Stephen Leacock

Born in Swanmore, England, on December 30, 1869, he moved to Canada as a child and was educated at Upper Canada College and the University of Toronto before earning a doctorate from the University of Chicago. He went on to teach economics and political science at McGill University, where he built a long academic career alongside his writing.

Leacock became famous for humorous sketches and satire, especially Literary Lapses, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, and Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich. At the height of his fame, he was often described as the best-known English-language humorist of his time, admired for writing that could be playful, gentle, and biting all at once.

He died on March 28, 1944, in Toronto. Today he is remembered as a major figure in Canadian literature: a writer who could make everyday life seem ridiculous and deeply recognizable at the same time.