Record Number: 33487

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Do you know this modern six-shilling mummer of "life," called Galsworthy? You may be aware that he has recently published, among other novels, a creation, "Beyond," and doubtless is now reaping the fat royalty, for everyone in England reads these false prophets now, and, of course, no-one ever reads a war book. They are, indeed, rather rotten form, and behind British masked convention there rests a much deeper, sadder reason—but this Galsworthy is positively jolly-well rottener! I this evening finished "Pendennis": likewise read a latter instalment of ["Beyond"]. I have read previous ones, but this capped it. Violently plunged from the dear old tale of egotistical Pen, ludicrous Foker, and good and saintly Helen and Laura ... into this shrieking twentieth-century sordidness of intrigue, seduction, and rampant infidelity ... Gad, I am sickened and everlastingly fed-up with this Galsworthy ...'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

13 Oct 1917

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Codford
county: Wiltshire
specific address: Camp 15
other location: Guard Room

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Wainwight Merrill

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

26 May 1898

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Gunner, Canadian Garrison Artillery

Religion:

Unknown

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

William Makepeace Thackeray

Title:

The History of Pendennis

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

33487

Source:

Print

Author:

Wainwright Merrill

Editor:

Charles M. Stearns

Title:

A College Man in Khaki: Letters of an American in the British Artillery

Place of Publication:

New York

Date of Publication:

1918

Vol:

n/a

Page:

186-7

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Wainwright Merrill, Charles M. Stearns (ed.), A College Man in Khaki: Letters of an American in the British Artillery, (New York, 1918), p. 186-7, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33487, accessed: 26 April 2025

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Additional Comments:

None