Mr.WINSTON CHURCHILL, likeMr.WisterandMr.Crawford, has a deeper claim than residence and choice of subjects give, to the name of “American author,” since New England blood dating back on both sides to the sixteen hundreds, Southern birth, and a training in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis were united in his equipment. But after only a brief service in the navy he resigned his commission and definitely followed the leading of his literary tastes. He was for a short period withThe Army and Navy Journal, during which time his first short story, “Mr.Keegan’s Elopement,” was published inThe Century Magazine.Mr.Churchillbecame an editor ofThe Cosmopolitan Magazine, but left that again, to be more free for continuous original work than the routine duties connected with a monthly magazine permit.His first book appeared in 1897,—“The Celebrity,” written in a vein of the liveliest comedy; but even then the first of his series of novels, which cover characteristicphases of American social development and will when completed present a picture of national life such as is not only unequalled, but has never been even attempted in its breadth and entirety, was well under way.Certainly “The Celebrity,” although recognized as—“an extremely clever piece of work that is likely to be popular as it deserves” (Boston Transcript), as “such a piece of inimitable comedy in a literary way, as has not appeared for years; the purest, keenest fun” (Chicago Inter-Ocean), as “a humorously sensational novel of a rather unusual kind, decidedly original and entertaining, one of the best pieces of construction that has appeared in a long while ... an altogether clever and out-of-the-way sort of book” (Philadelphia Evening Telegraph),did not lead the critics to prophesy any such a second novel asMr.Churchill’s“Richard Carvel,” which was described as—“seldom if ever surpassed by an American romance, in breadth of canvas, massing of dramatic effect, depthof feeling, and rare wholesomeness of spirit.”—Chicago Tribune.“‘Richard Carvel’ is one of the most brilliant works of imagination of the decade. It breathes the spirit of true romance in a way that is truly fascinating.”—Philadelphia Press.“The charm of the book, which is very great, lies in the vividness of its pictures of the life of London and the colonies in those picturesque days when the spirit of revolution was slowly but surely developing.”—Washington Times.Coming just a year later,Mr.Churchill’snext great novel, “The Crisis,” dealt as effectively with the questions and scenes of the Civil War as did the earlier story with the struggle between the colonies and the mother country. Of the qualities which have made it rarely valuable,Mr.Hamilton Mabiewrote:—“‘The Crisis’ is distinctly the most carefully studied and the most convincing novel which has yet been written on the Civil War; no other story brings the reader so close to some of the great figures in the struggle; no other brings before the imagination so distinctly theterrible experiences which befell those who stood in the centre of the storm. ‘The Crisis’ is a footnote to American history, as well as a stirring and moving novel.“As a study of the plain, substantial stuff of which American citizenship is largely made up, ‘The Crisis’ has deep and abiding interest. It ought to be read by those students of American life beyond the sea who are anxious ‘neither to laugh nor to weep, but to understand’; for it brings out the heroic fibre of the best American stock, its quick responsiveness to the educational power of opportunity, its resourcefulness, its unassuming dignity and force.”—The Times Saturday Review.“It is a high office to give a new generation of Americans their first vivid conception of the struggle in which the nation was reborn.”—Review of Reviews.
Mr.WINSTON CHURCHILL, likeMr.WisterandMr.Crawford, has a deeper claim than residence and choice of subjects give, to the name of “American author,” since New England blood dating back on both sides to the sixteen hundreds, Southern birth, and a training in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis were united in his equipment. But after only a brief service in the navy he resigned his commission and definitely followed the leading of his literary tastes. He was for a short period withThe Army and Navy Journal, during which time his first short story, “Mr.Keegan’s Elopement,” was published inThe Century Magazine.Mr.Churchillbecame an editor ofThe Cosmopolitan Magazine, but left that again, to be more free for continuous original work than the routine duties connected with a monthly magazine permit.His first book appeared in 1897,—“The Celebrity,” written in a vein of the liveliest comedy; but even then the first of his series of novels, which cover characteristicphases of American social development and will when completed present a picture of national life such as is not only unequalled, but has never been even attempted in its breadth and entirety, was well under way.Certainly “The Celebrity,” although recognized as—“an extremely clever piece of work that is likely to be popular as it deserves” (Boston Transcript), as “such a piece of inimitable comedy in a literary way, as has not appeared for years; the purest, keenest fun” (Chicago Inter-Ocean), as “a humorously sensational novel of a rather unusual kind, decidedly original and entertaining, one of the best pieces of construction that has appeared in a long while ... an altogether clever and out-of-the-way sort of book” (Philadelphia Evening Telegraph),did not lead the critics to prophesy any such a second novel asMr.Churchill’s“Richard Carvel,” which was described as—“seldom if ever surpassed by an American romance, in breadth of canvas, massing of dramatic effect, depthof feeling, and rare wholesomeness of spirit.”—Chicago Tribune.“‘Richard Carvel’ is one of the most brilliant works of imagination of the decade. It breathes the spirit of true romance in a way that is truly fascinating.”—Philadelphia Press.“The charm of the book, which is very great, lies in the vividness of its pictures of the life of London and the colonies in those picturesque days when the spirit of revolution was slowly but surely developing.”—Washington Times.Coming just a year later,Mr.Churchill’snext great novel, “The Crisis,” dealt as effectively with the questions and scenes of the Civil War as did the earlier story with the struggle between the colonies and the mother country. Of the qualities which have made it rarely valuable,Mr.Hamilton Mabiewrote:—“‘The Crisis’ is distinctly the most carefully studied and the most convincing novel which has yet been written on the Civil War; no other story brings the reader so close to some of the great figures in the struggle; no other brings before the imagination so distinctly theterrible experiences which befell those who stood in the centre of the storm. ‘The Crisis’ is a footnote to American history, as well as a stirring and moving novel.“As a study of the plain, substantial stuff of which American citizenship is largely made up, ‘The Crisis’ has deep and abiding interest. It ought to be read by those students of American life beyond the sea who are anxious ‘neither to laugh nor to weep, but to understand’; for it brings out the heroic fibre of the best American stock, its quick responsiveness to the educational power of opportunity, its resourcefulness, its unassuming dignity and force.”—The Times Saturday Review.“It is a high office to give a new generation of Americans their first vivid conception of the struggle in which the nation was reborn.”—Review of Reviews.
Mr.WINSTON CHURCHILL, likeMr.WisterandMr.Crawford, has a deeper claim than residence and choice of subjects give, to the name of “American author,” since New England blood dating back on both sides to the sixteen hundreds, Southern birth, and a training in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis were united in his equipment. But after only a brief service in the navy he resigned his commission and definitely followed the leading of his literary tastes. He was for a short period withThe Army and Navy Journal, during which time his first short story, “Mr.Keegan’s Elopement,” was published inThe Century Magazine.Mr.Churchillbecame an editor ofThe Cosmopolitan Magazine, but left that again, to be more free for continuous original work than the routine duties connected with a monthly magazine permit.
His first book appeared in 1897,—“The Celebrity,” written in a vein of the liveliest comedy; but even then the first of his series of novels, which cover characteristicphases of American social development and will when completed present a picture of national life such as is not only unequalled, but has never been even attempted in its breadth and entirety, was well under way.
Certainly “The Celebrity,” although recognized as—
“an extremely clever piece of work that is likely to be popular as it deserves” (Boston Transcript), as “such a piece of inimitable comedy in a literary way, as has not appeared for years; the purest, keenest fun” (Chicago Inter-Ocean), as “a humorously sensational novel of a rather unusual kind, decidedly original and entertaining, one of the best pieces of construction that has appeared in a long while ... an altogether clever and out-of-the-way sort of book” (Philadelphia Evening Telegraph),
“an extremely clever piece of work that is likely to be popular as it deserves” (Boston Transcript), as “such a piece of inimitable comedy in a literary way, as has not appeared for years; the purest, keenest fun” (Chicago Inter-Ocean), as “a humorously sensational novel of a rather unusual kind, decidedly original and entertaining, one of the best pieces of construction that has appeared in a long while ... an altogether clever and out-of-the-way sort of book” (Philadelphia Evening Telegraph),
did not lead the critics to prophesy any such a second novel asMr.Churchill’s“Richard Carvel,” which was described as—
“seldom if ever surpassed by an American romance, in breadth of canvas, massing of dramatic effect, depthof feeling, and rare wholesomeness of spirit.”—Chicago Tribune.“‘Richard Carvel’ is one of the most brilliant works of imagination of the decade. It breathes the spirit of true romance in a way that is truly fascinating.”—Philadelphia Press.“The charm of the book, which is very great, lies in the vividness of its pictures of the life of London and the colonies in those picturesque days when the spirit of revolution was slowly but surely developing.”—Washington Times.
“seldom if ever surpassed by an American romance, in breadth of canvas, massing of dramatic effect, depthof feeling, and rare wholesomeness of spirit.”—Chicago Tribune.
“‘Richard Carvel’ is one of the most brilliant works of imagination of the decade. It breathes the spirit of true romance in a way that is truly fascinating.”—Philadelphia Press.
“The charm of the book, which is very great, lies in the vividness of its pictures of the life of London and the colonies in those picturesque days when the spirit of revolution was slowly but surely developing.”—Washington Times.
Coming just a year later,Mr.Churchill’snext great novel, “The Crisis,” dealt as effectively with the questions and scenes of the Civil War as did the earlier story with the struggle between the colonies and the mother country. Of the qualities which have made it rarely valuable,Mr.Hamilton Mabiewrote:—
“‘The Crisis’ is distinctly the most carefully studied and the most convincing novel which has yet been written on the Civil War; no other story brings the reader so close to some of the great figures in the struggle; no other brings before the imagination so distinctly theterrible experiences which befell those who stood in the centre of the storm. ‘The Crisis’ is a footnote to American history, as well as a stirring and moving novel.“As a study of the plain, substantial stuff of which American citizenship is largely made up, ‘The Crisis’ has deep and abiding interest. It ought to be read by those students of American life beyond the sea who are anxious ‘neither to laugh nor to weep, but to understand’; for it brings out the heroic fibre of the best American stock, its quick responsiveness to the educational power of opportunity, its resourcefulness, its unassuming dignity and force.”—The Times Saturday Review.“It is a high office to give a new generation of Americans their first vivid conception of the struggle in which the nation was reborn.”—Review of Reviews.
“‘The Crisis’ is distinctly the most carefully studied and the most convincing novel which has yet been written on the Civil War; no other story brings the reader so close to some of the great figures in the struggle; no other brings before the imagination so distinctly theterrible experiences which befell those who stood in the centre of the storm. ‘The Crisis’ is a footnote to American history, as well as a stirring and moving novel.
“As a study of the plain, substantial stuff of which American citizenship is largely made up, ‘The Crisis’ has deep and abiding interest. It ought to be read by those students of American life beyond the sea who are anxious ‘neither to laugh nor to weep, but to understand’; for it brings out the heroic fibre of the best American stock, its quick responsiveness to the educational power of opportunity, its resourcefulness, its unassuming dignity and force.”—The Times Saturday Review.
“It is a high office to give a new generation of Americans their first vivid conception of the struggle in which the nation was reborn.”—Review of Reviews.