Rain in the Doorway

by Thorne Smith

This vintage book contains Thorne Smith's 1933 novel, "Rain in the Doorway". It is the story an adulteress's husband who embarks on inebriated adventures with his various partners and a girl who works in a pornographic books department. Those who have read and enjoyed Smith's work will love "Rain in the Doorway", an entertaining and risqu� tale of forbidden love and compromising situations. Contents include: "Waiting", "In The Doorway", "Snatched Through", "The New Partner", "Pornography Preferred", "Satin", "Establishing A Line Of Credit", "The Burning Beard", "The Kiarians Continue", "From The Roof Top", "The Partners Are Helpful", "Satin Slings An Eel", "Mr. Owen's Buff", "The Hour Grows Late", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Comedy, Science Fiction

382 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1933

About the author

James Thorne Smith, Jr. was an American writer of humorous supernatural fantasy fiction under the byline Thorne Smith. He is best known today for the two Topper novels, comic fantasy fiction involving sex, much drinking and supernatural transformations. With racy illustrations, these sold millions of copies in the 1930s and were equally popular in paperbacks of the 1950s.

Smith was born in Annapolis, Maryland, the son of a Navy commodore and attended Dartmouth College. Following hungry years in Greenwich Village, working part-time as an advertising agent, Smith achieved meteoric success with the publication of Topper in 1926. He was an early resident of Free Acres, a social experimental community developed by Bolton Hall according to the economic principles of Henry George in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. He died of a heart attack in 1934 while vacationing in Florida.

Reviews

[Jason Liberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has the on-and-on-and-on-and-on-and-on-and-onness of a James Fenimore Cooper novel, the depth of Married with Children, and the linguistic skills of BBC America. It was so utterly predictable that I was forced to finish the book just to find out if it was as predictable as I believed. The accomplishment of having read the entirety of this book means that I can proclaim, "Yes, there was a time when I was actually that very, very, very, very bored."

[Sallie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up from the lobby shelf at the Columbia Hotel in Ashland since I'd read and enjoyed his TOPPER book, but this one just didn't grab me from the beginning. Too weird and nonsensical for this kid.

[Ceejay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's another great read by Thorne Smith. The basic theme to this book is not new to Thorne Smith....a middle aged man unhappy with his life.This is a lot sexier then his Topper book, but equally funny. It was written during the depression, and it's an amazing attack on the business world.It also looks at America's view of sex at that time. I could picture this book being adapted into a screenplay for the Marx Brothers and Mae West.The illustrations were fantastic. Mr. Smith is an amazing satarist with a keen sense of humor.This novel was written about eighty years ago, and it still holds up well. If you can't find it at your library, cheap copies are available on line!

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sort of Alice in Wonderland for Depression-era Esquire readers, about an ordinary schmo who accidentally slips through a portal into a hedonistic parallel world, where much wackiness of the sort of which Thorne Smith fans will be familiar (i.e., a lot of drinking and carefree sex) ensues.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for and about most of us. Another masterpiece of satire. I especially loved the play on the business world of that day. Theater of the absurd at its best. Genius. Wisdom and tenderness as always in this fun, quick little read.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Walsh gave me this book and I've tracked down Thorne smith books ever since.

[William Ritch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fun romp. At first its moral outlook seems dated, but as we get past the fun and into the true message it becomes timeless.

[Descending Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weirdly enjoyed this quite alot. Sure the humor may not hold up, but after all it was written in the 30's and even then it did make me smile in a couple places.

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

[Ray Coons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another nearly forgotten gem from Thorne Smith.
Hector Owen is bored, disillusioned and bullied by life as he takes shelter from the rain in a doorway. Without warning, the door opens and he's pulled through into the most unusual department store and into a new life.
A life where inhibitions vanish and dreams come true. Encountering characters reminiscent of a Marx Brothers script, it's a luminous, ribald yet tender tale of an average man who finds a chance to do what he wants for a change.

[Christine Schmidt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I absolutely could see no point to this unfunny 1930s silly picaresque novel UNTIL I was schooled by a member of the book club, who picked this. It is a satire of the oppressive society of the 30s in America, especially a satire of sexual mores, avoiding politics and religion.
OK so now I understand what it was trying to do, still don't like it any better.

[Robert Pohtos · Rating 5 out of 5]

classic Thorne Smith

Thorne Smith is the master of mid-life crisis stories set in prohibition. The dry versus wet tension as well as traditional norms of America in those days are humorously rendered with magic and supernatural overtones. Though formulaic, this book is enjoyable from beginning to the all too sudden “The End.”

[Steve Vetsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

time travel, strange bed fellows, lots of drinking