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The Adventures of Hiram Holliday
This is Gallico's first published book. It was published by Grosset and Dunlap on the cusp of World War II in 1939. In form, the novel is a connected series of adventures, rather akin to short stories which flow into one another. In the book, Holliday was rewarded with time off and a cash reward which he used to go to Europe. In Europe he fights spies and Nazis, finds his true love, achieves some fame as a foreign correspondent with his newspaper back in New York, and becomes the man of action he aspired to be. The book has the major themes of the protagonist coming to grips with his own character and destiny, how individuals act when confronted by great evil, and the overarching question of would war come to Europe. The book encapsulates Gallico's views and insights at the time of writing, without the hindsight of later events - some of which turned out to be wrong and others were quite accurate.
295 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1939
4 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Paul Gallico
186 books318 followersPaul William Gallico was born in New York City, on 26th July, 1897. His father was an Italian, and his mother came from Austria; they emigrated to New York in 1895.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 23, 2020
Βαθμολογία: 9/10
Πόσο ωραίο βιβλίο ήταν αυτό! Μου θύμισε ελάχιστα τις περιπέτειες του Τεντέν, κυρίως ως προς τη γενικότερη ατμόσφαιρα και τα τρελά, ίσως όχι και τόσο ρεαλιστικά σκηνικά. Ναι, οι περιπέτειες του Χόλιντεϊ τείνουν λίγο προς την υπερβολή, όμως τι νόημα θα είχε να ήταν συνηθισμένες; Ο Χίραμ Χόλιντεϊ είναι ένας συνηθισμένος τύπος στην εξωτερική εμφάνιση, που κάνει μια αρκετά βαρετή και ανιαρή δουλειά: Επιμελείται άρθρα που είναι προς δημοσίευση στην εφημερίδα του. Όμως έχει διάφορα χόμπι, αλλά και ένα όνειρο: Να ταξιδέψει στην Ευρώπη και να ζήσει μια περιπέτεια. Ε, το όνειρό του θα πραγματοποιηθεί, μιας και θα ζήσει ένα κάρο περιπέτειες σε πόλεις όπως το Λονδίνο, το Παρίσι, την Πράγα, το Βερολίνο, τη Βιέννη και τη Ρώμη, θα μπλεχτεί στον επικίνδυνο κόσμο των κατασκόπων, θα αντιμετωπίσει κάθε είδους αντιπάλους, θα σώσει μια πριγκίπισσα στο Γκριν Παρκ του Λονδίνου, θα μεταμορφωθεί σε έναν κλόουν που θα κάνει πάταγο στο κοινό του Παρισιού, θα φυλακιστεί από τους Ναζί, θα λάβει μέρος σε μια κωμικοτραγική μονομαχία στην Αππία Οδό, γενικά θα ζήσει ένα κάρο τρελά σκηνικά. Και, φυσικά, στο τέλος θα κερδίσει την πριγκίπισσα του, για την οποία έβαλε ουκ ολίγες φορές το κεφάλι του στο ντορβά. Και όλα αυτά, στις παραμονές του πολέμου, το σκοτεινό 1939. Είναι ένα μυθιστόρημα που δείχνει τα χρόνια του και διαθέτει αρκετά κλισέ, όμως προσφέρει απλόχερα δράση και φοβερά σκηνικά. Η γραφή είναι ωραία και ολοζώντανη, με γλαφυρές περιγραφές τοπίων και σκηνών δράσης. Γενικά είναι μια κλασική περιπέτεια που διαβάζεται μονορούφι και χαρίζει λίγες ώρες ξεγνοιασιάς: Αν μη τι άλλο διαβάζοντας το βιβλίο ξέφυγα τελείως από την πεζή πραγματικότητα. Αντικειμενικά, δεν αξίζει τα πέντε αστεράκια (τεσσεράμισι για την ακρίβεια), όμως πέρασα τόσο όμορφα την ώρα μου, που τελικά θα του τα βάλω! Σάμπως θα πληρώσω φόρο με το έξτρα αστεράκι;
Πόσο ωραίο βιβλίο ήταν αυτό! Μου θύμισε ελάχιστα τις περιπέτειες του Τεντέν, κυρίως ως προς τη γενικότερη ατμόσφαιρα και τα τρελά, ίσως όχι και τόσο ρεαλιστικά σκηνικά. Ναι, οι περιπέτειες του Χόλιντεϊ τείνουν λίγο προς την υπερβολή, όμως τι νόημα θα είχε να ήταν συνηθισμένες; Ο Χίραμ Χόλιντεϊ είναι ένας συνηθισμένος τύπος στην εξωτερική εμφάνιση, που κάνει μια αρκετά βαρετή και ανιαρή δουλειά: Επιμελείται άρθρα που είναι προς δημοσίευση στην εφημερίδα του. Όμως έχει διάφορα χόμπι, αλλά και ένα όνειρο: Να ταξιδέψει στην Ευρώπη και να ζήσει μια περιπέτεια. Ε, το όνειρό του θα πραγματοποιηθεί, μιας και θα ζήσει ένα κάρο περιπέτειες σε πόλεις όπως το Λονδίνο, το Παρίσι, την Πράγα, το Βερολίνο, τη Βιέννη και τη Ρώμη, θα μπλεχτεί στον επικίνδυνο κόσμο των κατασκόπων, θα αντιμετωπίσει κάθε είδους αντιπάλους, θα σώσει μια πριγκίπισσα στο Γκριν Παρκ του Λονδίνου, θα μεταμορφωθεί σε έναν κλόουν που θα κάνει πάταγο στο κοινό του Παρισιού, θα φυλακιστεί από τους Ναζί, θα λάβει μέρος σε μια κωμικοτραγική μονομαχία στην Αππία Οδό, γενικά θα ζήσει ένα κάρο τρελά σκηνικά. Και, φυσικά, στο τέλος θα κερδίσει την πριγκίπισσα του, για την οποία έβαλε ουκ ολίγες φορές το κεφάλι του στο ντορβά. Και όλα αυτά, στις παραμονές του πολέμου, το σκοτεινό 1939. Είναι ένα μυθιστόρημα που δείχνει τα χρόνια του και διαθέτει αρκετά κλισέ, όμως προσφέρει απλόχερα δράση και φοβερά σκηνικά. Η γραφή είναι ωραία και ολοζώντανη, με γλαφυρές περιγραφές τοπίων και σκηνών δράσης. Γενικά είναι μια κλασική περιπέτεια που διαβάζεται μονορούφι και χαρίζει λίγες ώρες ξεγνοιασιάς: Αν μη τι άλλο διαβάζοντας το βιβλίο ξέφυγα τελείως από την πεζή πραγματικότητα. Αντικειμενικά, δεν αξίζει τα πέντε αστεράκια (τεσσεράμισι για την ακρίβεια), όμως πέρασα τόσο όμορφα την ώρα μου, που τελικά θα του τα βάλω! Σάμπως θα πληρώσω φόρο με το έξτρα αστεράκι;
February 1, 2022
I have liked Paul Gallico for a long time, but this book is by far the best of his I have yet read. It was his first and is rather less sentimental than the others I have tried (though it is still romantic in the old-fashioned sense of the word).
The protagonist, Hiram Holliday, is a marvellous character, a valiant swashbuckling warrior stuck in the flesh of a middle aged, rather portly copy-editor. Hiram has long dreamed of escaping the mundane confines of his sedate life. In his spare time he takes lessons in fencing, shooting, boxing, and achieves a reasonable level of proficiency at these activities. But only when he travels to Europe on the eve of World War Two does he find a real chance to put his skills to the test.
Hiram's adventures are fantastical but his responses to each challenge are a big part of his charm. He is never quite as confident as a hero should be, never quite as certain of his abilities as we might expect. He is somewhat hampered by the fact he is still a middle aged man, not a great athlete. He is often defeated by his enemies and once or twice comes very close to being destroyed by them (he is saved not by his own strength but by the sacrifices of others).
This book is a novel of sorts, though it can also be considered a series of linked short stories that work as separate chapters. The stories get progressively better and the best of all is the last one. There is a magic in this book that isn't easy to precisely define. One day I will try to seek out the little-known (and hopelessly out-of-print) sequel, The Secret Front.
The protagonist, Hiram Holliday, is a marvellous character, a valiant swashbuckling warrior stuck in the flesh of a middle aged, rather portly copy-editor. Hiram has long dreamed of escaping the mundane confines of his sedate life. In his spare time he takes lessons in fencing, shooting, boxing, and achieves a reasonable level of proficiency at these activities. But only when he travels to Europe on the eve of World War Two does he find a real chance to put his skills to the test.
Hiram's adventures are fantastical but his responses to each challenge are a big part of his charm. He is never quite as confident as a hero should be, never quite as certain of his abilities as we might expect. He is somewhat hampered by the fact he is still a middle aged man, not a great athlete. He is often defeated by his enemies and once or twice comes very close to being destroyed by them (he is saved not by his own strength but by the sacrifices of others).
This book is a novel of sorts, though it can also be considered a series of linked short stories that work as separate chapters. The stories get progressively better and the best of all is the last one. There is a magic in this book that isn't easy to precisely define. One day I will try to seek out the little-known (and hopelessly out-of-print) sequel, The Secret Front.
June 8, 2021
Reads like a daydream put to paper.
May 8, 2024
A bit dated, but if you don’t mind books with mid-twentieth century colloquial speech, quite entertaining. A Don Quixote-inspired serial novel that follows Hiram Holliday, slightly paunchy, middle-aged American romantic at heart, copywriter by day, who gets a raise & reporter position that allows him to go on a European holiday. It is an exciting time to be a reporter on the continent - the Nazis are around, and Hiram has quite the adventure, including saving a princess more than once & killing multiple Nazis. I enjoyed & recommend.
April 10, 2020
A thoroughly ordinary fellow, with the heart of an adventurer, caught up in the events at the beginning of the Second World War. Besides being a rip roaring good story, this book gives an incredible feeling for the personal side of the war and the experience of the common man on the ground.
February 8, 2023
Από τα καλύτερα βιβλία που διαβασα τον τελευταίο χρόνο. Ο Ιβάν Χόλιντει είναι ένας Αμερικανός δημοσιογράφος που μετά από πολλά χρόνια κερδίζει έναν μήνα διακοπές και το 1938 αποφασίζει να πάει στο Λονδίνο με πλοίο για να γνωρίσει αυτή την μυθική πολη. Στο τέλος αυτού του ταξιδιού θα αρχίσουν οι περιπέτειες του που ποτέ δεν είχε φανταστεί ότι θα ζούσε. Το ύφος γραφής σε ταξιδεύει σε μια άλλη εποχή και μέσα σε λίγες σελίδες σε πάει σε τόσα μέρη που νιώθεις ότι είσαι δίπλα στον ήρωα και ζεις αυτά που ζει. Είναι τόσο ζωντανές αυτές οι εικόνες που εξιστορεί ο συγγραφέας και τόσο ενδιαφέρουσες.
"Δεν μπορούσε, βέβαια, κανένας να επιζητά συνεχώς τη μία περιπέτεια μετά την άλλη, γιατί τελικά, αργά ή γρήγορα, μια σφαίρα ή μια μαχαίρια θα τον σταματούσε, αλλά, από την άλλη μεριά, δεν μπορούσε και να συμβιβαστεί."σελ 264.
"Μια φορά γεννιέται κάποιος, κι ο αγώνας δεν τελειώνει πάρα μόνο όταν μπεις στο μνήμα." σελ. 266.
"Δεν μπορούσε, βέβαια, κανένας να επιζητά συνεχώς τη μία περιπέτεια μετά την άλλη, γιατί τελικά, αργά ή γρήγορα, μια σφαίρα ή μια μαχαίρια θα τον σταματούσε, αλλά, από την άλλη μεριά, δεν μπορούσε και να συμβιβαστεί."σελ 264.
"Μια φορά γεννιέται κάποιος, κι ο αγώνας δεν τελειώνει πάρα μόνο όταν μπεις στο μνήμα." σελ. 266.
May 5, 2025
Written in 1939 about an American journalist that went to Europe before the start of WW2. Hiram has many adventures and manages to write and smuggle back to the USA unique views of the things going on. He goes all over the Western part of Europe before finally heading home. This was written to avoid giving spoilers.
May 24, 2018
Not realistic, but a fun read.
January 6, 2014
I remember reading this book (“The Adventures of Hiram Holliday” by Paul Gallico) as a child. It's a heart-warming tale about a little newspaper copy-clerk who has always dreamed of being heroic. Unlike most people who “just” dream, as he grew up he set out to get the skills he’d need: shooting, fencing, skiing and a host of others. His break came when he inserted a comma into a newspaper article, without which the paper would have been sued big time! His editor, in order to encourage other employees to such dedication, gave him an all-expense paid trip to Europe. And there his adventures began!
I remember only a few of them, but the first involved a park, a pretty young woman (and her little brother) in distress (there was a Nazi kidnapper, you see) and Hiram going to their aid, using his furled umbrella as a fencing weapon. He saw to safety, and went on his way. After a few other “adventures” he ran into them again, (more Nazi kidnappers, you see) and the chase was on! For a man who learned how to ski on an artificial indoor hill, he did pretty well it came to skiing around throat catching drops while continuing to the rescue.
I liked the book because the protagonist 1) didn’t just dream, he put his thoughts into acquiring the skills he used later, 2) he was a middle aged man, not a figure of heroics or fantasy and 3) he got to prove his courage.
I would best describe Hiram as very like a hobbit – not a heroic figure by any stretch of the imagination but an ordinary man who rose to the occasion when he could have walked away.
Not deep, but a good quick read for when life has gotten you down. Definitely suitable for children (and adults too, I’d wager, although it’s been a long time since I’ve read it as an adult).
Go. Read. Enjoy!
I remember only a few of them, but the first involved a park, a pretty young woman (and her little brother) in distress (there was a Nazi kidnapper, you see) and Hiram going to their aid, using his furled umbrella as a fencing weapon. He saw to safety, and went on his way. After a few other “adventures” he ran into them again, (more Nazi kidnappers, you see) and the chase was on! For a man who learned how to ski on an artificial indoor hill, he did pretty well it came to skiing around throat catching drops while continuing to the rescue.
I liked the book because the protagonist 1) didn’t just dream, he put his thoughts into acquiring the skills he used later, 2) he was a middle aged man, not a figure of heroics or fantasy and 3) he got to prove his courage.
I would best describe Hiram as very like a hobbit – not a heroic figure by any stretch of the imagination but an ordinary man who rose to the occasion when he could have walked away.
Not deep, but a good quick read for when life has gotten you down. Definitely suitable for children (and adults too, I’d wager, although it’s been a long time since I’ve read it as an adult).
Go. Read. Enjoy!
April 4, 2012
A newspaper copy-editor longs with to be more than just a small man in a small dusty office. So he learns to fence, and box, takes ju-jitsu lessons and works toward his pilot license. But all the time, he's still just editing stories of what other men DO.
So he goes to pre-WWII Europe (I forget on what pretext; been a while since I read this), and there he meets a blond girl named Heidi, and her young nephew Peter. They are on the run from the Nazis, as Peter just happens to be the next in line to the throne of some Central European country of great importance to the Germans. Holliday (of course) helps them escape.
The book is action-packed and fast-paced, and not too filled with the angst of a slightly overweight, forty-ish man who only wants to DO things.
This was my dad's favorite book.
So he goes to pre-WWII Europe (I forget on what pretext; been a while since I read this), and there he meets a blond girl named Heidi, and her young nephew Peter. They are on the run from the Nazis, as Peter just happens to be the next in line to the throne of some Central European country of great importance to the Germans. Holliday (of course) helps them escape.
The book is action-packed and fast-paced, and not too filled with the angst of a slightly overweight, forty-ish man who only wants to DO things.
This was my dad's favorite book.
June 23, 2012
One of my favorite books. Over the years I have read it many times. I have also lost every copy I have had. ( a couple by loaning out, and not getting back) I check for an ebook version every couple of months. Several other Gallico books have shown up in the last year, so I still have hope.
November 15, 2013
A quiet newspaper copy editor embarks on a series of adventures across Europe. Sword fights and romantic heroism abound. This mild mannered hero shows himself to have adventure in his soul. A lovely read.
November 17, 2016
Germany 1939
Very lively and entertaining story. Hiram persues his romance, princess of Ostrich, saves her son from the nazis and wins her heart
Very lively and entertaining story. Hiram persues his romance, princess of Ostrich, saves her son from the nazis and wins her heart
September 9, 2016
This is my dad's favorite book and was his dad's favorite as well. It was a fun one to read. There were some slow parts, but overall it was a wonderful, adventurous story that made me smile.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews