The History of Rome Hanks and Kindred Matters

by Joseph Stanley Pennell

This Civil War novel, originally published by Scribner's in 1944, was the literary event of that year. It was edited by Maxwell Perkins, who said An editor does not come across such talent more than five or six times in his life.

Genres: Novels

363 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

Joseph Stanley Pennell (Kansas, 1903-1963), novelist and short story writer,newspaper reporter and teacher, and educated at the University of Kansas and Oxford.

He is most known for his book on the Civil War, The History of Rome Hanks and Kindred Matters, where he "depicted the lives of ordinary soldiers with gripping realism.

He married Elizabeth Horton in St. Louis in 1945. After she died from an overdose of sleeping pills in 1949, he married her sister, Virginia Horton, who survived him. He had no children.

Biography

Reviews

[John Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When The History of Rome Hank and Kindred Matters was published in 1944, it was being compared to Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel and was considered a literary event. Now the novel is largely forgotten, neglected by both the general reading public and the scholar.

I wouldn't have heard about it if it weren't for the dedication in Ralph Peter's The Damned of Petersburg, who called it one of the greatest Civil War novels. I'm not sure I would classify The History of Rome Hanks as strictly a Civil War novel. The main character, Lee Harrington is tracing his families history and the stories of his grandfather and great-grandfather encompass the war. But that is just part of the story.

The History of Rome Hanks is a story of exploration and self-discovery. While Kerouac used the "road" as the metaphor for that journey, Pennell uses history, for Harrington's journey is through time, through the history of his family. The narrative structure by which Pennell recounts this history is complex mix of 2nd and 3rd person point of view with a sprinkling of omniscient first person stream of consciousness. There are as many shifts of narrative time line as there are shifts of narrators.

As a novel where it's protagonist seeks meaning in this world, The History of Rome Hanks is an important bridge between Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel and the soon to emerge Post Modern literary movement.

Essential reading if you are interested in American Literature.

[David Vanness]

Opened and started. By the end of page #1 of chapter #1, Pennell had used 3 'GD's. And flipping the page I found a continuation of his literary skills. Not an enjoyable read for myself so I filed it in the Trash hopper. Well the friends of the local library were glad someone contributed.