William Makepeace Thackeray
The Book of Snobs
"The Book of Snobs" by William Makepeace Thackeray is a collection of satirical works published in 1848. Originally appearing as weekly pieces in Punch magazine, this sharp social commentary dissects the snobbery permeating Victorian society in England and France. Thackeray skewers those who "give importance to unimportant things" and "meanly admire mean things," examining various social groups with biting wit. The immensely popular work thrust Thackeray into public prominence and helped popularize the very term "snob" itself, establishing what scholars call "the baptism of snobbery."