Gideon Wurdz

author

Gideon Wurdz

b. 1875

Best known as the playful mind behind The Foolish Dictionary, this early-20th-century humorist wrote sharp, pun-filled books under the pen name Gideon Wurdz. Behind the jokes was Charles Wayland Towne, a newspaper man and magazine writer with a lasting taste for literary wit.

1 Audiobook

The Foolish Dictionary An exhausting work of reference to un-certain English words, their origin, meaning, legitimate and illegitimate use, confused by a few pictures [not included]

The Foolish Dictionary An exhausting work of reference to un-certain English words, their origin, meaning, legitimate and illegitimate use, confused by a few pictures [not included]

by Gideon Wurdz

About the author

Writing as Gideon Wurdz, Charles Wayland Towne was an American humorist born in 1875. He is remembered mainly for light, satirical books such as The Foolish Dictionary, along with other comic works including Foolish Finance and Eediotic Etiquette.

Sources from LibriVox and Wikisource identify Towne as the man behind the Gideon Wurdz name, and describe a career that included journalism and later magazine writing. A biographical sketch also notes that he graduated from Brown University, worked on the staff of The New York Times, and during World War I handled entertainment for troops in France.

His humor was built on wordplay, mock definitions, and cheerful nonsense, making his books feel clever without becoming heavy. Even now, the Gideon Wurdz name has a bright, old-fashioned comic charm that fits readers who enjoy quick jokes and literary parody.