Stephen Leacock originally published his collection of amusing and satirical short tales, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. The book gives a humorous portrait of its residents and their quirks in the imaginary tiny town of Mariposa, Ontario, Canada, where it is located. The interrelated stories include a variety of characters, including the pompous and conceited politician Josh Smith, the eccentric inventor Peter Pupkin, the domineering and gossipy Mrs. Josiah B. Flack, and the well-intentioned but inept town policeman Mr. Henry Mullins. Leacock makes fun of small-town life and the attitudes and behaviours of its residents in his humorous and amusing writing. Moreover, he utilises the tales to make political and social commentary on bigger topics, such as the rot in the political system and the rise of materialism in society. Sunny Sketches of a Small Town has persisted as a great work of Canadian literature despite its concentration on a particular age and location and continues to be cherished for its comedy and perceptive observation on human nature.