Mr. Lear: A Life of Art and Nonsense

The beauty of this hefty and hearty book is that Uglow (In These Times: Living in Britain Through Napoleon’s Wars, 1793–1815), armed with her prodigious knowledge of 19th-century England, places her subject at center stage as she follows the wandering life of Edward Lear (1812–1888) from birth to death. Lear’s reputation rests primarily on his fame as a writer of whimsical nonsense verse, especially “The Owl and the Pussycat” and “The Jumblies.” Uglow puts just as much effort and detail into chronicling Lear’s lesser-known life as a skilled draftsman and painter, illustrated with multiple examples of his work, and as a tireless traveler in Greece, India, Italy, and Palestine, among other places, as shown in numerous passages from his journals and letters. Encyclopedic in content, Uglow’s bountiful book illuminates numerous facets of Lear’s life and work, touching on, among other subjects, his relationship with Alfred, Lord Tennyson as both friend and creative collaborator, and his reading of Charles Darwin’s revolutionary theories (Uglow notes Lear’s human characters are “curiously fluid, morphing into animals and birds, with elongated limbs, arms turning into wings, noses into beaks”). Definitive and accessible, Uglow’s rich book about a richer life is thoroughly captivating fare for leisurely, curled-up reading. [em](Apr.) [/em]