What do you think?
Rate this book
The Biscuit Eater
Lonnie, and his friend Text, spend their days in the streams and woods of Mississippi poking sticks in doodlebug holes, looking for crawdad castles, and catching sweet stinker bugs for good luck, All the while they keenly observe Lonnie's father, Harve McNeil, train his champion bird dogs. After all they are born to it — boys and bird dogs grow up together. They're hunters. It's in their blood.
When one of the champion dogs has a litter of seven yelping, squirming pups, their dream comes true. They are given a dog of their own to raise and train. They bond instantly, beginning a journey of love and responsibility that hones their skills and challenges their characters. Yet the lineage of the dog is questionable and Lonnie's father wonders if the scrawny, wobbly-legged dog is a biscuit eater — an ornery dog that won't hunt anything except his own biscuits; an animal that may have to be destroyed.
After its publication in 1941, The Biscuit Eater rapidly became an American best-seller and was made into a film after the Second World War.
When one of the champion dogs has a litter of seven yelping, squirming pups, their dream comes true. They are given a dog of their own to raise and train. They bond instantly, beginning a journey of love and responsibility that hones their skills and challenges their characters. Yet the lineage of the dog is questionable and Lonnie's father wonders if the scrawny, wobbly-legged dog is a biscuit eater — an ornery dog that won't hunt anything except his own biscuits; an animal that may have to be destroyed.
After its publication in 1941, The Biscuit Eater rapidly became an American best-seller and was made into a film after the Second World War.
- GenresDogs
88 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1941
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
James H. Street
19 books10 followersFrom Wikipedia:
James Howell Street (October 15, 1903 – September 28, 1954) was a U.S. journalist, minister, and writer of Southern historical novels.
Street was born in Lumberton, Mississippi, in 1903. As a teenager, he began working as a journalist for newspapers in Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At the age of 20, Street, born a Roman Catholic, decided to become a Baptist minister, attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Howard College. Unsatisfied with his pastoral work after ministering stints in Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama, Street returned to journalism in 1926.
After briefly holding a position with the Pensacola, Florida Journal, Street joined the staff of the Associated Press. The AP position took him to New York, where he began freelance writing fiction. Hired away from the AP by the New York World-Telegram in 1937, Street sold a short story ("A Letter to the Editor") to Cosmopolitan magazine, which caught the eye of film producer David Selznick, who turned it into a hit film, Nothing Sacred. The Broadway musical, Hazel Flagg, was based on his short story, as well as the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis-film Living It Up.
His success allowed him to write full-time, and throughout the 1940s he worked on a five-novel series of historical fiction about the progress of the Dabney family through the 19th century. The Dabney pentology--Oh, Promised Land, Tap Roots, By Valor and Arms, Tomorrow We Reap, and Mingo Dabney--explored classic Southern issues of race and honor, and strongly characterized Street's struggle to reconcile his Southern heritage with his feelings about racial injustice. The series was a critical and popular success, with several of the books being made into feature films. Street modeled characters in his Dabney family saga on Sam Dale, Newt Knight and Greenwood LeFlore.
Street also published two popular novels about boys and dogs, The Biscuit Eater and Good-bye, My Lady, both were turned into movies, and a set of semi-autobiographical novels about a Baptist minister, The Gauntlet and The High Calling, both were bought by Hollywood but never produced.
Street's short stories and articles appeared regularly in Cosmopolitan, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's and Holiday.
Street died of a heart attack, in Chapel Hill, N.C., on September 28, 1954, at the age of 50.
James Howell Street (October 15, 1903 – September 28, 1954) was a U.S. journalist, minister, and writer of Southern historical novels.
Street was born in Lumberton, Mississippi, in 1903. As a teenager, he began working as a journalist for newspapers in Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At the age of 20, Street, born a Roman Catholic, decided to become a Baptist minister, attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Howard College. Unsatisfied with his pastoral work after ministering stints in Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama, Street returned to journalism in 1926.
After briefly holding a position with the Pensacola, Florida Journal, Street joined the staff of the Associated Press. The AP position took him to New York, where he began freelance writing fiction. Hired away from the AP by the New York World-Telegram in 1937, Street sold a short story ("A Letter to the Editor") to Cosmopolitan magazine, which caught the eye of film producer David Selznick, who turned it into a hit film, Nothing Sacred. The Broadway musical, Hazel Flagg, was based on his short story, as well as the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis-film Living It Up.
His success allowed him to write full-time, and throughout the 1940s he worked on a five-novel series of historical fiction about the progress of the Dabney family through the 19th century. The Dabney pentology--Oh, Promised Land, Tap Roots, By Valor and Arms, Tomorrow We Reap, and Mingo Dabney--explored classic Southern issues of race and honor, and strongly characterized Street's struggle to reconcile his Southern heritage with his feelings about racial injustice. The series was a critical and popular success, with several of the books being made into feature films. Street modeled characters in his Dabney family saga on Sam Dale, Newt Knight and Greenwood LeFlore.
Street also published two popular novels about boys and dogs, The Biscuit Eater and Good-bye, My Lady, both were turned into movies, and a set of semi-autobiographical novels about a Baptist minister, The Gauntlet and The High Calling, both were bought by Hollywood but never produced.
Street's short stories and articles appeared regularly in Cosmopolitan, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's and Holiday.
Street died of a heart attack, in Chapel Hill, N.C., on September 28, 1954, at the age of 50.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 16, 2020
I can see why James H. Street's The Biscuit Eater was a short story not easily forgotten because I know I will never forget it. When I see the movie version I will come back and compare. The relationship between the boys was very heart warming despite the racial differences they were true friends. The underdog is raised by these two boys and they try to make him a bird dog. Everyone else sees a Biscuit Eater but is he worthless?
The short story in short- Lonnie and Text try to help the runt of the litter into a bird dog.
I did not read this edition but a collection of his work which included this excerpt by the author prior to the story.
"Some authorities report that the expression “biscuit eater” (meaning a worthless dog) has become a part of our daily language. That being the case, let me make a confession. I made up that title with my tongue in my cheek. When I was a boy, the expression “biscuit eater” didn’t mean a worthless dog and never was used in polite company. "
This Old Time Radio version is only half of the show, Apple Podcast has whole 28 minutes, though I listened to my podcast of Old Time Radio which I heard the whole thing. Adventure Ahead -September 30, 1944.
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com...
1940 film
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1csvf...
💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢SPOILER ALERT💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢
The radio version's is completely different than the story. I was crying at the short story ending where Moreover is called a Biscuit Eater to lose the match because the boys thought Lonnie's father would be fired. Moreover is upset and eats a poisoned sucking egg which Farmer Ebsen did on purpose. I cried when Lonnie called Moreover a Biscuit Eater and especially when he died. I still am upset. In the radio version Moreover is seen to be a true Bird Dog who is to be a champion and does not die. Why they changed this maybe not to upset the children who listened?
The 1940 movie ending was different and sad too! In the movie the dog is shot trying to get into a female pen. The father & son relationship is closer in the story because the son works with the father and with his dog. In the story, Lonnie though young is more mature and understands whereas as in the movie he seems younger. In the movie Mr. Ames inherits the property and dogs but thinks of owning horses, in the book he owns and only thinks of dogs not horses. The movie the dog is named Promise and they enter the match after Promise is found to be the father with a prize winning dog and the boys know but nobody else does. Promise is to win but is called off by Lonnie as a Biscuit Eater because he thinks if he wins Mr. Ames will want horses instead. After Promise is called a Biscuit Eater, he is upset returns home and sees his puppies, trying to get in with the puppies, he is shot and dies. Lonnie is upset and his father returns with Mr. Ames, they find out about Lonnie calling off Promise and the puppies being from him. Lonnie is consoled by them and to be proud of Promise. This ending is better than radio version but the story is better than all these adaptations.
The short story in short- Lonnie and Text try to help the runt of the litter into a bird dog.
I did not read this edition but a collection of his work which included this excerpt by the author prior to the story.
"Some authorities report that the expression “biscuit eater” (meaning a worthless dog) has become a part of our daily language. That being the case, let me make a confession. I made up that title with my tongue in my cheek. When I was a boy, the expression “biscuit eater” didn’t mean a worthless dog and never was used in polite company. "
This Old Time Radio version is only half of the show, Apple Podcast has whole 28 minutes, though I listened to my podcast of Old Time Radio which I heard the whole thing. Adventure Ahead -September 30, 1944.
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com...
1940 film
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1csvf...
💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢SPOILER ALERT💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢💢
The radio version's is completely different than the story. I was crying at the short story ending where Moreover is called a Biscuit Eater to lose the match because the boys thought Lonnie's father would be fired. Moreover is upset and eats a poisoned sucking egg which Farmer Ebsen did on purpose. I cried when Lonnie called Moreover a Biscuit Eater and especially when he died. I still am upset. In the radio version Moreover is seen to be a true Bird Dog who is to be a champion and does not die. Why they changed this maybe not to upset the children who listened?
The 1940 movie ending was different and sad too! In the movie the dog is shot trying to get into a female pen. The father & son relationship is closer in the story because the son works with the father and with his dog. In the story, Lonnie though young is more mature and understands whereas as in the movie he seems younger. In the movie Mr. Ames inherits the property and dogs but thinks of owning horses, in the book he owns and only thinks of dogs not horses. The movie the dog is named Promise and they enter the match after Promise is found to be the father with a prize winning dog and the boys know but nobody else does. Promise is to win but is called off by Lonnie as a Biscuit Eater because he thinks if he wins Mr. Ames will want horses instead. After Promise is called a Biscuit Eater, he is upset returns home and sees his puppies, trying to get in with the puppies, he is shot and dies. Lonnie is upset and his father returns with Mr. Ames, they find out about Lonnie calling off Promise and the puppies being from him. Lonnie is consoled by them and to be proud of Promise. This ending is better than radio version but the story is better than all these adaptations.
January 1, 2018
Buy the collection, not one story.
March 14, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
This is a 68 page short story. For $1 more you can buy THE GOLDEN KEY, an almost 300 page collection of James Street's stories including The Biscuit Eater. The 5 stars are for the story, not this edition.
March 14, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
This is a 68 page short story. For $1 more you can buy THE GOLDEN KEY, an almost 300 page collection of James Street's stories including The Biscuit Eater. The 5 stars are for the story, not this edition.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews