Taboo A Legend Retold from the Dirghic of Sævius Nicanor, with Prolegomena, Notes, and a Preliminary Memoir

Taboo: A Legend Retold from the Dirghic of Sævius Nicanor, with Prolegomena, Notes, and a Preliminary Memoir by James Branch Cabell invites listeners into a slyly erudite satire that recasts myth, law, and custom with mordant wit. Framed as a recovered Dirghic legend and accompanied by prolegomena and a fictional memoir, Cabell’s narrative unspools episodes of fate, public opinion, and the absurd mechanics of respectability—where a chance meeting, a peculiar dispute, and the meddling of “the man in the street” expose the contradictions of moral authority. First issued in the early twentieth century, the work sits at the crossroads of classic mythmaking and modern ironic fiction, its tone both antique and pointedly contemporary. Cabell’s literary satire skewers censorship, legalism, and the performative rituals of social life without revealing the plot’s turns; the book rewards attention to its baroque language, clever footnotes, and philosophical asides. Perfect for listeners who enjoy literary fiction, satirical retellings, and witty, thought-provoking prose, this audiobook suits fans of classic literature and anyone who likes a smart, ironic take on how stories shape—and distort—public conscience.