The Efficiency Expert (novel)

The Efficiency Expert is a satirical novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first published in 1921 under the title The Mucker. It was later retitled The Efficiency Expert. The story follows Billy Byrne, a rough-and-tumble street fighter who, through a series of unexpected events, finds himself immersed in high society and attempts to apply principles of efficiency and pragmatism to various situations, often with humorous and chaotic results. The novel is known for its portrayal of social class differences and its critique of rigid societal norms. While initially serialized, the novel was eventually published as a complete work and remains one of Burroughs' lesser-known, yet distinctive, works outside of his more famous science fiction and fantasy series like Tarzan and John Carter of Mars.