S. J. Perelman’s Dawn Ginsbergh's Revenge (1929) is a witty and inventive parody of popular romantic fiction and the melodramatic clichés of pulp magazines of its era. Written when Perelman was still a young humorist, the work already showcases the sharp satire, playful absurdity, and linguistic brilliance that would later make him one of America’s most celebrated humor writers and a frequent contributor to The New Yorker.
Presented as a spoof of a conventional love story, the book follows the misadventures of its heroine, Dawn Ginsbergh, whose journey through romance and intrigue is exaggerated to the point of the surreal. Perelman gleefully dismantles the tropes of sentimental literature, poking fun at overwrought emotions, improbable plots, and the artificial glamour of mass-market storytelling.
What emerges is not only a parody of formulaic novels but also a sly commentary on American popular culture of the 1920s. Perelman’s dazzling wordplay, quick-fire wit, and satirical exaggerations create a narrative that is as entertaining as it is irreverent.
Though less known than his later work, Dawn Ginsbergh's Revenge remains a fascinating early glimpse into Perelman’s comic genius, offering readers both laughter and a reminder of how literature can expose the absurdities of its own conventions.
