This comic novel by brothers George and Weedon Grossmith remains as entertaining and relevant today as the day it was first published. When it first appeared as a Punch magazine serial in 1888-89, The Diary of a Nobody became a minor sensation for its quirkiness and wit. George Grossmith was already an accomplished musical entertainer, having contributed to Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas during the 1870s and 1880s, while Weedon was a notable actor and playwright. Combining their talents into this book, the result is an astute and amusing social satire with plentiful relevance even today. Much of The Diary of a Nobody's humour is derived from the protagonist's unwarranted sense of self-importance. Charles Pooter commonly affirms his sense of worthiness the text, but in actuality undergoes a series of small humiliations in social life, all the while striving for goals which had become common tropes of the lower-middle classes in English society.

With an Introduction and Notes by Michael Irwin, Professor of English Literature, University of Kent at Canterbury. The Diary of a Nobody is so unassuming a work that even its author, George Grossmith, seemed unaware that he had produced a masterpiece. For more than a century this wonderfully comic portrayal of suburban life and values has remained in print, a source of delight to generations of readers, and a major literary influence, much imitated but never equalled. If you don't recognise yourself at some point in The Diary you are probably less than human. If you can read it without laughing aloud you have no sense of humour.

Charles Pooter of Upper Holloway, a middle-class clerk with social aspirations far beyond his status, has decided the world deserves to hear his diary. He has one night, a troupe of actors and an empty stage to impart the woes of his humdrum existence to anyone who will listen. Adapted by Hugh Osborne from the Victorian comedy of manners, Diary of a Nobody features a small cast uproariously recreating the trials and tribulations of Pooter's daily grind in Victorian London. Premiered at Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton, in March 2011, this highly energetic adaptation is also ideal for amateur theatre companies wanting to stage a freewheeling version of a classic novel.

'I fail to see - because I do not happen to be a "Somebody" - why my diary should be not be interesting' Mr Pooter is a man of modest ambition, content with his clerkly lot. So why is he always in trouble with disagreeable tradesmen, impudent young clerks and wayward friends? And what is he to do about his son Lupin's distinctly unsuitable choice of bride? However hard he tries, life piles its little mishaps on his head - but he's not about to give up.

`Why should I not publish my diary? I have often seen reminiscences of people I have never even heard of, and I fail to see - because I do not happen to be a `Somebody' - why my diary should not be interesting.' The Diary of a Nobody (1892) created a cultural icon, an English archetype. Anxious, accident-prone, occasionally waspish, Charles Pooter has come to be seen as the epitome of English suburban life. His diary chronicles encounters with difficult tradesmen, the delights of home improvements, small parties, minor embarrassments, and problems with his troublesome son. The suburban world he inhabits is hilariously and painfully familiar in its small-mindedness and its essential decency. Both celebration and critique, The Diary of a Nobody has often been imitated, but never bettered. This edition features Weedon Grossmith's hilarious illustrations and is complemented by an enjoyable introduction discussing the book's social background and suburban fiction as a genre. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

‘I fail to see – because I do not happen to be a “Somebody” – why my diary should not be interesting’

Mr Pooter is a man of modest ambitions, content with his ordinary life. Yet he always seems to be troubled by disagreeable tradesmen, impertinent young office clerks and wayward friends, not to mention his devil-may-care son Lupin’s unsuitable choice of bride. Try as he might, he cannot avoid life’s embarrassing mishaps. In the bumbling, absurd yet ultimately endearing figure of Pooter, the Grossmiths created an immortal comic character and a superb satire on the snobberies of middle-class suburbia – one which also sends up late Victorian crazes for Aestheticism, spiritualism and bicycling, as well as the fashion for publishing diaries by anybody and everybody.

This edition contains the original illustrations by Weedon Grossmith, further reading and an introduction by Ed Glinert discussing the novel’s initial serialization in Punch, reactions to Pooter, the growth of suburbs and the figure of Mrs Pooter.

The Diary of a Nobody is a comic masterpiece that has been hugely influential since its first publication in 1892.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features Weedon Grossmith’s original illustrations and an afterword by novelist Paul Bailey.

Proud to be ensconced with his wife Carrie at ‘The Laurels’ in the desirable London suburb of Holloway, bank clerk Charles Pooter decides to keep a diary. From the frequent visits from his dear friends Mr Cummings and Mr Gowing to the ups and downs of his feckless son Lupin, the self-regarding Mr Pooter considers, mistakenly, that all aspects of his life are worthy of note. The result is a hilarious spoof and a perfectly pitched satire on late Victorian society.