The Lost Journalism of Ring Lardner - (Hardcover)

About the Book

"An anthology of journalist Ring Lardner's writings on sports and other nonfiction topics that collects works that have been mostly unavailable for decades"--

Book Synopsis

Ring Lardner's influence on American letters is arguably greater than that of any other American writer in the early part of the twentieth century. Lauded by critics and the public for his groundbreaking short stories, Lardner was also the country's best-known journalist in the 1920s and early 1930s, when his voice was all but inescapable in American newspapers and magazines. Lardner's trenchant, observant, sly, and cynical writing style, along with a deep understanding of human foibles, made his articles wonderfully readable and his words resonate to this day.

Ron Rapoport has gathered the best of Lardner's journalism from his earliest days at the South Bend Times through his years at the Chicago Tribune and his weekly column for the Bell Syndicate, which appeared in 150 newspapers and reached eight million readers. In these columns Lardner not only covered the great sporting events of the era--from Jack Dempsey's fights to the World Series and even an America's Cup--he also wrote about politics, war, and Prohibition, as well as parodies, poems, and penetrating observations on American life.

The Lost Journalism of Ring Lardner reintroduces this journalistic giant and his work and shows Lardner to be the rarest of writers: a spot-on chronicler of his time and place who remains contemporary to subsequent generations.

Review Quotes

"[The Lost Journalism of Ring Lardner] should be required reading for sports journalists who want to know the roots of their profession."--Ed Sherman, Poynter-- (3/7/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"A godsend."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly-- (1/10/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"It's always great to have more Lardner, and here is a fine new trove of him."--Roy Blount Jr.-- (2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"It's good to have the lost treasure of Ring Lardner the journalist back with us again. At long last."--Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune-- (1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM)

"Ring Lardner was brilliant--a great newspaper columnist and an even greater short story writer. If you know his work, you'll love this anthology; if you don't know his work, prepare to be entertained by one of the funniest, most original voices America has ever produced."--Dave Barry

-- (2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"This book is a boon to fans and scholars of Lardner's work alike. I applaud the smart, well-informed introductions and the careful scholarship throughout. Then there is the genius of Lardner himself to savor. This is an important contribution to Lardner studies."--Richard Layman, author, publisher, and coeditor of Ring W. Lardner: A Bibliography
-- (2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM)

"This book is an absolute jewel. I not only want to read all of it again; I want to take it on a car date. Ron Rapoport has contributed a masterful collection to the world of sports and literature."--Dan Jenkins
-- (2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Ring Lardner (1885-1933) was one of the most popular and innovative American writers of the early twentieth century. He influenced many writers who followed, with his acute observations winning praise from Hemingway, Woolf, Fitzgerald, and Wilson and his short stories remain popular a century later. Ron Rapoport was a sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Los Angeles Daily News and is the author of numerous books about sports and show business. In 2016 he was awarded the Ring Lardner Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism. James Lardner is a writer and political activist who lives outside Washington DC.