This is a selection of essays in stylistics by John M Dienhart (1939-2004) which are now collected for the first time. The essays investigate a variety of linguistic aspects of texts from different genres: from punning riddles and other kinds of humorous text to fictional prose and poetry. The essays are characterised by their pedagogical style and analytical insight and illustrate in an exemplary way how work in stylistics may simultaneously contribute to our understanding of a given text and of a particular linguistic phenomenon. John Dienhart was a dedicated linguist who loved his work and undertook all his projects with great commitment -- a commitment and enthusiasm which are unmistakably evident in the essays of this book.