The World of Li'l Abner

There is no excuse to review The World of Li'l Abner. As John Steinbeck says in his introduction, "It is my claim that Capp is probably the greatest contemporary writer." Everybody who has followed Li'l Abner through the years knows this, and the rest don't deserve to. So the idea of an introductory volume is inherently ridiculous.

Although Capp planned the volume to have hard covers and dignity, this edition has soft covers and dignity. On the front cover set against a picture representing Sadie Hawkins Day musical note appears which apparently refers to the musical comedy Li'l Abner, for which there are also a few words of advertisement. On the back cover there is a picture of Al Capp grinning. Inside are Dumpington Van Lump, P. Fangsgood Droolsby, Big Barnsmall, the outside man at the Skonk Works, Joe Btfsplk, the world's greatest jinx, and Fearless Fosdick, all of whom have their imitators in life.

In each of the ten archetypal adventures, Li'l Abner and his friends are wriggled out of one difficulty only to fall into another. Victim of Capp's slightest whim, even Li'l Abner's pig must (barely) wriggle out of being turned into the Ecstasy Sauce that Bounder J. Roundheels must have for the Roast Rump of Tree Dwelling Elephant that will get him into the Gourmet's Club. From the first Sadie Hawkins' Day episode in which L'l Abner wriggles out of Daisy Mae's arms into those of a jackass, to the last where he is "hopelessly, permanently, (maybe) married," nothing is certain in this uselessly enjoyable book where all the natives of Dogpatch gleefully race "their (gulp!) destiny to a (sob) stalemate."