The Bab Ballads

by W. S. Gilbert Narrated by LibriVox Community

Overview

The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert's childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations "Bab". (summary from wikipedia)e-text with illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Christian Science Monitor

Thanks to Mr. Ellis, all the known poems...dress-rehearsals as it were for the operas, are now printed together. And of course they are accompanied by the original Chesterton-delighting illustrations.

New Yorker

The Bab Ballads of W. S. Gilbert, admirably introduced and annotated by James Ellis, is a real treat.

New Yorker

The Bab Ballads of W. S. Gilbert, admirably introduced and annotated by James Ellis, is a real treat.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170309016
Publisher:	LibriVox
Publication date:	08/25/2014

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