I figured the time had come to read some John O'Hara. No. I'll start earlier than that. A couple years ago a search for Somerset Maugham's short-short story about Death being surprised to see someone in a Baghdad marketplace because they had an appointment that night in Samarra led me to read a collection of Maugham's short stories. It wasn't there. Then a few months ago I came across mention of John O'Hara's Appointment in Samarra. At that point two lines met, and it was time for O'Hara.
My quest started off well. O'Hara presents the Maugham story as a preface to Appointment in Samarra. Finally, success on one front.
So onto the novel, which was pretty good. It's all about rich people, the depression, religion, sex and bootleggers. At the start of the book the protagonist, a well-to-do man who runs an automobile dealership throws a drink in the face of a boring Irishman. Complications devlope, and at the end of the book the protagonist kills himself. Everything is very brittle and sophisticated..
Will I read more O'Hara? Not sure. I remember seeing and liking a movie many, many years ago called Ten North Frederick that I'm pretty sure was based on an O'Hara novel. I might look for that. And a few years ago a friend gave me the complete New Yorker on CD. I might check O'Hara's short stories there, but I've been saying the same thing about Truman Capote's New Yorker writing for two year.
Do I recommend Appointment in Samarra?. Sure. Why not? I'll give it a solid two thumbs pointing at each other.
Last edited by humphreysmar; 02/10/09 09:15 PM.
