Best Selling Books by Sherwood Anderson

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time "Here [is] a new order of short story," said H.L. Mencken when Winesburg, Ohio was published in 1919. "It is so vivid, so full of insight, so shiningly life-like and glowing, that the book is lifted into a category all its own." Indeed, Sherwood Anderson''s timeless cycle of loosely connected tales--in which a young reporter named George Willard probes the hopes, dreams, and fears of the solitary people in a small Midwestern town at the turn of the century--embraced a new frankness and realism that ushered American literature into the modern age. "There are moments in American life to which Anderson gave not only the first but the final expression," wrote Malcolm Cowley. "Winesburg, Ohio is far from the pessimistic or morbidly sexual work it was once attacked for being. Instead it is a work of love, an attempt to break down the walls of loneliness, and, in its own fashion, a celebration of small-town life in the lost days of good will and innocence."

Sherwood Anderson was born on September 13, 1876 in Camden, Ohio. He was pretty much self-educated and his early career was that of a successful copywriter and business owner in both Cleveland and Elyria in Ohio. In November 28th, 1912 he suffered a nervous breakdown. It led to him abandoning both his business and his family to become a writer. Sherwood''s first novel, Windy McPherson''s Son was published in 1916 as part of a three-book deal. This book, along with his second novel, Marching Men (published in 1917) prepared him for the success and fame he was to find fame with Winesburg, Ohio a collection of interrelated short stories, Winesburg, Ohio (published in 1919). In his memoir, he wrote that "Hands," was the first "real" story he ever wrote. Despite writing further short story collections, novels, plays, essays and poetry as well as a memoir only his novel Dark Laughter, written in 1925, could claim to be a commercial best seller. His influence on the next generation of writers was immense. He not only help to obtain publication for William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway but was an inspiration to writers of the calibre of John Steinbeck and Thomas Wolfe. Sherwood Anderson died on March 8th 1941 at the age of 64. He was taken ill during a cruise to South America and disembarked with his wife for the hospital in Colon, Panama, where he died. An autopsy revealed he had swallowed a toothpick, which had damaged his internal organs and promoted infection. Sherwood''s body was returned to the United States, where he was buried at Round Hill Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. His epitaph reads, "Life, Not Death, is the Great Adventure." Here we publish the classic ''Winesburg, Ohio.''

Winesburg, Ohio (full title: Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life) is a 1919 short story cycle by the American author Sherwood Anderson. The work is structured around the life of protagonist George Willard, from the time he was a child to his growing independence and ultimate abandonment of Winesburg as a young man. It is set in the fictional town of Winesburg, Ohio (not to be confused with the actual Winesburg), which is based loosely on the author''s childhood memories of Clyde, Ohio. Mostly written from late 1915 to early 1916, with a few stories completed closer to publication, they were ..".conceived as complementary parts of a whole, centered in the background of a single community."[1] The book consists of twenty-two stories, with the first story, "The Book of the Grotesque," serving as an introduction. Each of the stories shares a specific character''s past and present struggle to overcome the loneliness and isolation that seems to permeate the town. Stylistically, because of its emphasis on the psychological insights of characters over plot, and plain-spoken prose, Winesburg, Ohio is known as one of the earliest works of Modernist literature

Cycle of interrelated stories that sympathetically view lonely and frustrated individuals in a midwestern town.

Scritto nel 1925, il romanzo Dark Laughter è una piccola Odissea moderna. Le pianure del Middle West, i grandi fiumi, le città dure, fanno da sfondo alle vicende del protagonista, John Stockton, un uomo in fuga dalle convenzioni e dalle finzioni sociali e alla ricerca di un nuovo sé. In un mondo sospeso tra reale e possibile, tra presente e infanzia, tra biografia e storia, si agita una costellazione di personaggi irrisolti, di figure simboliche. La tensione espressiva del linguaggio, il bisogno di una maggiore aderenza alla vita, l’urgenza di amare, di risolvere il mito dell’infanzia e di dare, infine, un senso al proprio esistere, sono alcuni dei temi che percorrono un romanzo fatto di grande intensità, scritto con un linguaggio moderno, asciutto ed essenziale.

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Sherwood Anderson''s most famous work, "Winesburg, Ohio" is a cycle of short stories set in the fictional town of Winesburg, loosely based on the author''s own home town of Clyde, Ohio. A picture of small town America during the first part of the 20th century, the series of short stories revolves around the life George Willard, from youth, through his yearning for independence, to his eventually departure from the town. Each story tells the tale of a distinct member of the town as related to George, a young reporter for the "Winesburg Eagle." Through this device the author establishes a frame in which George acts as a recorder of the other town members'' narratives and which also acts as a foil for his own coming-of-age story. Central to all the stories are the themes of loneliness and isolation which permeate the existence of small-town life. Belonging to both the modernist and realist literary traditions, "Winesburg, Ohio" is a work which in a way defies classification, being at once both a novel and a series of short stories. Generally well received upon its first publication in 1919, the work over time has come to be regarded as a classic of modern American literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Ernest Boyd. Sherwood Anderson''s most famous work, "Winesburg, Ohio" is a cycle of short stories set in the fictional town of Winesburg, loosely based on the author''s own home town of Clyde, Ohio. A picture of small town America during the first part of the 20th century, the series of short stories revolves around the life George Willard, from youth, through his yearning for independence, to his eventually departure from the town. Each story tells the tale of a distinct member of the town as related to George, a young reporter for the "Winesburg Eagle." Through this device the author establishes a frame in which George acts as a recorder of the other town members'' narratives and which also acts as a foil for his own coming-of-age story. Central to all the stories are the themes of loneliness and isolation which permeate the existence of small-town life. Belonging to both the modernist and realist literary traditions, "Winesburg, Ohio" is a work which in a way defies classification, being at once both a novel and a series of short stories. Generally well received upon its first publication in 1919, the work over time has come to be regarded as a classic of modern American literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Ernest Boyd.

In 1927, tired of the literary life of New York City, New Orleans, and Chicago, a famous but aging American writer named Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941) -- author of Winesburg, Ohio(1919) and other short stories in which he virtually invented the modern American short-story -- moved to rural Southwest Virginia to write for and edit two small-town weekly newspaper that he owned, the Marion Democrat. and the Smyth County News. Living again among the small-town figures with whom he was usually most content, William Faulkner, Thomas Wolf, and indeed an entire generation of the greatest American writers -- worked for several years at making his newspaper nationally famous while struggling to come to terms with a life-threatening psychological depression and a failing third marriage. Both of Anderson''s midlife problems were complicated when he met Eleanor Copenhaver, lovely young daughter in one of the prominent first families of Marion and a career social worker for the YWCA. Trying to keep their ardent affair secret in the small town, Anderson avidly courted the socially prominent and much younger Miss Copenhaver while at the same time trying to free himself from his embittered third wife and overcome the disadvantages of his age and his lover''s family''s distrust of him.Having by the end of 1931 continued for three years his surreptitious and consuming affair with Miss Copenhaver, Anderson determined on the first day of 1932 that the new year should be the year of decisions for him to gain his love in marriage or perhaps to end his life, and he began the new year with a creative venture unique in literature. Starting on January1, Anderson secretly wrote and hid away for Eleanor Copenhaver to find after his eventual death one letter each day, letters that she should someday discover, whether they had ever become married or not, and thereby relive in her memory their days of intense lovemaking a mutual despair about their then-unlikely marriage.Found by Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson only at Sherwood Anderson''s death in 1941 and then preserved intact by this grieving widow who had married Anderson in 1933, the carefully hidden letters of 1932 recording their intense and seemingly doomed love affair have remained secret until now. Chosen by Eleanor Copenhaver Anderson before her death in 1985 to publish her husband''s secret love letters, Anderson scholar Ray Lewis White has prepared a fascinating edition of these unique letters for the enjoyment of students and scholars of literature as well as for all other readers who savor compelling and inspiring stories of loss and love.

Quite a fuss was made about the matter. The carpenter, who had been a soldier in the Civil War, came into the writer''s room and sat down to talk of building a platform for the purpose of raising the bed. The writer had cigars lying about and the carpenter smoked.

In 1919 a middle-aged Chicago ad man facing professional and personal crises published a modest book of stories intended to "reform" American literature. Against all expectations, it achieved what its author, Sherwood Anderson, intended: after Winesburg, Ohio, American literature would be written and read freshly and differently.

"A time will come when love like a sheet of fire will run through the towns and cities. It will tear walls away. It will destroy ugly houses. It will tear ugly clothes off the bodies of men and women. They will build anew and build beautifully," declares John Webster, a quiet middle-aged businessman who has repressed his dreams in order to function as a washing machine manufacturer. Webster gradually awakens to the inner voices that encourage him to abandon his job and family and live what he believes to be the truth of life. His search for spiritual salvation leads to the embrace of a gospel of sexual emancipation — a complete and absolute acceptance of the flesh, without shame or guilt. Praised by F. Scott Fitzgerald as Sherwood Anderson''s finest work, Many Marriages reflects the complacency of the United States in the early 20th century. The country had pursued material comfort and profit until it settled into a process as automatic and mechanical as any of Webster''s washing machines. Sex, Anderson proclaimed, could serve as the medium for self-realization and universal communion, returning society to the purity of a preindustrial state. This psychological novel, like works by Sigmund Freud and D. H. Lawrence, excited a scandal upon its 1923 publication, and it remains a landmark in American literature''s advance toward sexual openness.

High quality reprint of Marching Men by Sherwood Anderson.

Embracing a naturalistic interpretation of American life, the stories are characterized by a casual development, complexity of motivation, and an interest in psychological process.

Southern Odyssey contains the best of Sherwood Anderson''s writings about the region where he spent the last sixteen years of his life. In more than forty selections of journalism and fiction, Anderson explores the people and problems of the South. The pieces collected here present Anderson''s perceptive vision of the South, combining his love for the region with the fresh observations of an outsider. His work reflects a range of issues that engaged all southerners at a crucial time in their history--the Great Depression, the influence of the New Deal, the painful transition from agriculture to mechanization, the struggle of labor to unionize, and the elemental divisions of race--always with an eye toward the human side of things. Anderson''s impressions and convictions concerning his southern experience encompassed more than its troubles, however. He also wrote of the splendor of a Shenandoah spring and the strength of character of the native people. Southern Odyssey is more than a personal record--it is a gallery of southern portraits, drawn in the style that distinguishes Anderson''s prose at its best.

This early work by Sherwood Anderson was originally published in 1921 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. ''The Triumph of the Egg: A Book of Impressions From American Life in Tales and Poems'' is one of Anderson''s collections of short stories and poetry. Sherwood Anderson was born in Camden, Ohio in 1876. He left school at fourteen, and after working various jobs served in the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1908, Anderson began writing short stories and novels. During the twenties, Anderson published Poor White (1920), The Triumph of the Egg (1921), Many Marriages (1923) and Horses and Men (1923). Although considered to be a minor work by the critics, Anderson''s most commercial successful novel was Dark Laughter, published in 1925. Anderson died of peritonitis in Panama in 1941, aged 64.

In ''Poor White,'' Sherwood Anderson delves into the transforming American landscape during the early 20th century. This novel intricately weaves the tale of Hugh McVey, an inventor whose ascent from destitution reflects the broader societal shifts provoked by industrialization. Anderson''s prose, with its naturalistic veneer and vivid character portrayal, explores the dichotomy between technological progress and the erosion of human connection. Published in 1920, the work is set against the backdrop of the Machine Age, striking a nerve with its critical perspective on the implications of a society enthralled by mechanical advancement. Its exploration of love, loss, and existential yearning complements the book''s poignant interrogation of America''s cultural evolution. Sherwood Anderson''s own experiences heavily inform ''Poor White.'' As a writer whose life spanned the great industrial leap forward of the United States, his intimate understanding of the human cost of progress resonates within this narrative. His vivid storytelling, which garnered the admiration of literary luminaries such as H. L. Mencken and Hart Crane, evinces a preoccupation with the soul''s struggle amidst transformative times. This, combined with his influential role in guiding the voices of future American literary giants, positions Anderson as a conduit of deep societal reflection. ''Poor White'' is recommended for readers drawn to the intersection of history and narrative, of the personal and the collective. Anderson''s work remains startlingly relevant, posing questions about humanity''s place in a world dominated by machines. The novel offers a poignant snapshot of a bygone era while simultaneously acting as a mirror to modernity. Those interested in the early influences on some of the 20th century''s most seminal authors will find in ''Poor White'' a haunting and eloquent meditation on the enduring complexities of human progress and connection.

Written as brief editorials, this work creates a picture of the moving life of a town, lifted right out of reality, the changing seasons, the event of the country court, the streets, the comedies and tragedies of a year in a small town''s life. The book moves forward from week to week throughout the year. Much of it includes the writer''s own reporting of the events of the town; and some of it is the imagination of the writer playing over the life about him.

Sherwood Anderson (September 13, 1876 - March 8, 1941) was an American novelist and short story writer, known for subjective and self-revealing works. Self-educated, he rose to become a successful copywriter and business owner in Cleveland and Elyria, Ohio. In 1912, Anderson had a nervous breakdown that led him to abandon his business and family to become a writer. Windy McPherson''s Son is a 1916 novel by American author Sherwood Anderson. It was published by John Lane as part of a three book contract. Windy McPherson''s Son is Sherwood Anderson''s first novel.In September 1907, the Anderson family (at that time just Sherwood, his wife Cornelia and son Robert) moved from Cleveland to Elyria, Ohio, where Anderson became head of the Anderson Manufacturing Company (name changed to American Merchants Company after 1911). As part of the family''s new home, Anderson set aside an attic where he would escape the stresses of business and family life. It was during one winter between 1907 and 1912 that both this room and his office (where Frances Shute, his secretary, would sometimes stay late typing drafts of his first two novels) served as the settings in which Windy McPherson''s Sons was composed.[3] Though it is likely that most of his first novel was composed in Elyria, there is some evidence pointing to possible edits made between those early years and the novel''s publication in 1916

Winesburg Ohio is based and inspired by Sherwood Anderson''s life and experiences he got from growing up in Ohio. This small town living portrayal brought this book into the 20th century. This book is extremely influential. So many other prominent writers in our society have been influenced by this true American Classic.

Winesburg, Ohio is a classic short story cycle that was written by Sherwood Anderson and published in 1919. The action tells the coming of age story of George Willard from the time he was a child until the time he ultimately abandons Winesburg as a young man. The story is based loosely off of Anderson''s life growing up in Clyde, Ohio.This is a collection of 15 short stories that were written by Sherwood Anderson and published in 1921. This was Anderson''s first short story collection after Winesburg, Ohio.Sherwood Anderson was a prominent American author. Anderson was self-educated and would later become a successful business owner in Cleveland, Ohio. After suffering a nervous breakdown he left the business world behind and became an esteemed writer. Anderson''s best works include novels such as Poor White, and Marching Men, and the short story collection Winesburg, Ohio.

Winesburg, Ohio (full title: Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life) is a 1919 short story cycle by the American author Sherwood Anderson. The work is structured around the life of protagonist George Willard, from the time he was a child to his growing independence and ultimate abandonment of Winesburg as a young man. It is set in the fictional town of Winesburg, Ohio (not to be confused with the actual Winesburg, Ohio), which is loosely based on Anderson''s childhood memories of Clyde, Ohio. What inspired Sherwood Anderson writing? He started publishing stories that are short in small magazines, such as the Little Review and the Masses. Anderson was influenced by modernist writers, like his friend Gertrude Stein; in Winesburg, his laconic, Ohio, searching prose subtly evokes the alienation of small town life. What was Sherwood Anderson''s influence on American literature? The simplicity of the prose style of his and the choice of his of subject matter influenced many writers who followed him, most notably Faulkner and Hemingway, but these writers tended to belittle the contribution of his to literature as well as to the own work of theirs. Anderson died of peritonitis en route to South America on a goodwill trip.