Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis) 1880-1956

The American language : an inquiry into the development of English in the United States by H. L Mencken ( Book )
172 editions published between 1921 and 2006 in English and held by 3,203 libraries worldwide
This Web site is an online version of The American language, by H.L. Mencken. This classic was written to clarify the discrepancies between British and American English and to define the distinguishing characteristics of American English. At the time Mencken wrote this work, it was considered groundbreaking and continues to serve as a definitive resource in the field.

In defense of women by H. L Mencken ( Book )
72 editions published between 1913 and 2011 in English and German and held by 2,043 libraries worldwide
Originally published in 1922, this book considers topics that remain of vital interest to today's readers, including monogamy and polygamy, the double standard, sexual harassment, and declining marriage rates.

A new dictionary of quotations on historical principles from ancient and modern sources by H. L Mencken ( Book )
21 editions published between 1942 and 2001 in English and held by 1,551 libraries worldwide
"This book is based upon a collection of quotations begun in 1918 or thereabout for my own use. Its purpose was to keep track of sayings that, for one reason or another, interested me and seemed worth remembering, but that, also for one reason or another, were not in the existing quotation-books. The collection grew steadily, helped by the contributions of friends who knew of it, and there arose inevitably the notion that it might be worth printing."--From preface written by H. L. Mencken.

The American scene, a reader by H. L Mencken ( Book )
15 editions published between 1965 and 1982 in English and held by 1,527 libraries worldwide

A Mencken chrestomathy by H. L Mencken ( Book )
33 editions published between 1949 and 1992 in 3 languages and held by 1,495 libraries worldwide

The diary of H.L. Mencken by H. L Mencken ( Book )
16 editions published between 1989 and 1991 in English and held by 1,298 libraries worldwide

Happy days, 1880-1892 by H. L Mencken ( Book )
54 editions published between 1940 and 2006 in English and Undetermined and held by 1,284 libraries worldwide
Mencken reminisces about his boyhood in Baltimore.

Newspaper days, 1899-1906 by H. L Mencken ( Book )
60 editions published between 1941 and 2006 in English and Undetermined and held by 1,264 libraries worldwide
In the second volume of his autobiographical writings, H. L. Mencken recalls his early years as a reporter. On January 16, 1899, Mencken applied for a job with the Baltimore Morning Herald, much to the editor's amusement. But Mencken persisted, and came back to the offices night after night until finally, in February, the editor sent him out into a blizzard to see if anything worth printing was happening on the snow-covered streets. Soon, Mencken was assigned to the police beat, and then to city hall, where the really big crooks worked. Mencken learned his craft so well that by 1901 he had become the Herald's Sunday editor, and in 1906 he was hired as an editor of the Baltimore Sun, where he quickly attracted a national following. Sustained by a steady diet of crabs, cigars, whiskey, and beer, he haunted Baltimore's jails and courtrooms, its churches, theaters, and saloons, and chased fire wagons, interviewed cops and coroners, battled politicians and crusaders, then raced back to the newsroom to beat his deadline by a second or two.

Treatise on the gods by H. L Mencken ( Book )
39 editions published between 1930 and 2006 in English and held by 1,248 libraries worldwide

A carnival of buncombe by H. L Mencken ( Book )
27 editions published between 1956 and 2006 in English and held by 1,195 libraries worldwide
With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the "language of the free lunch counter," Mencken shook politics and politicians for nearly half a century. The political arena afforded Mencken a special opportunity to showcase his talents. He despised hypocrisy and found numerous easy targets among politicians. But while he could be merciless in attacking local and national leaders, Mencken always interspersed his scathing commentaries with entertaining exaggeration and high humor. This collection of seventy political pieces, drawn from Mencken's famous Monday columns in the Baltimore Evening Sun during the twenties and thirties, shows the "Sage of Baltimore" at his satirical best. While social attitudes may have changed, the value of Mencken's words on American politics offers us a timeless perspective.