New O'Hara Book!

Swiss Publisher Backs O'Hara Bio/Analysis
 
Book synopsis
The writer John O'Hara (1905-1970) came from Pottsville in Pennsylvania. He put his home town and the surrounding vicinity under a microscope to produce an account of 'The Anthracite Region' that rivals Edith Wharton's descriptions of New York and Sinclair Lewis's anatomy of Sauk Centre. With the discerning eye of a local resident, O'Hara recreated this coal-rich region and its people so well that his novelettes, novellas, novels, plays and short stories give a true record of his 'Pennsylvania Protectorate' in the latter part of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century.
In order to reveal the ethnographical, geographical and historical authenticity of the O'Hara Canon, this book examines his writings in the context of Pottsville and the borough of Tamaqua, as well as the nearby towns and villages. The author also investigates both O'Hara's genteel upbringing and his gangster stratum. The book explores the many dimensions of O'Hara's life from the time of his birth until his escape to New York City in 1928. New sources such as unpublished letters and interviews with O'Hara's family, friends and enemies provide important insights into O'Hara, as well as into Pottsville and the surrounding region.
Contents
Contents: O'Hara in the Spawning Grounds of Pennsylvania - O'Hara's Genteel Upper Class in 'The Anthracite Region' - O'Hara's Gangster Stratum in 'Lantenengo County' - O'Hara: The Gentleman, Ethnographer, Geographer and Social Historian - Aftermath.
About the author(s)/editor(s)
The Author: Pamela C. Mac Arthur holds a Master's degree in American and Canadian History from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. After completing a thesis entitled 'John O'Hara: A Biographical Study', she was awarded her D.Phil. in 1999 by the School of English and American Studies at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom.
Post Script
We're looking for more details -- and a review! If you can provide either, please forward immediately!
     


           

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

As most of you know, Ms. Macarthur was the author of
John O'Hara's Anthracite Region (Images of America: Pennsylvania) some 10 years ago. Clearly she is still mining (pun) her thesis research.
According to AMAZON, the new book is titled John O'Hara: The Wastrel from Pottsville (Hardcover). I trust the title is ironic. Publisher and ISBN numbers are at Amazon. The book evidently came out last April.

http://www.amazon.com/John-OHara-Pamela-Carol-Arthur/dp/3039105159/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250538950&sr=1-1

It seems to be out of print.
Richard Rabicoff, Baltimore

RGK said...

I suspect the Amazon listing may have been created during one of those endless limbos before a small press book is released. The title may have changed in the meantime, as it does seem to be available directly through the publisher. It's priced like a textbook, though, at a somewhat staggering $62.00: http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?vID=10515&vLang=E&vHR=1&vUR=2&vUUR=1

The PJ said...

Look for review! Richard

Anonymous said...

Dr. Pamela C. Mac Arthur's book The Genteel John O'Hara (ISBN 978-3-03910-515-1)can be bought at the published American price of $61.95 plus shipping costs at the following sites:

Peter Lang Publishers
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de

Herb Borkland said...

I began reading John O'Hara many years ago in those Bantam paperback editions. A greatly under-rated author! You know he appeared in a movie, right? The young John does a quick cameo early in Gary Cooper's The General Died at Dawn.

RGK said...

Yes! He plays a reporter if I recall.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, well written book. Excellent work.