Henry louis mencken wikisource, the free online library. Henry louis mencken 18801956 was born into a germanamerican family in baltimore, maryland. Before his appointment to this position in october 1953, he served for many years as drama and motionpicture editor for the same newspapers. The gist of nietzsche reprint 1910 nietzsche, friedrich wilhelm, 18441900, mencken, h. Mencken, albert jay nock, and henry adams all make appearances. Mencken a journalist and editor and cirtic created a new magazine aimed at the young partion of america. Dec 09, 2002 henry louis mencken was born in 1880, in baltimore, of german stock. Mencken, the caustic baltimore sun columnist and essayist. To read him today is to be plunged into an era whose. While mencken didnt champion womens rights, he described women as wiser in many novel and observable ways, while demeaning average men. Enoch pratt free library, baltimore, in accordance with the terms of the henry l.
Few writers roiled the american cultural scene like henry louis mencken. You never push a noun against a verb without trying to blow up something. A contribution toward the interpretation of the national mind new york. Chapter 23 notes 1920 1929 economic boom apush study. He worked as a reporter for the baltimore herald and rose quickly to become the newspapers city editor. Mencken s stalwart individualism awed young ayn rand who, in 1934, called him one whom i admire as the greatest representative of a philosophy to which i want to dedicate my whole life. Henry louis, 18801956 online books about this author are available, as is a wikipedia article mencken, h. Henry louis mencken september 12, 1880 january 29, 1956 was an american journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of american english. To be sure, mencken believed in a number of other things as well all quite fervently but there can be little doubt that his ideas on liberty are among his best and most interesting. Mencken 18801956 was a controversialist, humorous journalist, and pungent critic of american life who powerfully influenced u. Architects, painters, and musicians confront modern america edit edit source american cities boasted a total of 377 buildings over 22 stories tall. Attorneys office had defamed him repeatedly using the pseudonym of the famous writer. At its most plausible and useful it simply represents an attemp. It has 55,825 words and may take about over 3h to read.
Mencken on reclaiming democracy from the mob mentality. Most of these quotes are selected from minority report, h. Baltimore evening sun, july 14, 1925 about the author. He jeered at american sham, pretension, provincialism, and prudery, and he ridiculed the nations organized religion, business, and middle class or booboisie. His rewriting of the declaration of independence in plain american alone is worth the price of the book as is his analysis of william jennings bryan. In 1906 he joined the staff of the baltimore sun, thus beginning an association which lasted until a. Mencken s beloved baltimore, a port town on a saline outlet 45. Mencken show rebuts racism charge the new york times. He is issuing these books through amazons createspace print and kindle ebook platforms. Mencken 18801956, journalist, author and critic, worked as a reporter and drama critic for the baltimore morning herald from 1899 to 1906. They come mostly from books the six installments of the prejudices series, a book of burlesques, in defense of women, notes on democracy, making a president, a book of calumny, treatise on right and wrongbut there are also magazine and newspaper pieces that never got between covers from the american. The composition and revision of menckens treatise on the gods. Crimson cloth, title on label affixed to spine and front cover.
Mencken, has spent virtually all of his life in baltimore, maryland, where he was born in 1911. Menckens book about the english language as spoken in the united states. Mencken in late 19 in the offices of the baltimore sun, for which he was writing a rather celebrated column, the freelance. Pathbreaking journalist, trenchant social observer, and unbridled humorist, mencken was the most provocative and influential cultural critic of the last century. That mencken, who died in 1956, was perhaps best known for his satirical reporting of the 1925 scopes trial, which he dubbed the monkey trial. Book recommendations, author interviews, editors picks, and more.
Nock and mencken on democracy and equality lewrockwell. It is my secret ambition to be the author of a book weighing at least five pounds. Both defended laissezfaire but opposed the new deal, any. The gist of nietzsche the first edition rare books. Henry louis mencken was born september 12, 1880, in baltimore. Donald howe kirkley, sr, who interviews henry l mencken in these records, is television editor of the sun and the sunday sun, baltimore, maryland. He used this book and his articles in the smart set to promote the work of theodore dreiser, willa cather and sinclair lewis. From 1906 to the end of his working career he was at the baltimore evening sun where he wrote the column free lance in which he expressed his views on literature, politics and society. Mencken gave to the public his happy days, those who read it might well have been reminded of mark twain. It was as a club reporter on the sun in 1920 that mr kirkley first met mr mencken. Knopf, 1920, also by george jean nathan gutenberg text and page images. Mencken 18801956 were the two leading libertarian intellectuals of the old right, during the thirties of the twentieth century. Henry louis mencken was born in baltimore, maryland, to august mencken.
Henry l mencken the gist of nietzsche signed 1st edition 1910. What the author does so well is to explain insurrection with examples from daniel shays to timothy mcveigh, vigilantes from the regulators of 18th century south carolina to the bombing of abortion clinics today. This is a pre1923 historical reproduction that was. Pathbreaking journalist, trenchant social observer, and unbridled. The american language, first published in 1919, is h.
But i have seen none here at the wonderful lexington market, whither i have repaired as first stop on a pilgrimage to henry l. Mencken rose to national prominence as a journalist and correspondent for the baltimore sun. Mar 16, 2012 new orleans cn a federal prosecutors identity as blogger henry l. Mencken 1880 1956 was an american journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, acerbic critic of american life and culture, and a student of american english. Henry louis hl mencken september 12, 1880 january 29, 1956 was an american journalist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of american english. Mencken was a controversialist, humorous journalist, and pungent critic of american life who powerfully influenced u. Aug 20, 2007 collected works of henry louis mencken book. During his time at the journal 190823 mencken wrote ventures into verse 1903, the philosophy of friedrich nietzsche 1908, the artist. Some laud the book as progressive while others brand it as reactionary. The decisive influence of friedrich nietzsche on h.
Mencken, controversialist, humorous journalist, and pungent critic of american life who powerfully influenced u. Henry louis mencken was born in baltimore on 12th september, 1880. On the side, he wrote short stories, a novel, and even poetry which he later reviled. Mencken home, a west baltimore row house that is now a city museum and, although the unceremonious mencken would snort, also a national historic. A mencken chrestomathy by henry louis mencken 19490630. Mencken was born in baltimore, maryland in 1880 and died there in 1956.
According to the timespicayune, mencken1951s handle was in homage to henry louis h. Put these qualities together, and we are a long way toward explaining the route taken by henry louis mencken. Adapted from the libertarian legacy of the old right. From 1979 to1999, gutman served as president of the mencken society, an organization founded to encourage the reading of and research into the writings of henry l. You never push a noun against a verb without trying to blow up someth. Bookplate affixed to front end paper and ownership inscription of frank w. He began his long career as a journalist, critic, and philologist on the baltimore morning herald in 1899. Eight volumes will contain material from the smart set. Apr 15, 2015 that very day, mencken s father, attempting to learn how to work the machine, smashed all the lowercase rs, and young henry louis was forced to stamp his name as h.
Mencken is readily acknowledged in the vast literature on the great american journalist and social critic. Happy days, 18801892 by henry l mencken book the confident years. These have numbers in square brackets corresponding to the numbers in the book. Mencken quotes on politics, religion, and the american public view gallery famed for his rapier wit as much as his illtemperament, henry louis h. Collected poems of henry thoreau by henry david thoreau book 81 editions published between 1943 and 2010 in 3 languages and held by 2,049 worldcat member libraries worldwide. The mencken society promoting the living works of henry. He was the eldest son of august mencken, a successful businessman who owned a tobacco business, and in whose footsteps the young boy was expected to follow. That mencken, who died in 1956, was perhaps best known for his satirical reporting of the 1925. Mencken papers, rare books and manuscripts division, new york public library, astor, lenox and tilden foundations. Mencken 18801956 was a prolific and a preeminent american journalist, editor, and social commentator. It is only here that any novel idea, in any field of human relations, carries. Mencken, americas wittiest defender of liberty foundation. Mencken on liberty foundation for economic education. Feb 10, 1987 opening last week at the restored henry l.
To be sure, mencken believed in a number of other things as well all quite fervently but there can be little doubt that. Muller wishes tothank neiljordahl, head ofthe humanities department at the pratt free libraryinbaltimore, for his and his staffs help with this project. S t joshi from baltimore to bohemia the letters of h. At its most plausible and useful it simply represents an attempt to push. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. Mencken wrote to his english friend and biographer, ernest boyd, so far as i can make out, i believe in only one thing. Antichrist paperback by henry louis mencken, friedrich wilhelm nietzsche and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Democracy and representative government, journal of libertarian studies 23 2019.
Henry louis mencken available on project gutenberg. Joshi has begun issuing editions of mencken s early newspaper and magazine work as part of a longrange project titled the collected essays and journalism of h. Darrows eloquent appeal wasted on ears that heed only bryan, says mencken. Mencken on reclaiming democracy from the mob mentality that. The american language a preliminary inquiry into the. Mencken contrived that future generations would see his life as he desired them to. Henry louis mencken was born 125 years ago on sept.
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