''Augustus Carp, Esq., By Himself: Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man'' is a
satire, originally anonymous, first published in the United Kingdom in May 1924 and, later that year, by
Houghton Mifflin in the United States.
The author was an English physician, Sir
Henry Howarth Bashford (1880–1961), and the illustrations were by "Robin" (
Marjorie Blood
Marjorie is a female given name derived from Margaret, which means pearl. It can also be spelled as Margery or Marjory. Marjorie is a medieval variant of Margery, influenced by the name of the herb marjoram. It came into English from the Old F ...
).
In his preface to a 1986 edition of the book,
Anthony Burgess wrote:
[''Augustus Carp Esq, by himself: being the autobiography of a really good man''. First published in Bookmasters, 1985, by the Boydell Press, an imprint of Boydell and Brewer Ltd, Fifth Printing, 1986 ]
The book you have in your hands or hand or on your knee is one of the great comic novels of the twentieth century.
In the same edition of that book,
Frank Muir wrote:
One of those little masterpieces that seems to pop up from nowhere: a sovereign cure for morbid thoughts and lack of lustre.
Kenneth Williams also greatly enjoyed the book:
I had a great deal of trouble at the microphone when I read ''Augustus Carp'' for the BBC, caused by the need to stifle my laughter.
References
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External links
Full text of the novel with illustrationsReview of ''Augustus Carp, Esq.''
on The Neglected Books Page
1924 books
Satirical books