'Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils,' wrote Edward Lear (1812-88), and this collection demonstrates the wonderfully varied ways in which he pursued his philosophy of life. He created an extraordinary world filled with bizarre creatures - from the Dong with a luminous nose to the Pobble who has not toes - who misbehave with joyful abandon. Here can be found such exuberant and timeless verse as 'The Owl and the Pussycat', 'The Quangle Wangle's Hat' and numerous comic limericks, along with stories, letters, alphabets and recipes, accompanied throughout with his fantastical line drawings.