Audiobook · read by volunteers
Who Was Who: 5000 BC - 1914 Biographical Dictionary of the Famous and Those Who Wanted to Be
Irwin Leslie Gordon (1888–1954)
Read by Jim Mowatt, Sean McGaughey, Alan Davis Drake (1945-2010), Laurie Anne Walden, Sibella Denton · 12 chapters · 3 h 02
About the book
Who Was Who is a book of famous people from the dawn of recorded history to the eve of the First World War, and Irwin Leslie Gordon is a most unreliable guide. Presented as a biographical dictionary of the great and the ambitious, it is in fact a humorous romp, with short entries that poke fun at kings, philosophers, generals and artists alike. The editor announces in the introduction that only persons able to produce proper evidence of their demise will be admitted, and the entries get stranger and funnier from there. It is a collection of short sketches, brisk and irreverent, that tickles the listener with its wit. If you like history served with a sly grin, this brief book will make you laugh and may even teach you something.
Introduction
Irwin Leslie Gordon (1888-1954) was a writer and editor. Who Was Who: 5000 BC to 1914, subtitled A Biographical Dictionary of the Famous and Those Who Wanted to Be, was published in 1915. It belongs to a lively tradition of comic reference books, in which the dignified form of the encyclopedia or dictionary is borrowed in order to be teased.
Gordon's introduction sets the tone. In it, the editor begs leave to inform the public that only persons who can produce proper evidence of their demise will be admitted. From this mock-solemn start the book proceeds through the centuries, offering potted biographies in which the facts are often bent, the opinions are cheerfully exaggerated and the tone is that of a friendly sceptic.
The humour is of its time, and some jokes will land more softly today than when the book appeared, but the format is surprisingly durable. Short entries, quick turns and a taste for irony make it an ideal volume to hear in small portions. It also offers a glimpse of what readers of the early twentieth century found funny about history and its heroes.
The recording has twelve chapters and lasts about three hours. It was read by LibriVox volunteers. It will suit listeners who enjoy light, witty writing and a playful take on the past. Because each entry is brief, it is easy to dip in and out, and a few chapters at a time make a cheerful break. Those who like their history with a twinkle will find a lot to enjoy in this slender volume.
Public domain
Irwin Leslie Gordon died in 1954: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text