Publisher's Synopsis
When H. L. Mencken joined the staff of the Baltimore Sun in the fall of 1906, he was probably unaware that he would be working for the paper off and on for more than forty years. Mencken began his career at the paper by writing numerous drama reviews-not only of significant plays by Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, and others, but also of light comedies, comic operas, and even vaudeville. Mencken was also tasked with writing editorials articulating the paper's official editorial policy on issues of the day; but as he had done with previous stints on other newspapers, many of his editorials were humorous, flippant, and satirical. They cover a wide range of topics, from local, national, and international politics to the pleasures of eating (especially sauerkraut, scrapple, "planked shad," and other local delicacies) to literary and musical matters. In particular, Mencken continues his cynical attacks on the institution of marriage with such editorials as "Are Married Women Slaves?" and "A Man Who Hated Babies." Throughout these pieces, we are continually reminded why H. L. Mencken became one of the leading journalists and wits of his day.
