The War of the Wenuses

Published in 1898, shortly after The War of the Worlds, this book is of course a parody of that work.
I confess I read it mostly for the fantastic cover, which is worth going and clicking on to view. I confess also that I read an ebook download from Project Gutenberg, but have chosen to cheat and show that I read this edition - again, for the cover.

I expect that a lot of the odd references are directly related to WOTW, and that if i had read that more recently (so long ago that it isn't even on my GR list, although I have seen the film a few years ago), I might have picked up a whole lot more of the jokes.

Certainly some funny parts - using W's in place of V's in the general text:

and in spite of all that has happened since I still remember our wigil very distinctly. (I spell it with a “w” from an inordinate affection for that letter.)

... That was the first hint I received of the wonderful wisit...
...then suddenly the Crinoline burst, revealing a wision of ultra-mundane lovelines...
...and the wengeance of my wife.
etc

Coming home, a party of bean-feasters from Wimbledon, Wormwood Scrubs, or Woking passed us, singing and playing concertinas. It all seemed so safe and tranquil. But the Wenuses were even then on their milky way.