Abstract

The Decline of American Humor

Rexroth, Kenneth | April 27, 1957 issue

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The article discusses books, authors and American humor. I find it difficult to bust into roars of laughter over the long- winded racket of the majority of old- time humorists writer Constance Rourke has written about. I am not a passionate devotee of Sut Lovingood. But from those days to writer, Henry Mencken, these were the qualities that made American humor American. It was just plain lack of style that made it, in so many cases, tedious. This, once, was the blood and bone of our very own life. Out of it came our one epic hero, the only American who can walk with Ajax and Odysseus-Huck Finn.

See Also:

AUTHORS; LITERATURE -- Humor; ROURKE, Constance, 1885-1941; LOVINGOOD, Sut; MENCKEN, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956; AUTHORSHIP
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