Beasts and Super-Beasts

A nervous visitor is told a story about a family tragedy; a boy outwits his aunt; a dull commuter invents a tale about a pullet; a cattle painter finds an ox in a lady's morning-room. These are just a few of the situations in Beasts and Super-Beasts, Saki's 1914 collection of short stories, in which the polite surface of Edwardian life is repeatedly punctured by mischief, irony and the unexpected.

Saki, the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro, was one of the sharpest comic writers of his age. In these stories he turns his attention to hostesses and guests, club bores and clever children, animals and practical jokers. The tales are short, often only a few pages, and they move with a light, precise touch towards endings that are frequently surprising and sometimes unsettling. Readers who enjoy the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse or the darker comedy of Roald Dahl will find much to admire here.

This edition contains the complete text of Beasts and Super-Beasts, a new introduction, a character guide, a summary of the stories, a discussion of themes, a glossary of period words and phrases, and questions for reading groups. It is designed for readers coming to Saki for the first time and for those who already know his work.