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Nonsense Books · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Nonsense Books by Edward Lear.

Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.

  1. Chapter 1

    How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear!

    A self-referential poem in which Edward Lear humorously describes himself, his appearance, habits, and eccentricities, reflecting on how he is perceived by others.

  2. Chapter 2

    Nonsense Books

    A collection of Edward Lear's nonsense verses and stories, featuring whimsical characters and absurd adventures that explore themes of love, adventure, and the peculiarities of life.

  3. Chapter 3

    A Book of Nonsense

    An Old Derry down Derry creates a book to bring joy and laughter to children, and they delight in its fun.

  4. Chapter 4

    Dedication

    Edward Lear dedicates his book of drawings and verses to the great-grandchildren, grandnephews, and grandnieces of the 13th Earl of Derby, noting that most of the works were originally created for their parents. The dedication is dated London, 1862.

  5. Chapter 5

    Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures

    A collection of short nonsense verses, each describing an eccentric old man or young person in a peculiar or absurd situation, often involving exaggerated physical features, bizarre behavior, or ironic outcomes.

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  1. Chapter 6Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets
  2. Chapter 7Nonsense Songs
  3. Chapter 8The Owl and the Pussycat
  4. Chapter 9I
  5. Chapter 10II
  6. Chapter 11III
  7. Chapter 12The Duck and the Kangaroo
  8. Chapter 13I
  9. Chapter 14II
  10. Chapter 15III
  11. Chapter 16IV
  12. Chapter 17V
  13. Chapter 18The Daddy Long-Legs and the Fly
  14. Chapter 19I
  15. Chapter 20II
  16. Chapter 21III
  17. Chapter 22IV
  18. Chapter 23V
  19. Chapter 24VI
  20. Chapter 25VII
  21. Chapter 26The Jumblies
  22. Chapter 27I
  23. Chapter 28II
  24. Chapter 29III
  25. Chapter 30IV
  26. Chapter 31V
  27. Chapter 32VI
  28. Chapter 33The Nutcrackers and the Sugar-Tongs
  29. Chapter 34I
  30. Chapter 35II
  31. Chapter 36III
  32. Chapter 37IV
  33. Chapter 38V
  34. Chapter 39VI
  35. Chapter 40Calico Pie
  36. Chapter 41I
  37. Chapter 42II
  38. Chapter 43III
  39. Chapter 44IV
  40. Chapter 45Mr. and Mrs. Spikky Sparrow
  41. Chapter 46I
  42. Chapter 47II
  43. Chapter 48III
  44. Chapter 49IV
  45. Chapter 50V
  46. Chapter 51VI
  47. Chapter 52VII
  48. Chapter 53The Broom, the Shovel, the Poker, and the Tongs
  49. Chapter 54I
  50. Chapter 55II
  51. Chapter 56III
  52. Chapter 57IV
  53. Chapter 58The Table and the Chair
  54. Chapter 59I
  55. Chapter 60II
  56. Chapter 61III
  57. Chapter 62IV
  58. Chapter 63V
  59. Chapter 64Nonsense Stories
  60. Chapter 65The Story of the Four Little Children Who Went Round the World
  61. Chapter 66The History of the Seven Families of the Lake Pipple-Popple
  62. Chapter 67Chapter I: Introductory
  63. Chapter 68Chapter II: The Seven Families
  64. Chapter 69Chapter III: The Habits of the Seven Families
  65. Chapter 70Chapter IV: The Children of the Seven Families Are Sent Away
  66. Chapter 71Chapter V: The History of the Seven Young Parrots
  67. Chapter 72Chapter VI: The History of the Seven Young Storks
  68. Chapter 73Chapter VII: The History of the Seven Young Geese
  69. Chapter 74Chapter VIII: The History of the Seven Young Owls
  70. Chapter 75Chapter IX: The History of the Seven Young Guinea Pigs
  71. Chapter 76Chapter X: The History of the Seven Young Cats
  72. Chapter 77Chapter XI: The History of the Seven Young Fishes
  73. Chapter 78Chapter XII: Of What Occurred Subsequently
  74. Chapter 79Chapter XIII: Of What Became of the Parents of the Forty-Nine Children
  75. Chapter 80Conclusion
  76. Chapter 81Nonsense Cookery
  77. Chapter 82Three Receipts for Domestic Cookery
  78. Chapter 83To Make an Amblongus Pie
  79. Chapter 84To Make Crumbobblious Cutlets
  80. Chapter 85To Make Gosky Patties
  81. Chapter 86Nonsense Botany
  82. Chapter 87Nonsense Alphabets
  83. Chapter 88More Nonsense Pictures, Rhymes, Botany, etc.
  84. Chapter 89Nonsense Botany
  85. Chapter 90One Hundred Nonsense Pictures and Rhymes
  86. Chapter 91Twenty-Six Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures
  87. Chapter 92Laughable Lyrics: A Fourth Book of Nonsense Poems, Songs, Botany, Music, etc.
  88. Chapter 93Laughable Lyrics
  89. Chapter 94The Dong with a Luminous Nose
  90. Chapter 95The Two Old Bachelors
  91. Chapter 96The Pelican Chorus
  92. Chapter 97The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò
  93. Chapter 98I
  94. Chapter 99II
  95. Chapter 100III
  96. Chapter 101IV
  97. Chapter 102V
  98. Chapter 103VI
  99. Chapter 104VII
  100. Chapter 105VIII
  101. Chapter 106IX
  102. Chapter 107The Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò
  103. Chapter 108The Pobble Who Has No Toes
  104. Chapter 109I
  105. Chapter 110II
  106. Chapter 111III
  107. Chapter 112IV
  108. Chapter 113V
  109. Chapter 114VI
  110. Chapter 115The New Vestments
  111. Chapter 116Mr. and Mrs. Discobbolos
  112. Chapter 117I
  113. Chapter 118II
  114. Chapter 119III
  115. Chapter 120IV
  116. Chapter 121The Quangle Wangle’s Hat
  117. Chapter 122I
  118. Chapter 123II
  119. Chapter 124III
  120. Chapter 125IV
  121. Chapter 126V
  122. Chapter 127VI
  123. Chapter 128The Cummerbund
  124. Chapter 129I
  125. Chapter 130II
  126. Chapter 131III
  127. Chapter 132IV
  128. Chapter 133V
  129. Chapter 134The Akond of Swat
  130. Chapter 135Nonsense Botany
  131. Chapter 136Nonsense Alphabets
  132. Chapter 137List of Illustrations