’s End adds a more introspective and lyrical tone, revealing the emotional depth behind Smith’s comic voice.
Written in a lively, fast-paced style, Thorne Smith’s novels are rich in dialogue, satire, and imaginative invention. The illustrations in this collection enhance the whimsical and surreal quality of his storytelling.
The Classic Collection of Thorne Smith is an ideal introduction for new readers and a welcome treasury for longtime fans. It celebrates a unique literary voice that combines humor, fantasy, and social critique into stories that remain fresh, provocative, and delightfully entertaining.
Contents:
The Novels
• Topper
• Dream’s End
• The Stray Lamb
• Did She Fall?
The Shorter Fiction
• Biltmore Oswald
• Out O’ Luck
The Poetry
• Haunts and Bypaths