“John O’Hara had three great themes: class, sex, and drinking,” Charles McGrath writes in his Introduction. Yes, I have most these stories in other John O’Hara collections, but I couldn’t resist this Library of America volume. It’s 860 pages of great writing! I consider John O’Hara one of the great short story writers of the 20th Century (his novels are more problematic). The 60 short stories in this book cover a broad range of American Life in the middle decades of the past century. I like what what Gay Telese said about John O’Hara: “He gave people like me a sense of a larger America. He got inside the political back rooms and the parlors and told us what Americans said, how they lived, the details of the clothing, the shoes, the cars.” If you’re looking for a collection of short stories by a master story-teller, John O’Hara: Stories delivers. Do you have a favorite John O’Hara story? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
On His Hands
Early Afternoon
It Must Have Been Spring
Over the River and Through the Wood
The Doctor’s Son
Price’s Always Open
Are We Leaving Tomorrow?
The Cold House
Trouble in 1949
Do You Like It Here?
Too Young
Bread Alone
The King of the Desert
Summer’s Day
Graven Image
The Next-to-Last Dance of the Season
The Pretty Daughters
Common Sense Should Tell You
Ellie
The Moccasins
A Phase of Life
Time to Go
Encounter: 1943
The Heart of Lee W. Lee
The War
The Time Element
Family Evening
Requiescat
Imagine Kissing Pete
Call Me, Call Me
Mrs. Stratton of Oak Knoll
You Can Always Tell Newark
In the Silence
Winter Dance
Appearances
Your Fah Neefah Neeface
Justice
The Lesson
Pat Collins
Agatha
Exterior: with Figure
The Flatted Saxophone
The Man on the Tractor
At the Window
The Answer Depends
Can I Stay Here?
I Spend My Days in Longing
I Can’t Thank You Enough
In the Mist
Afternoon Waltz
The Assistant
Fatimas and Kisses
Natica Jackson
How Old, How Young
The Farmer
We’ll Have Fun
The Sun Room
A Man To Be Trusted
The Journey to Mount Clemens
Christmas Poem
Have to admit that I have never read any O’Hara. Maybe I’ll see what my library has next time I go.
Steve, give “Over the River and Through the Wood” a try.
I know I’ve said it many times before but I think between John O’Hara and John P. Marquand you get a pretty good idea of the early and mid-20th century American experience: Marquand with WASPS and O’Hara with second-generation Catholics (primarily Irish and Italian). I’m sure this edition of his work makes reference to the fact that O’Hara published over 200 short stories in the New Yorker alone and is primarily responsible for what we think of as “a New Yorker short story.”
My favorite O’Hara short story is “Imagine Kissing Pete”–the almost-novella-length story of a complicated marriage which starts on the rebound, endures infidelities (on both sides), separation, much drinking (an O’Hara staple), but survives. The story ends with the couple at their youngest child’s college graduation.
Deb, I love “Imagine Kissing Pete.” And I enjoy when O’Hara pulls a surprise ending in O. Henry style.
I really like O’Hara, and I’m glad to see this edition. He’s become something of a forgotten writer.
Bill, George V. Higgins was a big fan of John O’Hara, too. Higgins wrote a great book on writing where he used plenty of O’Hara examples.
The stories you’ve mentioned are definitely favorites, but I’ve read over 300 of his stories and it would be hard to single one or two out. Even though I’m sure I’ve read all of these I might have to get it. Soon after I started the “story a day” challenge I discovered O’Hara, and in 1997 I tried to track down every story – yes, I kept a list! – and read them all. I started in the obvious places – COLLECTED STORIES and GIBBSVILLE, PA. – but got every library book available even if there was only one story I hadn’t read, plus bought others I’d missed.
O’Hara is right up there in my top 3 or 4 when it comes to short stories. I loved that George V. Higgins book too.
Jeff, I keep track of the books I read in an ACCESS database, but I don’t keep track of the short stories I read. Most of the stories are in book collections or anthologies anyway.
I kept track of his only because he wrote so many stories and I was trying to get all of them.
But in the last three years I have started to keep track of ALL the stories I’ve read in a little notebook.
Jeff, I find it hard enough to keep track of the books I read!
I pre-ordered this when I first heard of it months ago and so far I’ve enjoyed just looking through the material in the back, which seems quite thorough. You’ve gotta love these LOA volumes. It seems unlikely that I’ll find any stories I haven’t already read, but who cares? Picking a favorite story would be virtually impossible, but “Over the River and Through the Wood” is a great choice. About five years ago I decided to tackle the novels, and only have three left–“From the Terrace”, “Ourselves to Know”, and “The Lockwood Concern”. It’s hard to argue against his first two novels, but I consider “The Big Laugh” to be underrated. Also, one of the early novels, “Hope of Heaven”, is quite good.
Michael, I haven’t read HOPE OF HEAVEN but I want to Right Now!
I’m with you on John O’Hara, George.
I think his stories stand up very well, even after all this time.
Beth, O’Hara is a master short story writer. His work should last another century.
I’ve only read a few (as in maybe 2, maybe 5) of his short stories, and those long ago. But I have the 864 page Gibbsville, PA paperback that I bought a couple of years ago during a discussion in/on this or some blog when both you and Jeff praised his stories mightily. Problem is, of course, I haven’t yet opened it.
Rick, there are a lot of good O’Hara stories in that massive GIBBSVILLE, PA collection!
It’s probably about time for me to read a bunch of short stories, I usually do that a couple of times a year. I’ll work in some O’Hara this time. I’m also very fond of short stories by Graham Green.
Rick, both Graham Greene and John O’Hara are brilliant short story writers.
My favorite O’Hara novel is his first one, APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA(1934). But the best John O’Hara collection is the great NOVELLAS OF JOHN O’HARA. We get 10 or 12 excellent long stories, all representative of his best work. It’s about time he got a Library of America volume!
Walker, I totally agree. If the Library of America can put out a volume of H. P. Lovecraft, they can certainly publish John O’Hara!
Do you have any feeling that there may be a second volume? This doesn’t say “volume one” on it.
Rick, I think the Library of America has become more sales-driven. If this O’Hara volume sells, I predict they’ll publish more.
John O’Hara, John Marquand, John Cheever and John Updike make my world. Have to order this.
Patti, this O’Hara volume is great. Those four Johns you mention are great writers!
Like you, I keep a database. I also have a smallish notebook where I write down the author and title of every book (fiction; the non fiction is in a separate notebook, as well as a separate database!) that I finish (unless I forget, of course). I have Weekly At-a-Glace books (since 1975) where I also keep track of every book I read (and buy), as well as movies seen, restaurants, etc. so I can go back and check.
The individual story list is a new thing and I don’t know if I will keep that up.
Jeff, you’re more organized than I am. ACCESS keeps track of my books and allows me to break the data down if I need to. That’s enough for me.
OK, I’m anal. I admit it. I’m a list keeper from way back. But the books and databases can tell me where I ate in San Francisco in 1985 (John’s Grill on December 26), or where we ate dinner the first night of the Indianapolis Bouchercon (Slippery Noodle Inn, 10/14/2009), in case anyone should happen to ask.
Jeff, I know people who keep journals and diaries. I tried writing in a daily journal for a while when I was in College, but abandoned it.
You know, I was just going to ask that, but for the Milwaukee Bouchercon.
I’ve enjoyed 3 books you recommended in the last year and continue to appreciate you sharing. Think I’ll pick this one up soon to coincide with my recent mood to tackle short stories for awhile…
Roy, there are plenty of great stories in this Library of America John O’Hara volume.