John Kendrick Bangs 
Idiot [PDF ebook] 

Today, quirky or eccentric outsiders are often afforded a measure of tolerance or even respect. In the nineteenth century, however, these original thinkers were often regarded as dangerous crackpots and subjected to scorn — or worse. John Kendrick Bangs’ The Idiot follows the ups and downs of one such unfortunate fellow in a most amusing fashion.