Project Gutenberg 2016-11-07 Public domain in the USA. 359 Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis) 1880 1956 Mencken, Henry Louis Hatteras, Owen Mencken, Henry L. Prejudices, second series The National letters: Prophets and their visions. The answering fact. The Ashes of New England. The ferment underground. In the literary abattoir. Underlying causes. The lonesome artist. The cultural background. Under the campus pump. The intolerable burden. Epilogue -- Roosevelt: an autopsy -- The Sahara of the Bozart -- The Divine Afflatus -- Scientific examination of a popular virtue -- Exeunt Omnes -- The allied arts: On music-lovers. Opera. The music of to-morrow. Tempo di Valse. The Puritan as artist. The human face. The cerebral mime -- The cult of hope -- The dry millennium: The Holy War. The lure of Babylon. Cupid and well-water. The triumph of idealism -- Appendix on a tender theme: The nature of love. The incomparable buzzsaw. Women as spectacles. Woman and the artist. Martyrs. The burnt child. The supreme comedy. A hidden cause. Bad workmanship. Marc D’Hooghe "Prejudices, Second Series" by H. L. Mencken is a collection of critical essays written in the early 20th century. The work delves into various facets of American culture, particularly literature, critiquing the mediocrity and lack of depth he perceives within it. Mencken writes with sharp wit and unapologetic candor, addressing topics such as American literature's failure to produce a distinctive voice and how the country's societal structure stifles intellectualism. At the start of the volume, Mencken examines the lofty aspirations of past literary figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman, contrasting their optimistic visions for American literature with what he sees as the disheartening reality of mediocrity that has ensued. He articulates his discontent with the state of national letters, claiming a pervasive superficiality among contemporary authors and a cultural reluctance to confront deeper truths. This opening section sets the tone for a critical exploration of American artistic and intellectual life, establishing Mencken’s perspective as one that challenges conventional views and celebrates intellectual rigor over societal pleasantries. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 57.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Literature -- History and criticism American literature -- History and criticism American essays -- 20th century PS Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature 417447 2025-07-21T09:56:15.442672 text/html 390537 2024-10-23T01:21:36 text/html 226130 2025-07-21T09:56:20.943621 application/epub+zip 228774 2025-07-21T09:56:16.530659 application/epub+zip 228775 2025-07-21T09:56:15.973701 application/epub+zip 349702 2025-07-21T09:56:24.270668 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 310234 2025-07-21T09:56:20.290650 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 310428 2022-09-24T09:28:00.685878 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 364191 2025-07-21T09:56:14.883670 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 344453 2024-10-23T01:21:36 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18437 2025-07-21T09:56:24.394614 application/rdf+xml 15414 2025-07-21T09:56:16.068697 image/jpeg 2471 2025-07-21T09:56:16.021663 image/jpeg 210738 2025-07-21T09:56:15.476708 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia