Synopses & Reviews
While analyzing Damon Runyons work in terms of historical contexts, popular culture, and of the changing function of the media, Schwarz argues that Runyon was an indispensible figure in creating enduring images of New York City culture, which spurred an interest in the demi-monde and underworld exposed in
The Godfather films and
The Sopranos. In lively and exuberant chapters that include a panoramic view of New York City between the World Wars--and its colorful nightlife--Schwarz examines virtually every facet of Runyons career from sports writer, daily columnist, trial reporter, and Hollywood figure to the author of the still widely read short stories that were the source of the Broadway hit
Guys and Dolls. As part of his discussion of Runyons art and artistry of Runyons fiction, he skillfully examines the special language of the Broadway stories known as “Runyonese” and explains how “Runyonese” has become an adjective describing flamboyant behavior.
Review
".Runyonese, evoke[s] a perhaps mythical Manhattan occupied by amusing, sometimes violent or greedy perps."(James Boylan, Columbia Journalism Review)
Review
"...thought-provoking examination of Runyon and his historical context..."--T.D. Beal, Choice
"...shows how Runyon captured--and in some ways created--the sights and sounds of New York City..."--Frank Herron, Syracuse Post-Standard
"If you love anything to do with the history of New York City, Dan Schwarz has written just the book for you."--Monica Finch, Union College
"...'Runyonese,' evoke[s] a perhaps mythical Manhattan occupied by amusing, sometimes violent or greedy perps."--James Boylan, Columbia Journalism Review
"Runyon exerted influence far beyond writing a story and had an enormous impact on popular culture in America. Recommended..."--Katherine E. Merrill, Library Journal
"In the vagaries of literary reputation, Damon Runyon survives today more as a byword and a legend than as an author. He is best remembered for his flashy or shady characters, his half-mythical Broadway terrain, and most of all the indelible adaptations of his work, especially Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls. Daniel Schwarz's book makes a lively case for Runyon as a vernacular poet, a quirky character in his own right, and, with Walter Winchell, a great reporter-impresario of New York's midtown demimonde during its golden years." --Morris Dickstein, CUNY Graduate Center, author of Gates of Eden and Leopards in the Temple
"This fascinating and comprehensive study of Damon Runyon at last gives us a scholarly study that places him in company like Aaron Copeland and other major cultural figures that would have surprised him but probably, secretly, delighted him too. Bravo!" --William R. Taylor, author of In Pursuit of Gotham and editor of Inventing Times Square
Review
"…Runyonese, evoke[s] a perhaps mythical Manhattan occupied by amusing, sometimes violent or greedy perps."
Synopsis
A fresh look at the works and legacy of a beloved New York writer.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [334]-339) and index.
About the Author
Daniel R. Schwarz is Professor of English and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow at Cornell University, where he has taught since 1968. He has received Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences Russell award for distinguished teaching. His prior previous books include
Imagining the Holocaust (1999)
, Reconfiguring Modernism: Exploring the Relationship Between Modern Art and Modern Literature (1997). He has directed nine NEH seminars, and has lectured widely in the United States and abroad. He lives in Ithaca, New York.
Table of Contents
Introduction * Runyon's New York: Historical Contexts and Fictional Universe * The Eyes and Ears of the City: Runyon's Collected Journalism * Runyon's Trial Reporting and the Spectator Culture * The Art and Artistry of Runyon's Fiction * The Genres of Runyon's Fiction: Noir and Sentiment in a Male-Dominated World * The Genres of Runyon's Fiction: Gangsters, Gamblers, and Boxers * The Genres of Runyon's Later Fiction: Nicely-Nicely, Political Satire, Ambrose Hammer, Miami Noir, and Wartime Stories * The Turps: Domesticity in Brooklyn