The books fortynine selections give a wide sampling of menckens work, ranging from excerpts from the nostalgic days books to examples of menckens literary criticism, political essays, reporting, commentary and more. The american iconoclast and editor of mencken and sara. A carnival of buncombe maryland paperback bookshelf 9780801885556. Mencken, one of americas finest writers and perhaps its greatest journalist and chronicler of american english, are a virtuallyforgotten treasure trove of sparkling wit and deep wisdom. Hl mencken was a perceptive and more than a bit cynical critic of office holders and seekers unmatched in our day and. As a nationally syndicated columnist and book author, he commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians and. The sage of baltimore was born in 1880 and is regarded by many as one of the most influential american journalists, essayists, and writers of the early 20th century. Each library of america series volume is printed on acidfree paper and features smythsewn binding, a full cloth cover, and a ribbon marker. Mencken, george jean nathan, and willard huntington wright 64 downloads the borzoi 1920.
Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. Its all in wilsons hands, mencken concludes after looking around at frisco. Mencken turned increasingly to writing bookshe had written eight on music, literature, and philosophy by 1919. He jeered at american sham, pretension, provincialism, and prudery, and he ridiculed the nations organized religion, business, and middle class or booboisie. On being an american baltimore evening sunoctober 11, 1920 peasant and cockney. It arose from his passion for american speech which evolved spontaneously into something more dynamic than the english of england.
See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Mencken was inspired by the argot of the colored waiters in washington, as well as one of his favorite authors, mark twain, and his experiences on the streets of baltimore. He also found religion to be an adversary worthy of his attention and, in treatise on the gods, he offers some of his best shots, a choreographed cannonade. Mencken, controversialist, humorous journalist, and pungent critic of american. Mencken says alls set to put young william over if wilson gives the word. Menckens essay ponders how it is that political candidates are so often the. Mencken quotes on government, democracy, and politicians. This collection of seventy political pieces drawn from menckens famous monday columns in the. Jan 26, 2020 it was only after mencken and nathan left the smart set and cofounded the american mercury in 1924 that his interest, to the dismay of the literati he had boosted at the smart set, turned chiefly to politics and social issues.
No one ever argued more forcefully or with such acerbic wit against the foolish aspects of religion as h. Here the general average of intelligence, of knowledge, of competence, of integrity, of selfrespect, of honor is so low that any man who knows his trade, does not fear ghosts, has read fifty good books, and practices the common decencies stands out as brilliantly as a wart on a bald head, and is thrown willynilly into. Alamy t he american century began in 1917 when president wilson declared war on germany and shipped more than a million troops to france. Hl mencken was a perceptive and more than a bit cynical critic of office holders and seekers unmatched in our day and approached only by maureen dowd. Mencken september 12, 1880january 29, 1956, celebrated as the sage of baltimore, explored precisely that in an incisive article for the baltimore sun published in july of 1920 and later included in the posthumous mencken anothology on politics. Mencken is perhaps best known for his scathing political satire. There is more truth in these pages than most americans are willing to face. Mencken quotes inspirational quotes at brainyquote. Henry louis mencken 12 september 1880 29 january 1956, usually designated simply h. Nov 14, 2004 a statement attributed to american journalist h. Hl mencken 40 quotes about life for a pessimist books. Essential readings for the nonbeliever, and a mencken chrestomathy, and more on. Marion elizabeth rodgers, volume editor, is the author of mencken.
The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them. What are good starting books for mencken, rothbard and hayek. Lionheart, which was later included in a volume of his essays. What mencken delivers here is probably the most scathing attack on the idea of mass rule that has ever been written. On july 26, 1920, mencken published an oped in the baltimore evening sun titled bayard vs. Feb 28, 2017 politics sport business money opinion tech life style. Henry louis mencken was born in baltimore, maryland, on september 12, 1880. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians and contemporary movements. On menckens instructions, the diary, typewritten on 2,100 pages from 1930 to 1948, remained sealed for 25 years after his death in 1956. Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. The american language, first published in 1919, is h.
Yet he remained friendly with and wrote about hemingway, fitzgerald, faulkner, willa cather, dos passos, edmund wilson. Mencken 18801956 was an american journalist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of american english. In virtually every piece, mencken advances the view that politicians are thirdrate men, devoid of convictions, willing to follow any platform that will make them electable. Knopf, 1920, also by george jean nathan gutenberg text and page images. To recognize the great political writer on his birthday, here are 12 of my favorite mencken quotes. Menckens most popular book is a mencken chrestomathy. With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the language of the free lunch counter, henry louis mencken shook politics and politicians for.
His satirical reporting on the scopes trial, which he dubbed the monkey. Mencken, controversialist, humorous journalist, and pungent critic of american life who powerfully influenced u. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the white house will be adorned by a downright moron. It includes the essays one would count as the best of mencken. His satirical reporting on the scopes trial, which he dubbed the monkey trial, also gained him attention. Mencken quotes on politics, religion, and the american public view gallery famed for his rapier wit as much as his illtemperament, henry louis h. Mencken gained currency on many political blogs at the end of 2004 as an expression of the way many of president george w. It is surely one of the most bracing books on politics in the history of the english language. Henry louis mencken september 12, 1880 january 29, 1956 was an american journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of american english. But politicians, as far as mencken was concerned, had no monopoly on selfrighteous chestthumping, deceit, and thievery. Menckens essay ponders how it is that political candidates are so often the worst of peoplewithout honor or conviction.
The baltimore evening sun, where mencken once worked. That year marked the debut of his most enduring work. The sage of baltimore was born in 1880 and is regarded by many as one of the most. In the 1920s, when he was at the peak of his form, h. Being a sort of record of five years publishing inc. This library of america series edition is printed on acidfree paper and features smythsewn binding, a full cloth cover, and a ribbon marker.
Mencken would periodically collect his magazine work and publish his favorite pieces in a series of books. Jan 09, 2017 hl mencken aka henry mencken in the 1920s. Menckens lampoon of early 20th century politics is enjoying a revival as the 2000 presidential race inches to the finish line. Mencken and george jean nathan 108 downloads europe after 8. Mencken has 241 books on goodreads with 120395 ratings. The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. This book is a collection of political columns, written mostly for the baltimore sun, that h. Nov 14, 2016 the influential scholar, journalist, satirist, and cultural commentator h.
As a journalist, he gained national prominence through his newspaper columns describing the nowfamous 1925 scopes trial, which pitted fundamentalists against a public school teacher who dared to teach evolution. Mencken s book about the english language as spoken in the united states. Well worth reading in the context of the 2016 campaign season and early days of the trump administration. A contribution toward the interpretation of the national mind new york. Keener political awareness in the 18th century, the age of. Henry louis, 18801956 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article mencken, h. Mencken rose to national prominence as a journalist and correspondent for the baltimore sun.