Publisher's Synopsis
A House Boat on the Styx is a satirical novel written by American author John Kendrick Bangs. The story revolves around a group of famous historical and fictional characters who reside on a houseboat that floats on the River Styx in the afterlife. The houseboat is captained by Charon, the ferryman of Hades, and serves as a meeting place for the likes of Shakespeare, Napoleon, Cleopatra, and many others.The novel is a humorous take on the afterlife and the idea of eternal rest. The characters, who are all dead, continue to argue and bicker amongst themselves, proving that even in death, old habits die hard. The book is divided into several chapters, each of which features a different character or group of characters, and their adventures on the houseboat.Throughout the novel, Bangs uses satire to poke fun at the famous figures and their personalities, while also commenting on the human condition and the nature of death. The book is a light-hearted and entertaining read, perfect for those who enjoy humorous and satirical literature.1895. Illustrated. Bangs wrote mostly comic satirical fiction and is immortalized by the term Bangsian, which refers to a fantasy set in the afterlife, usually involving famous dead folk as the characters. Contents: Charon Makes a Discovery; A Disputed Authorship; Washington Gives a Dinner; Hamlet Makes a Suggestion; The House Committee Discuss the Poets; Some Theories, Darwinian and Otherwise; A Discussion as to Ladies' Day; A Discontented Shade; As to Cookery and Sculpture; Storytellers' Night; As to Saurians and Others; and The Houseboat Disappears. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
