Henry l mencken a push books

Mencken described the work as my most important book in its effects upon my professional career. The mencken society promoting the living works of henry. On being an american baltimore evening sunoctober 11, 1920 peasant and cockney. No 49 the american language by hl mencken 1919 this declaration of linguistic independence by the renowned us journalist and commentator marked a. Mencken on teaching, enthusiasm and pedagogy a quote on teaching and enthusiasm. Mencken turned increasingly to writing books he had written eight on music. Mencken was perhaps americas most outspoken defender of liberty in the first half of the 20th century.

There is always a wellknown solution to every human problemneat, plausible and wrong. 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. Menckens most popular book is a mencken chrestomathy. But his opinion of the prewar south was quite different. Joshis anthology of menckens work on religion is a terrifically entertaining read. He attacked chiropractors and the ku klux klan, politicians and other journalists. Henry lewis mencken henry lewis mencken poems poem hunter. Essential readings for the nonbeliever, and a mencken chrestomathy, and more on. Such remarks are the enemy of real race realism, and fully deserve the environmentalist rebuttal which they are sure to receive. No one in this world has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Most of the books about mencken are of little worth. When this book was issued, i remarked that we had reached a point when there were more books about mencken than books written by mencken himself.

In fact, the book was considered vitriolic enough that menckens close friend alfred knopf was concerned about publishing. There is always a wellknown solution to every human. A contribution toward the interpretation of the national mind new york. Mencken was less an introduction than a confrontation. Mencken was born to germanamerican parents august mencken, a cigar factory owner and anna abhau mencken. Mencken became one of the most influential and prolific journalists in america in the 1920s and 30s, writing about all the shams and con artists in the world. Henry louis mencken 18801956 was an american journalist, editor, critic, and philologist. Joshi has begun issuing editions of menckens early newspaper and magazine work as part of a longrange project titled the collected essays and journalism of h. Henry louis mencken wikisource, the free online library. Henry loui s menck en september 12, 1880 january 29, 1956 was an american journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of american english. Happy days, heathen days, newspaper days, prejudices.

Mencken is one of the most feared and revered critics of the 20th century. Mencken s most popular book is a mencken chrestomathy. In 1906 he joined the staff of the baltimore sun, thus beginning an association which lasted until a few years before his death. Shortly after world war ii, mencken expressed his intention of bequeathing his books and papers to the pratt library. He is issuing these books through amazons createspace print and kindle ebook platforms. Mencken comes from an upperclass background in a wealthy portion of baltimore, maryland, in the late 19th. Henry louis mencken, 1880 1956 mencken is often cynical and shallow, but sometimes amusing or interesting. The fourth, fifth, and sixth series library of america by mencken, h. Now, fifty years after menckens death, the johns hopkins university press announces the buncombe collection, newly packaged editions of nine mencken classics.

Henry lewis mencken poems, quotations and biography on henry lewis mencken poet page. With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the language of the free lunch counter, henry louis mencken shook politics and politicians for nearly half a century. During the first half of the 20th century, henry louis mencken was the most outspoken defender of liberty in america. Menckenborn september 12, 1880 baltimore, marylanddied january 29, 1956 baltimore, maryland writer and editor the united states is incomparably the greatest show on earth. Some laud the book as progressive while others brand it as reactionary. Theres more to say about menckens views on the negro question and caste, but im splitting it.

And a major theme of his writings was that every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under. Henry louis mencken september 12, 1880 january 29, 1956 was a germanamerican journalist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of american english. The first american to be widely read as a critic was h. For better or worse, i am a child of the plains, and so my first experience with h. His satirical reporting on the scopes trial, which he dubbed the monkey tri al, also gained him attention. Mencken specified that it should never be published. Mencken room and collection is located at the central branch of the enoch pratt free library on cathederal street in baltimore. Free audio book that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player. I first learned of the sage of baltimore during his cameo appearance in a great plains history course, at the university of nebraska. He completed his primary education at professor knapps school.

In 19 books and thousands of essays, his writings are a treasure of wisdom couched in a sparkling wit. Mencken, in full henry louis mencken, born september 12, 1880, baltimore, maryland, u. There is always a wellknown solution to every human problemneat, plausible and. Born in baltimore, mencken always considered himself a southerner and from his father he had inherited a strong sympathy for the. At the age of 16, he graduated from baltimore polytechnic institute.

Menckens 1917 collection of essays criticizing american culture, authors, and movements. For the book by alasdair gray see the book of prefaces. Though he was not a distinguished stylist, the extraordinary vigor of his expression was memorable. Henry louis mencken was 76 years old when he died on 29th january 1956 ad. Read about how his writing helped influence much of the popular, social, and political culture. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Eight volumes will contain material from the smart set. Henry louis mencken 18801956 was born into a germanamerican family in baltimore, maryland. While mencken didnt champion womens rights, he described women as wiser in many novel and observable ways, while demeaning average men. Mencken attended a baltimore private school and the baltimore polytechnic. He spent thousands of dollars challenging restrictions on freedom of the press. Menckens 1918 book on women and the relationship between the sexes.

Read all poems of henry lewis mencken and infos about henry lewis mencken. The result is the most excruciatingly detailed mencken biography of them all. Writing books is certainly a most unpleasant occupation. Mencken says alls set to put young william over if wilson gives the word. Mencken has 241 books on goodreads with 119065 ratings. Mencken was born in baltimore, maryland in 1880 and died there in 1956. Diaries, the one by samuel pepys being the exception, seldom make for marvelous reading, and this is probably the only dull thing mencken ever wrote. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians and contemporary movements. You never push a noun against a verb without trying to blow up something. Menckens criticisms were leveled at the south of the early 1900s, a region still recovering from the devastation of the war and reconstruction. He began his long career as a journalist, critic, and philologist on the baltimore morning herald in 1899.