Newspaper Days: Mencken's Autobiography: 1899-1906 (Volume 2)

H. L. Mencken's Autobiography #2

by H.L. Mencken

With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the "language of the free lunch counter," Henry Louis Mencken shook politics and politicians for nearly half a century. Now, fifty years after Mencken’s death, the Johns Hopkins University Press announces The Buncombe Collection , newly packaged editions of nine Mencken Happy Days , Heathen Days , Newspaper Day s, Prejudices , Treatise on the Gods , On Politics , Thirty-Five Years of Newspaper Work , Minority Report , and A Second Mencken Chrestomathy . With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the "language of the free lunch counter," Henry Louis Mencken shook politics and politicians for nearly half a century. Now, fifty years after Mencken’s death, the Johns Hopkins University Press announces The Buncombe Collection , newly packaged editions of nine Mencken Happy Days , Heathen Days , Newspaper Day s, Prejudices , Treatise on the Gods , On Politics , Thirty-Five Years of Newspaper Work , Minority Report , and A Second Mencken Chrestomathy . In the second volume of his autobiography, Mencken recalls his years as a young reporter.

Genres: Nonfiction, Journalism, Biography, American, Autobiography, Memoir

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

Henry Louis "H.L." Mencken became one of the most influential and prolific journalists in America in the 1920s and '30s, writing about all the shams and con artists in the world. He attacked chiropractors and the Ku Klux Klan, politicians and other journalists. Most of all, he attacked Puritan morality. He called Puritanism, "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."

At the height of his career, he edited and wrote for The American Mercury magazine and the Baltimore Sun newspaper, wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column for the Chicago Tribune, and published two or three books every year. His masterpiece was one of the few books he wrote about something he loved, a book called The American Language (1919), a history and collection of American vernacular speech. It included a translation of the Declaration of Independence into American English that began, "When things get so balled up that the people of a country got to cut loose from some other country, and go it on their own hook, without asking no permission from nobody, excepting maybe God Almighty, then they ought to let everybody know why they done it, so that everybody can see they are not trying to put nothing over on nobody."

When asked what he would like for an epitaph, Mencken wrote, "If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl."

(from American Public Media)

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I immensely enjoyed this part of H.L. Mencken's memoirs, reminiscing about his days as a young reporter and editor in Baltimore at the turn of the last century.

Of course, more time had passed between his era and when I started in the newspaper business than the time I've been in the business altogether, but still, there were so many aspects of the profession that were familiar to me. I came into the business in the late 1960s, just at the end of an era in which most reporters were not college educated, where smoking was common in newsrooms and many still had flasks stuck in their desk drawers.

In that sense, many of Mencken's memories were similar, but in his day, the profession was held in even lower repute and the drinking was much, much heavier. His newspaper, the Baltimore American, was one of three morning papers that competed in the growing port city, and some of his best stories are about the ways in which he and rival reporters would come to agreements to run the same stories so they didn't look foolish in front of their editors, and -- and believe me, this doesn't happen now -- colluding to make up stories that had plenty of vim and spice and just enough vagueness that the editors couldn't catch them.

In one particularly vivid anecdote, he recalled an inept heavy drinking reporter who was told he had to find a good story by the end of the day or he'd be fired. A newfangled invention at the time were arc lights for downtown businesses, and since it happened to be raining that day, it struck the reporter that an electrocution story of some passerby touching his umbrella to the arc light would save his bacon. It did indeed, but soon, the utility companies threatened a huge lawsuit against the newspaper as frightened business owners stopped using the lights. The utilities were ready to testify to the absolute safety of their lights, and it looked as though the newspaper was doomed until one day, a pedestrian actually did get electrocuted through his umbrella, making life imitate art.

Mencken also tells a vivid story of the great Baltimore fire of 1904, the largest urban calamity between the Chicago fire and the San Francisco earthquake, and the herculean efforts his staff made to cover the event, which destroyed 20 city blocks, first by printing at the Washington Post, and then in Philadelphia, where a special train was chartered each evening to ship the Baltimore papers to eager newsboys at the depot. Also mixed in is the fantastical story of a young farm girl from Red Lion, Pa., who showed up at the train station one day and demanded to be taken to a house of ill repute. Turns out she and her boyfriend had gone too far one night, and all the romance novels they had read together had convinced her the only future left for her was prostitution and dying in the gutter. Mencken and a fellow reporter managed to convince her to return home and marry her suitor, with the help of the madame, who had no desire to recruit such an innocent into her ranks.

This brings to life another era that still has enough connections to present day journalism to make it a wonderful rollick.

[Robert Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

This might of been an interesting book if Mencken was able to rein in his outsized ego. In one account, Mencken, a young newspaperman living in Baltimore and whose only other experience was working in his Uncle's cigar business, gets a jump on the other papers by astutely describing a naval battle of the Russo-Japanese War which has yet to take place by sheer deductive reasoning.

I think to enjoy Mencken, you have to think as much of him as he did himself. And that's a tall order.

[Sukriti · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Newspaper Days" by H.L. Mencken is the second volume of his autobiography, covering 1899-1906. Mencken shares his experiences as a young reporter in Baltimore, vividly describing the lively newsroom and colorful characters he encountered. His sharp wit and keen observations provide an entertaining and insightful look at journalism's golden age. Mencken's style is both humorous and candid, making the reader feel like they are part of his adventurous life. This book is a fascinating glimpse into early 20th-century America and the challenges and excitement of being a newspaper man during that era.

[Jonathan Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite of the autobiography

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume II of Mencken's memoirs, covering his early newspaper career. Not as funny as "Happy Days" (Volume I) but entertaining. Lots of words to look up! On the WSJ list of best journalism memoirs.

[JimC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining reminiscence of bygone days in Baltimore of the newspaper business which will never be repeated. As usual HLM is a master writer and story teller par excellence.

[Eric Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure pleasure.

[Kathy Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talks about living and working at the Baltimore Herald at the turn of the 20th century. An interesting look at a famous writer.

[Matthew Dambro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful second volume of his autobiography. Mencken was known for his biting satire and curmudgeonly attitude about life in general. However, he was a newspaperman down to the soles of his feet and he was immensely proud of it. His love affair with the written word shows through his most acerbic comments. He is able to recreate the feel of early twentieth century Baltimore that allows one to smell the waterfront in July. Wonderful read.

[Graychin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second installment of Mencken’s Days trilogy, Newspaper Days is thick with colorful characters and anecdotes, all delivered in Mencken’s rambunctious, winningly-cynical style. It’s not as bright and charming in some respects, and not as fascinating (at least to a non-journalist), as Happy Days, but it’s lighter on the casual racism which can sometimes bog down the first volume. Still, this is just so much better than your standard fare today.

[Robert Maier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more for real Mencken fans than newbies. Full of long-forgotten people who made deep impressions on Mencken 100 years ago, when Mencken was a newspaper reporter and managing editor but none achieved his stature. Nice tribute, but frequently reads like a disconnected laundry list. Some good insights, but not the reading pleasure of the first in the trilogy, "Happy Days."

[Varmint · Rating 4 out of 5]

in a time before journalism schools,most reporters were simply failed novelists. the writing was so much better. and the coverage was at least as good as we have it now.

mencken was the best of his generation.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mencken's acerbic wit comes through, and the stuff on how turn of the century print journalism functioned on a day-to-day level is very interesting. But the material doesn't really allow mencken's skills as an essayist or a journalist to shine through to full effect.

[Blbarnett1234 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baltimoreans, writers, fans of made-up words will love this book

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful.

[Djamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you have any interest in print journalism, this book is agreat look back

[Greg Crites · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless writing and a stark reminder of how news gathering has withered to a souless enterprise.