Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich

[1] As Leacock thought humour to be 'the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life and the artistic expression thereof',[1] Acardian Adventures tends to steer slightly away from this form of 'kindliness', and, thus, ranks as one of his most scathing works, as well as arguably one of his funniest.

[3][4] While Leacock biographer Carl Spadoni has yet to find definitive evidence that a Russian edition exists, a communist-approved translation was printed in the German Democratic Republic in 1955.

[5] Leacock believed in the nobility of his fellow man while remaining sensitive to his fallibility, to his need to be reminded of his social responsibilities.While Arcadian Adventures takes place in an anonymous American city, and focuses upon the wealthy of that metropolis, Sunshine Sketches revolves around a small Canadian town, the fictional Mariposa, and her inhabitants.

[8] In many ways, the works should be read in tandem, as Sunshine Sketches exemplifies Leacock's ideal community, from the perspective of a traditional Tory, and Arcadian Adventures the vision to be avoided.

[9] Per the Chicago Evening Post: "Crisp conversation and paragraphs jammed with American sarcasm of the gilt-edged variety characterize this latest effort of a really humorous humorist.