The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear

The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear

Summary

Welcome to the world of Edward Lear!

Wonderfully reissued in 2012 to celebrate the bicentenary of Edward Lear, this exquisitely-illustrated hardback is a classic in the making. John Vernon's Lord's stunning illustrations completely capture the spirit and satirical wit of Lear's work, conveying a lifelong enthusiasm for Lear's nonsense.

'Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils', wrote Edward Lear (1812-88)

The perfect gift for both Lear fans and those discovering his work for the first time.

Reviews

  • The reissue of this beautiful book is a bicentennial tribute to Edward Lear. All the best known verses, such as "The Owl and the Pussy Cat", "The Jumblies" and "The Dong with the Luminous Nose", are included, but there are also less familiar but equally captivating poems as well as hundreds of pithy limericks. The result is a fantasy feast, the absurdity of which John Vernon Lord captures perfectly in his detailed and literate illustrations
    Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian

About the authors

Edward Lear

Lear was an artist, illustrator, author and poet. 'The Owl and the Pussy-cat' is Lear's most popular work and has been loved by readers of all ages for generations.
Learn More

John Vernon Lord (Illustrator)

John Vernon Lord is an award-winning author-illustrator who has been working for nearly 50 years. He has illustrated many classic texts by Aesop, Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear, as well as his own stories, and he was also a distinguished lecturer and teacher of illustration for 45 years until his retirement.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more