My mother introduced me to Runyon, because her father had enjoyed him so much at the time these were written. He'd died before I was born and she inherited the books. Brilliant use of language and observation. Snappiest dialogue ever, and even if you didn't know the slang, it was in context so you learned it.
So glad to hear you’re a fan too! It’s lovely how these pleasures pass down generations. And that’s a good point about the slang. I hadn’t thought about that.
I really enjoyed reading this Mathew. It set me chasing for my ancient copy of 'Guys and Dolls' then for some reason I started thinking about Tom Waits - I think because someone said that Waits' characters are 'down but not out'. My Dad never mentioned Runyon but he was a great lover of Dashiel Hammet and Raymond Chandler - I guess that deliciously laconic language is the equivalent of the street slang of today.
I had never thought of it, but I get the Tom Waits connection! Particularly his earlier more romantic work – which, to be honest, are my favourite of his records. Glad to hear your dad had similar tastes. They're a remarkable generation of writers. I find it hard to connect today's street slang with the verbal style of those decades, although you must be right.
Great essay, I've ordered the book! Demotic-American from roughly 1930-1960 is one of the best periods for English speech, right up there with Elizabethan England.
There's another volume of his writing called From First to Last which has some more Broadway stories as well as an extraordinary late (last?) story in which Death tries to pay him a social call. IIRC he had cancer; he certainly knew he was dying. It's brave, unsentimental, funny, sad.
That would be v. kind but it wasn't my intention. All my own bks are in boxes at the moment. But there are, as I recall, a few pages. I think the useful thing I had to say was that while DR was often accused of making it up as he went along (as are so many writers who use a good deal of the counter-language) the more I checked it out, the more it was legit. I've taken just over 1000 trms from his books which bears out the Time mag. article of 1934 when they named the then top 10 slangsters and Runyon was right in there alongside his best friend 'Waldo Winchester' (real life gossip writer Walter Winchell), sports journo Ring Lardner, the cartoonist TAD (T.A. Dorgan) and various others.
Oh that’s really interesting. Thank you. I must admit, I had assumed he made a good deal of it up. 1,000 terms? That’s extraordinary, Did you look at his journalism too?
By the way, this seems a good time to say how much I enjoyed your Days In The Life.
Lovely piece. I too plucked Runyon (the Penguin ‘Guys + Dolls’) down from my parents' shelves, in maybe 1959 or so. I see it as one of a small library of slang-dense texts - read young, never forgotten - that so generously gave me my life and I am beyond grateful to them all. I wrote a little abt Runyon in my history of slang, Language! (2014).
Thank you, Jonathon! What a wonderful introduction to the world of slang. I'd be very interested to read what you say about Runyon, so I will get hold of a copy of your book. Thanks so much for flagging it up for me.
Mathew, this is very colorful, very funny, and extremely moving. My father read O'Henry to us, particularly "The Ransom of Red Chief." (A hint? A warning?) It's beautiful that as you reread Runyon you can hear your father's voice. Any dad who reads to his kids is a special guy.
Yes, I think so. His most well-known short story is "The Gift of the Magi." But "Ransom" is more fun. We listened to Dad read all of them, and never tired. Enjoy.
My mother introduced me to Runyon, because her father had enjoyed him so much at the time these were written. He'd died before I was born and she inherited the books. Brilliant use of language and observation. Snappiest dialogue ever, and even if you didn't know the slang, it was in context so you learned it.
So glad to hear you’re a fan too! It’s lovely how these pleasures pass down generations. And that’s a good point about the slang. I hadn’t thought about that.
Wrote my A level dissertation on the role of the narrator in Runyon's short stories, many years ago...
I really enjoyed reading this Mathew. It set me chasing for my ancient copy of 'Guys and Dolls' then for some reason I started thinking about Tom Waits - I think because someone said that Waits' characters are 'down but not out'. My Dad never mentioned Runyon but he was a great lover of Dashiel Hammet and Raymond Chandler - I guess that deliciously laconic language is the equivalent of the street slang of today.
I had never thought of it, but I get the Tom Waits connection! Particularly his earlier more romantic work – which, to be honest, are my favourite of his records. Glad to hear your dad had similar tastes. They're a remarkable generation of writers. I find it hard to connect today's street slang with the verbal style of those decades, although you must be right.
Very nice essay--I'm sure your father is looking down with pride and satisfaction.
Thank you, Peter. That’s a kind thought.
Great essay, I've ordered the book! Demotic-American from roughly 1930-1960 is one of the best periods for English speech, right up there with Elizabethan England.
Thank you! And yes, its an incredibly rich and inventive period.
There's another volume of his writing called From First to Last which has some more Broadway stories as well as an extraordinary late (last?) story in which Death tries to pay him a social call. IIRC he had cancer; he certainly knew he was dying. It's brave, unsentimental, funny, sad.
That would be v. kind but it wasn't my intention. All my own bks are in boxes at the moment. But there are, as I recall, a few pages. I think the useful thing I had to say was that while DR was often accused of making it up as he went along (as are so many writers who use a good deal of the counter-language) the more I checked it out, the more it was legit. I've taken just over 1000 trms from his books which bears out the Time mag. article of 1934 when they named the then top 10 slangsters and Runyon was right in there alongside his best friend 'Waldo Winchester' (real life gossip writer Walter Winchell), sports journo Ring Lardner, the cartoonist TAD (T.A. Dorgan) and various others.
Oh that’s really interesting. Thank you. I must admit, I had assumed he made a good deal of it up. 1,000 terms? That’s extraordinary, Did you look at his journalism too?
By the way, this seems a good time to say how much I enjoyed your Days In The Life.
Lovely piece. I too plucked Runyon (the Penguin ‘Guys + Dolls’) down from my parents' shelves, in maybe 1959 or so. I see it as one of a small library of slang-dense texts - read young, never forgotten - that so generously gave me my life and I am beyond grateful to them all. I wrote a little abt Runyon in my history of slang, Language! (2014).
Thank you, Jonathon! What a wonderful introduction to the world of slang. I'd be very interested to read what you say about Runyon, so I will get hold of a copy of your book. Thanks so much for flagging it up for me.
Mathew, this is very colorful, very funny, and extremely moving. My father read O'Henry to us, particularly "The Ransom of Red Chief." (A hint? A warning?) It's beautiful that as you reread Runyon you can hear your father's voice. Any dad who reads to his kids is a special guy.
Thank you so much, Marian. I’m very touched by your words. I’ve never read O’Henry. Is that a good place to start?
Yes, I think so. His most well-known short story is "The Gift of the Magi." But "Ransom" is more fun. We listened to Dad read all of them, and never tired. Enjoy.
I've read and also seen at least 2 versions of "Ransom". It's such a classic. "Magi" was in my 7th grade textbook and is even more filmed.
O. Henry (a pseudonym) was a consummate storyteller.
"The Gift of the Magi" is one that should be read every year at Christmas.
Thanks for the recommendation!