# Satire

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satire/500302>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 19, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satire/500302 "2009-06-19T16:27:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satire/500302/21 "2009-06-22T16:09:23Z")

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> [@wintertime](#):
>
> I think, the earlier Discworld novels, like Moving Pictures, lack the critical attitude to qualify as satires; imo, they are parodies.

I agree. For the record I think the other Discworld book I read was _Small Gods_, and at the same time I read _Good Omens_. None of it was bad, but I prefer the Hitchhiker’s books - and I apologize for the obvious comparison - because I found them weirder and more critical.

I’ve read through C in _Devil’s Dictionary_. I don’t think I’ll be able to read it straight through because it’ll get repetitive, but parts of it were very funny. Interestingly it feels more dated to me than _Gulliver’s Travels_ did.

While I don’t think his stuff really falls into the category of this thread, I’m amazed by S.J. Perelman’s material. It’s crazy.

I am definitely interested in checking out some of the other works posted here - I did read Catch-22 long ago and thought it was excellent - but it will probably take a while. On top of what I bought over the weekend, I was just given John Swartzwelder’s first book and I need to read that.

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/satire/500302/22 "2009-06-22T17:38:59Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> I’ve read through C in _Devil’s Dictionary_. I don’t think I’ll be able to read it straight through because it’ll get repetitive, but parts of it were very funny.

Legend has it that Lenin used to read dictionaries for relaxation.

Taking the DD one letter at a time (with long gaps in between) might well save you from becoming a revolutionary leader of some notoriety.

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