The Skeptic (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Terry Teachout
- First Published: 2002
- Type of Work: Literary biography
- Time of Work: 1880-1956
- Setting: Baltimore
- Genres: Nonfiction, Biography
- Subjects: Language or languages, United States or Americans, Journalism or journalists, Politics, Twentieth century, Authors or writers, Nineteenth century, Literature, Prejudices or antipathies, Anti-Semitism, Reading, Fame, Baltimore, Maryland
- Locales: Baltimore, MD
Terry Teachout appears to lose sympathy with his subject in The Skeptic: A Life of H. L. Mencken, even though he takes great pains to strike and maintain a balanced tone and resists the temptation of applying modern social views to Mencken’s times. Indeed, he grows exasperated with Mencken toward the end of the book. The reaction underscores how very difficult a figure Mencken was. However clear and energetic his prose style or great his influence on early twentieth century American letters and linguistics or deftly incisive his social and political criticism, Mencken...
[The entire page is 1956 words long]
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