1 h 25 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if a self-proclaimed lord tells the world off—and leaves you to supply the punctuation?
In A Pickle for the Knowing Ones, Timothy Dexter has plenty to say about the world and himself. The Newburyport merchant, rich through speculation and lucky deals, calls himself a lord and a philosopher. His rants, boasts and complaints turn personal pride into the heart of this strange little collection.
Politics, clergy and his own wife all draw Dexter's grumbles. Orderly argument gives way to blunt opinion, while words follow the sounds in his head rather than familiar spelling. The text first appears without commas or full stops; a later addition offers punctuation marks for readers to place wherever they like.
What you’ll discover
- A lord by declaration Meet a merchant whose grand view of himself leaves little room for modesty.
- Words without brakes Follow blocks of unruly prose, where spelling and punctuation refuse familiar rules.
- Grievances on every side Explore complaints aimed at political leaders, clergy and the author's own wife.
- Philosophy with a boast Discover how Dexter's claim to greatness sits at the centre of his writing.
- An odd New England character Encounter early New England through a man determined to tell the world his mind.
Who will love it
For readers who love oddities, American folk history and writing that breaks every rule, and anyone curious about early New England character.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A tanner's boy becomes a self-made lord
- Spelling and punctuation are left to the reader
- Complaints about politics, clergy and wife
- Boasts that name him the greatest philosopher
- Luck, legends and a fortune made by accident
- Why a rude little book has lasted
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- 15-minute summary
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- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
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- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Un sottaceto per i sapienti
by Timothy Dexter · 1802
Timothy Dexter wants the world to take him seriously, offering boasts, grievances and punctuation you place yourself.
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In short
A Pickle for the Knowing Ones is a small book of rants, boasts and complaints, printed in 1802. Its author, Timothy Dexter, was a merchant from Newburyport, Massachusetts, who grew rich through speculation and a run of lucky deals.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A tanner's boy becomes a self-made lord
Timothy Dexter was born in 1747 in Malden, Massachusetts, into a poor farming family. As a boy he left school early and worked as a farmhand. He was then apprenticed to a leather dresser, a trade that taught him the value of steady work.
After his apprenticeship he moved to Newburyport, a busy seaport north of Boston. There he married Elizabeth Frothingham, a widow with some property. The match gave him a foothold in the town's trading life. He soon began to buy and sell goods and paper money.
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What is A Pickle for the Knowing Ones about?
It is a short collection of rants, boasts and opinions by Timothy Dexter. He complains about politicians, clergy and his wife, praises himself, and tells readers what he thinks of the world around him.
Why does A Pickle for the Knowing Ones have no punctuation?
The first printing left out punctuation and used sound-based spelling. A later printing added a page of marks and told readers to place them as they pleased, which works as a joke and a dare.
Who was Timothy Dexter?
He was an eccentric merchant from Newburyport, Massachusetts, who grew rich from speculation. He called himself Lord Timothy Dexter, built a house filled with statues, and died in 1806.
The author
Timothy Dexter
1747–1806 · American businessman and author
Timothy Dexter was an American businessman and author. He was born in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1747 and later lived in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He worked as a merchant and invested in government securities. In 1802, he published A Pickle for the Knowing Ones. He died in Newburyport in 1806.
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