They say that some people have a difficult time making their excuses and saying goodbye. When, exactly, does one wear out his welcome? The answer to this is found in the awful, yet humorous, fate of one Melpomenus Jones. “The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones” is representative of author Stephen Leacock’s writing style where he pokes fun at social absurdities and irrational behaviour. This short story was adapted into a short animated film in 1983.

HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

Award-winning Canadian humorist and writer Stephen Leacock (1869-1944) was the author of more than 50 literary works, and between 1915 and 1925 was the most popular humorist in the English-speaking world. Leacock’s fictional works include classics like Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich, and Literary Lapses. In addition to his humor writings, Leacock was an accomplished political theorist, publishing such works as Elements of Political Science and My Discovery of the West: A Discussion of East and West in Canada, for which he won the Governor General's Award for writing in 1937. Leacock’s life continues to be commemorated through the awarding of the Leacock Medal for Humour and with an annual literary festival in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario.

Stephen Leacock's profile page