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The 13 Clocks and The Wonderful O
The Thirteen Clocks is a mixture of fairy tale, parable, and poetry. It has everything to please everybody. There is a princess in distress, a prince in disguise, a wicked uncle, and a last minute race between good and evil which is as exciting as any thriller. James Thurber wrote it, when he was supposed to be writing something quite different, because he couldn’t help himself, which must be why it bubbles with gaiety and wit, and why everybody who has read it immediately wants to read it all over again.
The Wonderful O, the second story in this book, is about two abominable villains, a man with a map and a man with a ship, who sail to the island of Coroo in search of treasure and, when they can’t find it, revenge themselves on the gentle inhabitants by banning everything with an O in it. First they take the O’s out of all the words and then they start forbidding such things as dogs, cottages, coconuts, and dolls. They are just getting round to forbidding mothers when the islanders decide there are four things with an O in them that must not be lost. Three of them are ‘hope’, and ‘love’ and ‘valour’. The fourth and most important is really the whole point of The Wonderful O, which is a wonderful book.
The Wonderful O, the second story in this book, is about two abominable villains, a man with a map and a man with a ship, who sail to the island of Coroo in search of treasure and, when they can’t find it, revenge themselves on the gentle inhabitants by banning everything with an O in it. First they take the O’s out of all the words and then they start forbidding such things as dogs, cottages, coconuts, and dolls. They are just getting round to forbidding mothers when the islanders decide there are four things with an O in them that must not be lost. Three of them are ‘hope’, and ‘love’ and ‘valour’. The fourth and most important is really the whole point of The Wonderful O, which is a wonderful book.
158 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
4 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
James Thurber
357 books607 followersThurber was born in Columbus, Ohio to Charles L. Thurber and Mary Agnes (Mame) Fisher Thurber. Both of his parents greatly influenced his work. His father, a sporadically employed clerk and minor politician who dreamed of being a lawyer or an actor, is said to have been the inspiration for the small, timid protagonist typical of many of his stories. Thurber described his mother as a "born comedienne" and "one of the finest comic talents I think I have ever known." She was a practical joker, on one occasion pretending to be crippled and attending a faith healer revival, only to jump up and proclaim herself healed.
Thurber had two brothers, William and Robert. Once, while playing a game of William Tell, his brother William shot James in the eye with an arrow. Because of the lack of medical technology, Thurber lost his eye. This injury would later cause him to be almost entirely blind. During his childhood he was unable to participate in sports and activities because of his injury, and instead developed a creative imagination, which he shared in his writings.
From 1913 to 1918, Thurber attended The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He never graduated from the University because his poor eyesight prevented him from taking a mandatory ROTC course. In 1995 he was posthumously awarded a degree.
From 1918 to 1920, at the close of World War I, Thurber worked as a code clerk for the Department of State, first in Washington, D.C. and then at the American Embassy in Paris, France. After this Thurber returned to Columbus, where he began his writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch from 1921 to 1924. During part of this time, he reviewed current books, films, and plays in a weekly column called "Credos and Curios," a title that later would be given to a posthumous collection of his work. Thurber also returned to Paris in this period, where he wrote for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.
In 1925, he moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, getting a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Post. He joined the staff of The New Yorker in 1927 as an editor with the help of his friend and fellow New Yorker contributor, E.B. White. His career as a cartoonist began in 1930 when White found some of Thurber's drawings in a trash can and submitted them for publication. Thurber would contribute both his writings and his drawings to The New Yorker until the 1950s.
Thurber was married twice. In 1922, Thurber married Althea Adams. The marriage was troubled and ended in divorce in May 1935. Adams gave Thurber his only child, his daughter Rosemary. Thurber remarried in June, 1935 to Helen Wismer. His second marriage lasted until he died in 1961, at the age of 66, due to complications from pneumonia, which followed upon a stroke suffered at his home. His last words, aside from the repeated word "God," were "God bless... God damn," according to Helen Thurber.
Thurber had two brothers, William and Robert. Once, while playing a game of William Tell, his brother William shot James in the eye with an arrow. Because of the lack of medical technology, Thurber lost his eye. This injury would later cause him to be almost entirely blind. During his childhood he was unable to participate in sports and activities because of his injury, and instead developed a creative imagination, which he shared in his writings.
From 1913 to 1918, Thurber attended The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He never graduated from the University because his poor eyesight prevented him from taking a mandatory ROTC course. In 1995 he was posthumously awarded a degree.
From 1918 to 1920, at the close of World War I, Thurber worked as a code clerk for the Department of State, first in Washington, D.C. and then at the American Embassy in Paris, France. After this Thurber returned to Columbus, where he began his writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch from 1921 to 1924. During part of this time, he reviewed current books, films, and plays in a weekly column called "Credos and Curios," a title that later would be given to a posthumous collection of his work. Thurber also returned to Paris in this period, where he wrote for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.
In 1925, he moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, getting a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Post. He joined the staff of The New Yorker in 1927 as an editor with the help of his friend and fellow New Yorker contributor, E.B. White. His career as a cartoonist began in 1930 when White found some of Thurber's drawings in a trash can and submitted them for publication. Thurber would contribute both his writings and his drawings to The New Yorker until the 1950s.
Thurber was married twice. In 1922, Thurber married Althea Adams. The marriage was troubled and ended in divorce in May 1935. Adams gave Thurber his only child, his daughter Rosemary. Thurber remarried in June, 1935 to Helen Wismer. His second marriage lasted until he died in 1961, at the age of 66, due to complications from pneumonia, which followed upon a stroke suffered at his home. His last words, aside from the repeated word "God," were "God bless... God damn," according to Helen Thurber.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 6, 2017
I don't think I've ever read a book like this before.
I started reading it with my boys on recommendation of a friend, who said he'd enjoyed it as a young lad. The book contains two stories (each as completely bonkers as the other); the first about an evil duke who is imprisoning a beautiful princess (until a prince turns up to rescue her, of course) - and the second about an insane vagabond who goes seeking treasure then ends up banning everything with an 'o' in it.
My boys thoroughly enjoyed the madcap unpredictability of it all, especially The Wonderful O, and the lyrical language used is a total joy, sometimes it veers into rhyming, but it's always quite elusive, which adds to its charm. At times, the writing teeters towards waffling, but Thurber usually manages to scoop it back round to the plot before too long.
It's refreshing to read something like this with kids, as it's so different to what's out there at the moment. However, don't expect an easy read, as it's not. It's ungraspable, strange and pretty surreal...!
I started reading it with my boys on recommendation of a friend, who said he'd enjoyed it as a young lad. The book contains two stories (each as completely bonkers as the other); the first about an evil duke who is imprisoning a beautiful princess (until a prince turns up to rescue her, of course) - and the second about an insane vagabond who goes seeking treasure then ends up banning everything with an 'o' in it.
My boys thoroughly enjoyed the madcap unpredictability of it all, especially The Wonderful O, and the lyrical language used is a total joy, sometimes it veers into rhyming, but it's always quite elusive, which adds to its charm. At times, the writing teeters towards waffling, but Thurber usually manages to scoop it back round to the plot before too long.
It's refreshing to read something like this with kids, as it's so different to what's out there at the moment. However, don't expect an easy read, as it's not. It's ungraspable, strange and pretty surreal...!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2024
I will never ever stop loving James Thurber and everything he wrote.
"O-lessness is now a kind of cult in certain quarters," Hyde observed, "a messy lessness, whose meaninglessness none the less attracts the few, first one or two, then three or four, then more and more. People often have respect for what they cannot comprehend, since some men cannot always tell their crosses from their blessings, their laurels from their thorns."
"Books can be burned," croaked Black.
"They have a way of rising out of ashes," said Andreus.
"These are but shadows," quavered Black. "I ripped the O from heroes and from fools!"
"But not from love," said Andrea, "or from affection, and not from memory or recollection."
"O-lessness is now a kind of cult in certain quarters," Hyde observed, "a messy lessness, whose meaninglessness none the less attracts the few, first one or two, then three or four, then more and more. People often have respect for what they cannot comprehend, since some men cannot always tell their crosses from their blessings, their laurels from their thorns."
"Books can be burned," croaked Black.
"They have a way of rising out of ashes," said Andreus.
"These are but shadows," quavered Black. "I ripped the O from heroes and from fools!"
"But not from love," said Andrea, "or from affection, and not from memory or recollection."
January 21, 2017
This has long been a favourite book of mine and I have read it many, many, times since childhood. Ostensibly a children's book (my copy is a Puffin paperback), it is probably better appreciated by adults. It consists of two short, unrelated stories. As a child, my favourite was always The 13 Clocks. A fairytale like story about a prince fulfilling a quest to win the hand of the princess. It is filled with quirky humour, an evil duke, and 13 clocks that have all stopped. The Wonderful O is a pirate story with many literary references (and also a couple of very nasty villains). But it's really something of a linguistic exercise about words with the letter "O" in them. Great fun!
May 13, 2018
This was a Neil Gaiman recommendation from his book A View from the Cheap Seats. This book contains two stories that go back to what fairy tales really should be about...dastardly villains! What I also love is what lacks in so many books today - real intelligence and an obvious effort by the author to portray not only a good story, but a clever read. I’m privileged to have read these tales, but not only because they are original, funny and brilliantly written, but also because you can tell that Thurber took time and delight in writing them.
I will definitely keep to read to my son when older and until then reread again and again.
I will definitely keep to read to my son when older and until then reread again and again.
March 14, 2013
Bought this as much for the Ronald Searle illustrations as because of Thurber himself - also previewing whether it might be good bed-time reading for a 5-year-old (conclusion: wait a couple of years).
While the writing and inventiveness is plainly quite sophisticated, I wasn't really noticing the specific literary devices for which it is famous as I was going through.
This edition includes "The Wonderful O", a sort of allegorical fantasy quite reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth (which I am hardly the first person to point out).
While the writing and inventiveness is plainly quite sophisticated, I wasn't really noticing the specific literary devices for which it is famous as I was going through.
This edition includes "The Wonderful O", a sort of allegorical fantasy quite reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth (which I am hardly the first person to point out).
December 10, 2015
Absolutely brilliant. Two very engaging and educational stories, beautifully written, and utterly superb to read aloud.
This is a first-class example of a book that should be read to every child, and that in due course of time every child should be able to read for themselves. It makes the present-day offerings of childrens’ books for sale in bookshops look entirely inadequate.
I have seen “The 13 Clocks” performed, excellently and very enjoyably, as a school play.
This is a first-class example of a book that should be read to every child, and that in due course of time every child should be able to read for themselves. It makes the present-day offerings of childrens’ books for sale in bookshops look entirely inadequate.
I have seen “The 13 Clocks” performed, excellently and very enjoyably, as a school play.
January 30, 2011
Love it. Read it 'til the pages fell out, then read it some more only carefully.
July 5, 2018
Another book that I turn to when I need cheering up. The 13 Clocks is a fairy tale with all that a fairy tale should have; A wicked villain, a beautiful princess, a dashing hero (in disguise . . .) and more than one curse in effect. All turns out well, of course, it is a fairy tale (as I think I may have mentioned) after all but that won't stop you worrying that the Prince will be slit from his guggle to his zatch or that the Princess will be forced to marry the evil Duke. You will fear the sound of rabbits screaming, the smell of old, unopened rooms or that something made of lip will gleep as it comes for you.
The Wonderful O tells the tale of a band of pirates led by Black and Littlejack who terrorise the population of a small island in search of a treasure that they believe is buried there. When the treasure cannot be found, they oppress the islanders by forbidding the use of the letter O. Of course it doesn't end there but the islanders eventually overthrow their oppressors and all is, again, well.
The Wonderful O tells the tale of a band of pirates led by Black and Littlejack who terrorise the population of a small island in search of a treasure that they believe is buried there. When the treasure cannot be found, they oppress the islanders by forbidding the use of the letter O. Of course it doesn't end there but the islanders eventually overthrow their oppressors and all is, again, well.
October 1, 2014
Picked this up at a used bookstore for $2 last night, and took it with me to Jury Duty today. As it turned out, we were all sent to a courtroom almost immediately, so I only got to read it at lunch. Happily, I was dismissed from the jury, so I read the rest of The 13 Clocks to celebrate. After dinner I thought, what the heck, and read The Wonderful O.
The 13 Clocks was more fun, but The Wonderful O had its moments, too, so I'd recommend them to anyone in the mood for some silliness. The Wonderful O is indeed about the letter O, so expect a lot of fun with language (did anyone else read "Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn?). For that matter, the author has a lot of fun with the language in The 13 Clocks, too.
These have been reprinted in the NYRB Children's Collection, so you don't have to haunt the used bookstores looking for another old $2 copy. And there's always the library!
The 13 Clocks was more fun, but The Wonderful O had its moments, too, so I'd recommend them to anyone in the mood for some silliness. The Wonderful O is indeed about the letter O, so expect a lot of fun with language (did anyone else read "Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn?). For that matter, the author has a lot of fun with the language in The 13 Clocks, too.
These have been reprinted in the NYRB Children's Collection, so you don't have to haunt the used bookstores looking for another old $2 copy. And there's always the library!
January 16, 2014
This is one of my all time favourite books. It's incredibly joyful, rollicking, sly, wry, witty and brilliant fun. Its turns of phrase are so delightful that they stick in your mind and pop out at odd moments.
It's wonderful to read out loud, and it's one of the few books I've read that does not become less delightful with time. I have not found many other people who have read this book, but in my mind it is an absolute essential.
It's wonderful to read out loud, and it's one of the few books I've read that does not become less delightful with time. I have not found many other people who have read this book, but in my mind it is an absolute essential.
June 6, 2016
This is one of the few books that when you're selecting 5 stars, 'it was amazing' you think to yourself this book is, in the most literal sense, amazing. Wordplay like this, I have not read before. The skill is astonishing, and rhythm in the word arrangements sometimes enchanting. The stories or plots are almost irrelevant. It's about the words.
In 'The Wonderful O', the lists read/sound like music. They go on a bit.. but every symphony has it's highlights.
Quite an experience.
In 'The Wonderful O', the lists read/sound like music. They go on a bit.. but every symphony has it's highlights.
Quite an experience.
April 3, 2019
First read when I was a child and I've adored it ever since. Thurber is a wonderful storyteller and his invented fairytales are witty and clever and full of enchantment. I read it often and enjoy it as much (or even more) every time. This Puffin edition has illustrations by Ronald Searle and they are absolutely perfect. Thurber loves words and uses them with instantly beguiling dexterity.
March 7, 2019
Thurber is a wonderful wordsmith. Adorable tales, not treacly, but fun.
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March 11, 2020Read this like a million years ago when I was a kid, and I still wonder where ones guggle and zatch are. Thats all I remember about this book tbh.
January 31, 2021
Thurber’s wonderfully bonkers children’s books were so short that Puffin reissued two of them in one edition in the 1960s. This is very convenient because Thurber’s writing is the kind that leaves you wanting more. Having finished The 13 Clocks, the reader finds The Wonderful O lined up, ready and waiting. It’s hard not to just plough on through.
But Thurber’s prose is carefully crafted. He’s a man who clearly loved the actual process of writing. Sure, there are stories here and with vivid characters and plot devices, but the real magic lies at the molecular level of morpheme, word and sentence.
I read this aloud to Mrs Arukiyomi and was so glad I did so. The rhyme and rhythm bounce off the tongue so easily. This is writing that was intended to be read aloud, and aloud it should be read.
Both stories have a common moral message: controlling those around you to satisfy your own greed will end badly for you. And while the wordplay is alive within them both, the two stories are told in very different ways.
The 13 Clocks is a simple fairy tale in essence, with a captive princess, an evil uncle, a daring hero and some magic along the way. It’s The Wonderful O, though, that will be memorable for me.
In search of hidden treasure, the evil Black and Littlejack arrive at an island aboard their ship, the curiously named Aeiu. They set about ransacking the place but find no trace of the fabled jewels they seek to steal. Realising that everything they’ve looked in so far (closets, pools, roofs and woods) contains the letter O, Black issues an edict
As more and more Os are removed, the islanders rue the loss of poetry, pianos, flowers and forests and Thurber has great fun with the resulting language which even leads to breakdowns in communication between the evil duo.
This was particularly enjoyable to read aloud, too. Kids and adults alike will love it. But aside from the humour, there’s a deeper message here about language, how we police it and why we do so. That message is still very relevant today.
Children’s literature the world over has given us illustrations of lasting brilliance. Very, very few adult books can hold a candle to them. The only ones that really comes to mind are Mervyn Peake’s self-illustrated Gormenghast series.
With Thurber blind while composing these, illustrator Robert Searle asked him to describe his characters and their environment. From those descriptions, he created his fabulous illustrations, and they are a very fitting tribute to Thurber’s tales.
For more reviews and the 1001 Books Spreadsheet, visit http://arukiyomi.com
But Thurber’s prose is carefully crafted. He’s a man who clearly loved the actual process of writing. Sure, there are stories here and with vivid characters and plot devices, but the real magic lies at the molecular level of morpheme, word and sentence.
I read this aloud to Mrs Arukiyomi and was so glad I did so. The rhyme and rhythm bounce off the tongue so easily. This is writing that was intended to be read aloud, and aloud it should be read.
Both stories have a common moral message: controlling those around you to satisfy your own greed will end badly for you. And while the wordplay is alive within them both, the two stories are told in very different ways.
The 13 Clocks is a simple fairy tale in essence, with a captive princess, an evil uncle, a daring hero and some magic along the way. It’s The Wonderful O, though, that will be memorable for me.
In search of hidden treasure, the evil Black and Littlejack arrive at an island aboard their ship, the curiously named Aeiu. They set about ransacking the place but find no trace of the fabled jewels they seek to steal. Realising that everything they’ve looked in so far (closets, pools, roofs and woods) contains the letter O, Black issues an edict
I’ll get rid of O, in upper case and lower … and so the locksmith became a lcksmith…
As more and more Os are removed, the islanders rue the loss of poetry, pianos, flowers and forests and Thurber has great fun with the resulting language which even leads to breakdowns in communication between the evil duo.
This was particularly enjoyable to read aloud, too. Kids and adults alike will love it. But aside from the humour, there’s a deeper message here about language, how we police it and why we do so. That message is still very relevant today.
Children’s literature the world over has given us illustrations of lasting brilliance. Very, very few adult books can hold a candle to them. The only ones that really comes to mind are Mervyn Peake’s self-illustrated Gormenghast series.
With Thurber blind while composing these, illustrator Robert Searle asked him to describe his characters and their environment. From those descriptions, he created his fabulous illustrations, and they are a very fitting tribute to Thurber’s tales.
For more reviews and the 1001 Books Spreadsheet, visit http://arukiyomi.com
November 5, 2012
The 13 Clocks is wonderful, an absolute delight. Thurber's wordplay is marvellously inventive, and the fairytale manages to be both funny, subversive and emotionally engaging. I read this aloud to my eldest son, and we were both completely captivated by the duke who has murdered time, the Minstrel who wishes to marry the princess, and his impossible quest.
The second story in this volume, The Wonderful O is good, but not quite the treasure found in the first story. It delights in rhyme and wordplay, but is pretty incoherent as a story.
The second story in this volume, The Wonderful O is good, but not quite the treasure found in the first story. It delights in rhyme and wordplay, but is pretty incoherent as a story.
November 28, 2024
Thurber’s work is generally delightful, and this is no exception. He has a host of very interesting characters in this fairytale- which has a host of really unique characters and situations. The main plot isn’t a new one- a damsel in distress must be rescued.
The methods and madness are where the “interesting” lie. Also the use of language is a real treat. I read the more recent reprint with some really lovely illustrations.
The methods and madness are where the “interesting” lie. Also the use of language is a real treat. I read the more recent reprint with some really lovely illustrations.
July 24, 2012
I've reread these books many times, and they are perfect fairytales, with the special Thurber touch. James Thurber loved to play with language, so that many parts read more as poetry than prose. The Gollux, the only gollux in the world, with his indescribable hat, is a unforgettable character.
Not just for children, but terrific fun for everyone.
Not just for children, but terrific fun for everyone.
September 6, 2018
I absolutely love these kinds of books, ones that are easy to read but still interesting for older readers - and they never get old! This must be my fourth time reading, but I still immensely enjoyed it! I would 100% recommend for when you want a break from big, challenging books, or when you’ve got a huge book/series on the go. Just hilarious
March 24, 2008
I read this book during two class periods in the 4th grade, and was enchanted by it. What I remember standing out to me was the beauty of the words and poetry of the writing. This is a great children's story, but I think that if I read it again now I would still love it!
January 24, 2009
This book is so good I started reading it aloud to myself. The sounds roll along, the word choice apt, and the story fairytale -ish. I wish I had this book growing up, but it was equally fun to read it for the first time this week!
June 3, 2009
This was one of the many books I read while staying with my cousins on holidays at Lake Tekapo. Their holiday house bookshelf was full of good things. Even though I read it many years ago, fragments of it stay with me even now. So clever, so funny!
November 6, 2009
A wonderful book I read aloud to an appreciative audience not long ago. The writing is crystal clear, funny, droll, quite exquisite. It's the only Thurber I've read, and the illustrations by Ronald Searle are really great. I can recommend it for any ages.
January 19, 2011
I remember reading this book as a child and thinking the stories were wierd and very odd, unlike anything I had ever read before. But entertaining nonetheless, as obviously I am now recalling them many years later.
May 20, 2025
What a strange little book. It appears to be for children, but it is not. It was rather interesting I must admit. I found it in a library discard pile.
August 24, 2016
Two brilliant alternative fairy-tales, with magical and unexpected use of language.
May 1, 2020
Magical, funny, cynical, wonderful.
Read
May 27, 2021I enjoyed this little fairytale. Intriguing, clever. Give it a try.
October 11, 2022
“It was funny. Remember “Geep! Whuppled the parrot’?”
January 29, 2025
Two absolutely masterful, wonderful, incredible, unrelated yet inseperable stories for both little ones and once-littles.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews