The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 2: War

In the chaos of the American Civil War, one man saw absurdity everywhere. Charles Farrar Browne, writing as the bombastic showman Artemus Ward, turned the nation's bloodiest conflict into material for some of the sharpest satire in American letters. This volume gathers his wartime writings: mock-travelogues through the South, tongue-in-cheek observations on patriotism, and the hilarious tale of his wax figure show being confiscated by Confederate soldiers who mistook the mannequins for spies. Ward's genius lies in his refusal to take sides seriously. He mocks jingoism, exposes the hypocrisy on both sides, and finds comedy where others saw only catastrophe. His deadpan delivery and elaborate nonsense anticipate the great American humorists who would follow. These essays appeared in newspapers during the war itself, making them among the first satirical responses to events as they happened. For readers who think the Civil War was all solemn duty and tragic sacrifice, Ward offers a necessary correction: Americans have always laughed at themselves, even in their darkest hours.