Zuleika Dobson

Meet Zuleika Dobson, a young woman whose chief attribute is an utterly devastating, albeit inexplicable, charm. She arrives at Oxford, ostensibly to visit her don-uncle, but in reality, to wreak glorious, unintentional havoc on the hearts of every undergraduate. From the Duke of Dorset, who falls so deeply he proposes almost immediately, to the entire male student body, Zuleika's presence ignites a collective, suicidal passion. Beerbohm, with his signature droll wit, chronicles this absurd epidemic of infatuation, where logic and self-preservation are no match for a pretty face and a complete lack of discernible talent. More than just a delightful Edwardian romp, *Zuleika Dobson* is a masterclass in comic satire. Beerbohm skewers the romantic excesses of youth, the insular world of Oxford, and the profound silliness of male infatuation, all while hinting at a future where talentless celebrity would reign supreme. It's a sparkling, perfectly pitched novel that feels both delightfully antiquated and eerily prescient, a testament to the enduring power of wit and the eternal folly of human desire.