Widely hailed as one of the finest humorists of the twentieth century, James Thurber looks back at his own life growing up in Columbus, Ohio, with the same humor and sharp wit that defined his famous sketches and writings. In My Life and Hard Times, first published in 1933, he recounts the delightful chaos and frustrations of family, boyhood, youth, odd dogs, recalcitrant machinery, and the foibles of human nature.

Characters include the maid who lives in constant fear of being hypnotized, a grandfather who believes that the American Civil War is still going on, a mother who fears electricity is leaking all over the house, and Muggs, “The Dog That Bit People.”

Includes well-known tales "The Night the Bed Fell," "The Day the Dam Broke," and "The Night the Ghost Got In."

Contains stories from James Thurber’s time in Columbus and life at 77 Jefferson Avenue (Thurber House).

New paperback edition.