The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)

"The Complete Works of Artemus Ward" by Artemus Ward is a collection of funny stories from the 1800s, filled with silly writings that make readers laugh while thinking about life. The book is a bunch of essays, short stories, and letters from Charles Farrar Browne, who wrote under the name Artemus Ward, and was famous for his humor and special way of writing when he made fun of things. The writings look at different topics, like what was going on in society, funny personal stories from when he worked as a showman, and silly comments about the news, always pointing out how strange people can be. The book starts with a story about the author's life, from when he was a kid to how he became a famous comedian. The first parts of the book are full of stories about meeting people in show business, talking to both regular audience members and famous people. Some of the best parts are his "business letters," which are funny stories about his work as a showman, using a funny way of talking to make the stories even more amusing. Also, Ward makes fun of religion, politics, and the rules of society, showing what life was like back then, with humor that's both appealing and critical of society.