20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or David Copperfield

This was a pleasant collection of a variety of essays and short articles written by Benchley and published in several different magazines of the times. Benchley had a fertile mind for the use of wordplay. His little works displayed a strong knowledge of puns and farce. The title of the book itself has no actual meaning related to the contents. He just liked the title. All of these short pieces were written before his relationship with “The New Yorker” magazine came into effect. One of his best customers seemed to be the “Detroit Athletic Club News,” followed by “Life” magazine. Each of them was a treat to read. His type of humor has virtually disappeared from the American scene, as has similar material by his fellow Algonquin Round Table members. His works are hard to find.