The Next Hundred Lears: Limericks After Lear Book Two
Edward Lear gave Nonsense to Victorians gasping for light relief, and opened their eyes to what could be done with a limerick. His Book of Nonsense was a runaway bestseller.
Years later he tried to revisit that success with a hundred new limericks in the style of his first 112. But while his earlier verses are still fondly remembered today, still anthologised, still quoted in mainstream and social media, his next hundred limericks are largely unknown.
Why?
Because the limerick had moved on where Lear had not. The little verse, with a supercharged fifth line, was romping towards the twentieth century with outlandish, irreverent and often obscene delight. Lear couldn’t follow, and was left behind.
But all is not lost. The Next Hundred Lears presents a brand new, punchlined, family-friendly limerick for each of Lear’s forgotten creations. His original hundred are here as well.
The Next Hundred Lears: two hundred limericks you won’t have met before. 😊