Book ID: Not the Pickwick Papers
March 28, 2012 6:21 PM Subscribe
I'm trying to remember the name of a book I had when I was a kid. It's a collection of humorous stories about a family in turn-of-the-century-ish England or possibly East Coast USA. I always get the title confused with "The Pickwick Papers" so it must be similar to that.
I remember very little else. The family is well-meaning but pompous and rather dim. They tend to go about things in the most convoluted way possible, adding complication to complication to arrive at ultimately simple solutions.
Unfortunately, I don't remember any other details except that the eldest son was a college boy who wore pince-nez. I'm sure I'll recognize the title or the illustrations if I see them, though. Thanks for your help!
I remember very little else. The family is well-meaning but pompous and rather dim. They tend to go about things in the most convoluted way possible, adding complication to complication to arrive at ultimately simple solutions.
Unfortunately, I don't remember any other details except that the eldest son was a college boy who wore pince-nez. I'm sure I'll recognize the title or the illustrations if I see them, though. Thanks for your help!
Best answer: Yes, yes, The Peterkin Papers by Lucretia P. Hale! It's on Project Gutenberg.
The canonical Peterkin story is how Mrs. Peterkin adds salt instead of sugar to her coffee, and each member of the family suggests some more ludicrous solution (Agamemnon, the be-pince-nezed collegian, gets a local chemist to add a succession of acids; daughter Elizabeth Eliza goes to find herbal remedies from the old herb-woman; etc.) until the always-logical Lady from Philadelphia suggests that Mrs. Peterkin just throw the coffee away, pour herself a new cup, and add sugar this time.
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:36 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
The canonical Peterkin story is how Mrs. Peterkin adds salt instead of sugar to her coffee, and each member of the family suggests some more ludicrous solution (Agamemnon, the be-pince-nezed collegian, gets a local chemist to add a succession of acids; daughter Elizabeth Eliza goes to find herbal remedies from the old herb-woman; etc.) until the always-logical Lady from Philadelphia suggests that Mrs. Peterkin just throw the coffee away, pour herself a new cup, and add sugar this time.
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:36 PM on March 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Sorry, I somehow spaced on the Project Gutenberg link. This New York Review Books print edition is a nice recent edition.
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:42 PM on March 28, 2012
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:42 PM on March 28, 2012
Response by poster: Bam! You guys are great.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 6:42 PM on March 28, 2012
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 6:42 PM on March 28, 2012
The one I remember is when the piano is delivered with the keys facing the window. All well and good in the summer, but it's starting to get cold....the lady from Philly: Turn it around!
posted by brujita at 7:46 PM on March 28, 2012
posted by brujita at 7:46 PM on March 28, 2012
I remember this book fondly. Glad to hear there's a Gutenberg edition available.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 8:56 AM on March 29, 2012
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 8:56 AM on March 29, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by caclwmr4 at 6:26 PM on March 28, 2012 [3 favorites]