Book Guide

Parnassus On Wheels is the story of a marvelous man, small in stature, wiry as a cat, yet Olympic in personality. Roger Mifflin is part pixie, part sage, part noble savage, and all God's creature. With his traveling book wagon, named Parnassus, he moves through the New England countryside of 1915 on an itinerant mission of enlightenment. Mifflin's delight in books and authors (if not publishers) is infectious. With his singular philosophy and bright eyes, he comes to represent the heart and soul of the book world.

In addition, Parnassus On Wheels is a roaring good adventure yarn, spiced with fiery roadside brawls, the most groaning boards in the history of Yankee cookery, heroic escapes from death, and a rare love story. In the course of his adventures Roger Mifflin shows how he makes bookselling one of the world's highest callings, one dispelling ignorance and causing constant delight and instruction Mifflin is indeed the father of Bookselling's royal family.

When Parnassus On Wheels originally appeared, the Boston Evening Transcript said of it: "To read Parnassus On Wheels is to be glad there are books in the world. It is graceful in style, light in substance, merry in its attitude toward life, and entertaining in every aspect of its plot and insight into character."

From the dust jacket of the 1955 J.B. Lippincott edition

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Christopher Morley

Christopher Morley

1890 - 1957
American
Essayist, theater producer, novelist, journalist and poet.... See more

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Content Guide

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Reviews

Plumfield and Paideia

Parnassus on Wheels
Reviewed by Sara Masarik
Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley is pure gold. This little book can be read in just a few sittings and will delight the reader the entire time. It is the story of a New England farm woman who buys a traveling bookstore simply so her brother won’t. What begins as a lark ends as a personal mission and way of life. And the entire time, the reader alternates between laughing and ruminating on some philosophical gem.

Read the full review on Plumfield and Paideia