'My literature has been “The Pit”, Frank Norris’s wheat hoarding story, and the two books of riff-raff, very tangy, cynical and amusing, by O. Henry. One story, "Roads of Destiny" struck me as first-class, but the majority of his work, though clever, is too topical to last very long.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edmund Blunden Print: Book
'Lunched alone at the hotel, reading with indecent hilarity O. Henry's "Gentle Grafter", as good short stories as you want; almost worthy to rank with Maupassant, Kipling and Wells.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ronald Storrs Print: Book
'Wrote up, finished O. Henry's "Cabbages and Kings" (an inferior S. American "South Wind" but good) and some more G. [Geoffrey] Scott. Bed 10.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ronald Storrs Print: Book
'You ask me whether I prefer a long letter or a
short letter. I prefer a long letter to a short
letter. No, I am not reading Shakespeare just at
present. I am reading the complete works of O. Henry
who is the American Shakespeare and the American
Chekhov and the American Gorki and the American
Kipling. And the American Maupassant.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Maurice Baring Print: Book
‘We make another sally today … I have the parcel, and the letters and J.
Oxenham’s books … "The V.[Vision] Splendid" contains several real poems:
those indeed which you [i.e., Owen’s mother] have marked. But the
majority of the things have no poetic value at all. The “Cross Roads” is very
very good. Otherwise the book has little Pacific Value, if you understand me
… "Barbe of Grand Bayou" seems a little too idyllic so far. Oxenham’s aim
seems to be to unsophisticate the reader. It is very pleasant to be
reminded of Brittany, which seems not to be of this continent at all … The
book is at the opposite pole from the O. Henry books which Leslie sent me.
Impossible to read them together … At the same time I am at p. 50 of A. &
E. Castle’s recent book: "The Hope of the House", which promises well, and
which I can recommend … I am in haste to pack … I crave Travel and shall
be pleased like any infant to get into a puff-puff again.’
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Wilfred Owen Print: Book
'Eleanor in great pain. Very brave but
collapsed—throat ghastly. O Henry ... no good
as a pick-me-up. Tried gramophone—better ...
One feels so isolated all alone with a very
sick girl. Every one is away and I want the sea—the sea. Went for a walk in Kensington
Gardens. Read Bertrand Russell, Problems of
Philosophy. Remembered my throat paint. Tried
it, did Eleanor good. We sat & watched her
cough up matter into the basalt bowl. Normally
it would have made us both sick, as it was we
were wild with interest.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Franeis Butts Print: Book
