Record Number: 32994
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
‘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
Date:Between 6 Jun 1917 and 10 Jun 1917
Country:France
Timen/a
Place:city: Cerisy-Gailly
county: Somme
specific address: 41st Stationary Hospital
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:18 Mar 1893
Socio-Economic Group:Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder
Occupation:2/Lt., 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment (from 18 June 1916)
Religion:Christian (Anglican)
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:France
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author:O. Henry (pseud. Willam Sydney Porter
Title:unknown
Genre:Fiction
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceowned
sent by Owen's cousin Leslie Gunston
Source Information:
Record ID:32994
Source:Wilfred Owen
Editor:Harold Owen
Title:Wilfred Owen: Collected Letters
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1967
Vol:n/a
Page:468
Additional Comments:
Letter to Susan Owen, 10 June 1917, 41st Stationary Hospital, Cerisy-Gailly (Somme)
Citation:
Wilfred Owen, Harold Owen (ed.), Wilfred Owen: Collected Letters, (London, 1967), p. 468, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32994, accessed: 09 October 2024
Additional Comments:
Some of O. Henry's short stories had recently been published by Eveleigh Nash, as a collection in 1916, for example "The voice of the city : further stories of the four million" as well as earlier US collections from Doubleday.