Isaac Bickerstaff, Physician and Astrologer

** "Isaac Bickerstaff, Physician and Astrologer" by Richard Steele is a compilation of essays presented through the eyes of Isaac Bickerstaff, a made-up doctor and stargazer. It's a look at how people acted and what they valued back in the early 1700s. The essays are funny, but they also make you think about the way people lived then. The beginning tells us who Bickerstaff is supposed to be, claiming he's from an important family, and says he's going to make fun of society. He doesn't just point out what's wrong; he also uses smart humor to talk about things like marriage, being too proud, and how silly people can be. He uses a mix of jokes, smart ideas, and interesting stories to talk about love, getting married, and the funny things people do. **