Sign-In
Cart
A Man in the Zoo
Paperback
General FictionLiterary Fiction
ISBN13: 9781025822655
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 108
Weight: 0.36
Height: 0.22 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
A Man in the Zoo is a provocative and satirical novella that explores the complexities of human pride, love, and social identity. After a bitter quarrel with his lover, Josephine Lackett, John Cromartie takes the extraordinary step of offering himself to the London Zoo as a living exhibit of Homo sapiens. To his surprise, the authorities accept, and he is soon installed in an ape-house, becoming a sensation among the public.
This witty and allegorical work examines the thin line between civilization and the animal kingdom, as well as the inherent absurdity of human social conventions. As Cromartie adjusts to life behind bars, the story delves into themes of isolation, dignity, and the possessive nature of romantic relationships. David Garnett's sparse and elegant prose elevates this strange premise into a profound meditation on the human condition. A Man in the Zoo remains a sharp critique of early 20th-century sensibilities, blending dark humor with a keen psychological insight that continues to resonate with modern readers.
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.
3 different editions
Also available
Also from
Garnett, David
Language, Lies and Irrational Thinking: A Defence of Reason in an Unreasoning World
Garnett, David
Paperback
A Voyage to the Island of the Articoles: Voyage Au Pays Des Articoles. English
Garnett, David
Carrick, Edward
Maurois, Andre
Paperback
Also in
General Fiction
Elizabeth Spencer: Novels & Stories (Loa #344): The Voice at the Back Door / The Light in the Piazza / Knights and Dragons / Stories
Spencer, Elizabeth
Hardcover
Anniversaries, Volume 2: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl, April 1968-August 1968
Johnson, Uwe
Paperback
Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams: Short Stories, Prose, and Diary Excerpts
Plath, Sylvia
Paperback
Selected Writings: Robert Musil: Young Torless, Three Women, the Perfecting of a Love, and Other Writings
Musil, Robert
Agee, Joel
Paperback
Before Gatsby: The First Twenty-Six Stories
Bruccoli, Matthew J.
Baughman, Judith
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
Paperback