The Benchley roundup

the long version

Robert C. Benchley's sketches and articles, published in periodicals like "Life," "Vanity Fair," and "The New Yorker," earned him a reputation as one of the sharpest humorists of his time. His influence on contemporaries such as E.B. White, James Thurber, and S.J. Perelman, or followers like Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Richard Pryor, has left an indelible mark on the American comic tradition. "The Benchley Roundup," a compendium of the most endearing and enduring work from one of America's funniest and most penetrating wits, includes some ninety-odd pieces selected by Benchley's son Nathaniel, "which seem to stand up best over the years." "It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by then I was too famous."--Robert Benchley.