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The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025532141
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 494
Weight: 1.51
Height: 0.99 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel is a brilliant collection of satirical verse and prose that remains a cornerstone of American humor. The work follows the philosophical and often cynical observations of Archy, a cockroach who was a free-verse poet in a previous life. Each night, Archy laboriously jumps onto the keys of a typewriter to record his thoughts, resulting in a unique style characterized by a lack of capitalization and punctuation-as a cockroach simply cannot manage the shift key.
Archy's primary companion and foil is Mehitabel, a resilient and toujours gai alley cat who claims to be the reincarnation of Cleopatra. Through their witty dialogues and adventures, the text explores themes of reincarnation, social hierarchy, and the absurdity of the human condition. Accompanied by the expressive and iconic illustrations of George Herriman, the narrative captures the spirit of the Jazz Age while offering timeless commentary on life and survival.
This enduring classic is celebrated for its linguistic creativity and its ability to blend whimsical animal fables with sharp, sophisticated wit. Whether reflecting on the trials of a poet's soul or the chaotic life of the city streets, The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel stands as a masterpiece of literary satire that continues to delight readers with its eccentric charm and profound insights.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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