Augustus Carp, Esq., by Himself: Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man

In this whimsically earnest memoir, a young man named Augustus Carp recounts his birth with the solemnity of a gospel and the flair of a stagehand’s program. He details his parents’ meticulous preparations, the oddities of his baptism, and the colorful characters—charwoman, vicar, and a mischievous rabbit—that populated his early days. The narrative is peppered with self‑deprecating humor, from childhood ailments to a series of comical mishaps that shaped his view of “goodness.”

As Augustus moves into school, his diary‑like voice captures the eccentricities of teachers, the bruises of playground skirmishes, and his father’s zealous interventions. He chronicles early ambitions, tentative forays into commerce, and the strange, often absurd, social rituals of his era. The first act sets a vivid stage for a life that balances earnest moral striving with the delightful absurdity of everyday Victorian society, inviting listeners to follow his charmingly self‑congratulatory journey.