First serialized in Punch in 1888, The Diary of a Nobody is the record of fifteen months in the life of Charles Pooter—a mundane and upright city clerk—his family, friends, and small circle of acquaintances. It is a humorous record of the manners, customs, and experiences of Londoners in the late-Victorian era. The term “Pooterish, ” which denotes someone who takes himself excessively seriously has remained a part of British parlance ever since. The book itself has never been out of print since its original publication in 1892.
Circa l’autore
George Grossmith (1847-1912) was an English comedian, composer, actor, and singer. He created comic operas, musical sketches, songs and piano pieces. He is best remembered for his memorable stage performances of Gilbert and Sullivan characters and for the collaboration with his brother Weedon that created the immensely popular comic novel, The Diary of a Nobody, published in 1892.