First-prize stories, 1919-1966; from the O. Henry memorial awards

by Harry Hansen (Introduction by)

England to America by Margaret Prescott Montague -- Each in his generation by Maxwell Struthers Burt -- The heart of little Shikara by Edison Marshall -- Snake doctor by Irvin S. Cobb -- Prelude by Edgar Valentine Smith -- The spring flight by Inez Haynes Irwin -- Mr. Bisbee's princess by Julian Street -- Bubbles by Wilbur Daniel Steele -- Child of God by Roark Bradford -- The parrot by Walter Duranty -- Big blonde by Dorothy Parker -- Dressing-up by W. R. Burnett -- Can't cross Jordan by myself by Wilbur Daniel Steele -- An end to dreams by Stephen Vincent Benet -- Gal young 'un by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings -- No more trouble for Jedwick by Louis Paul -- The white horses of Vienna by Kay Boyle -- Total stranger by James Gould Cozzens -- The devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benet -- The happiest man on earth by Albert Maltz -- Barn burning by William Faulkner -- Freedom's a hard-bought thing by Stephen Vincent Benet -- Defeat by Kay Boyle -- The wide net by Eudora Welty -- Livvie is back by Eudora Welty -- Walking wounded by Irwin Shaw -- The wind and the snow of winter by Walter Van Tilburg Clark -- Bird song by John Mayo Goss -- The white circle by John Bell Clayton -- Shut a final door by Truman Capote -- A courtship by William Faulkner -- The blue-winged teal by Wallace Stegner -- The hunters by Harris Downey -- The Indian feather by Thomas Mabry -- In the zoo by Jean Stafford -- The country husband by John Cheever -- Greenleaf by Flannery O'Connor -- In sickness as in health by Martha Gelhorn -- Venus, Cupid, folly and time by Peter Taylor -- The ledge by Lawrence Sargent Hall -- Tell me a riddle by Tillie Olsen -- Holiday by Katherine Anne Porter -- Everything that rises must converge by Flannery O'Connor -- The embarkment for Cythera by John Cheever -- Revelation by Flannery O'Connor -- The Bulgarian poetess by John Updike

735 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Hansen was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended high school in that same city.

After graduation, he joined the Davenport Republican newspaper, serving as both the telegraph editor and a staff writer. He attended the University of Chicago, majoring in English and acquiring his Ph.D in 1909.

After graduation, Hansen joined the Chicago Daily News as a staff reporter and upon the outbreak of the First World War, Hansen became the Daily News' overseas war correspondent in Europe. When the United States entered the war, Hansen was promoted to foreign editor. By 1920, he had risen to the position of Literary Editor and he remained in that position until leaving the Daily News in 1926 to join the New York World as the "First Reader".

Hansen specialized more in literary affairs than in foreign affairs during his time at the World. He made the book review column into a daily feature and remained as book editor even after the World was sold to the New York Telegram in 1931, being one of the very few employees to remain with the paper.

Hansen also contributed literary criticism to other newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Harper's Magazine and Redbook. His book commentary columns were syndicated in magazines all over the country and Hansen also hosted radio programs both in Chicago and New York. In addition, he served as editor of the O. Henry Prize Stories from 1933 until 1940. He wrote several non-fiction books, including "The Adventures of the Fourteen Points" about the Versailles Peace Conference that ended World War I in 1919 and his only novel, 'Your Life Lies Before You' in 1935.

During and following the Second World War, Hansen continued his historical writing. He wrote one of Farrar & Rinehart's classic Rivers of America series on the Chicago River in 1942 and he also penned one of Random House's equally famous Landmark Series juvenile historical volumes, 'Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution' in 1955. In addition, Hansen also served as editor of the World Book from 1950 until 1965. During the 1960s and 1970s, Hansen wrote several volumes of the American Guide Series of state guidebooks including volumes on Louisiana, California and Illinois, among others. He also published an annual anthology of all the first-prize winners of the O.Henry Memorial Awards and in 1960 he published a complete anthology of the first-prize stories spanning the years from 1919 - 1960.

Hansen was married to Ruth McLernon in 1914 and the couple had two daughters, Ruth Eleanor (born 1915) and Marian (born 1916). Harry Hansen suffered a heart attack and passed away at the age of 92 on January 3, 1977.

Reviews

[Tory Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

While well written and witty, most of the short stories have an underlying tone of fear, depression and an alienation from society. Perhaps not the best book to read during the Covid pandemic!

[Toni Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had enjoyed this more, or rather I wish I had found more here to enjoy. I read some of these and questioned the quality of entries in some years. Or, perhaps the judges’ judgement.

My favorite ended up being ‘In Sickness As In Health’ by Martha Gellhorn.

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

1919: England to America / Margaret Prescott Montague --4
1920: Each in his generation / Maxwell Struthers Burt --
1921: The heart of little Shikara / Edison Marshall --
*1922: Snake doctor / Irvin S. Cobb --
1923: Prelude / Edgar Valentine Smith --
*1924: The spring flight / Inez Haynes Irwin --
1925: Mr. Bisbee's princess / Julian Street --
*1926: Bubbles / Wilbur Daniel Steele --
1927: Child of god / Roark Bradford --2
1926: The parrot / Walter Duranty --
1929: Big blonde / Dorothy Parker --2
1930: Dressing-up / W.R. Burnett --3
*1931: Can't cross Jordan by myself / Wilbur Daniel Steele --
1932: An end to dreams / Stephen Vincent Benet --3
1933: Gal young un / Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings --3
1934: No more trouble for Jedwick / Louise Paul --
1935: The white horses of Vienna / Kay Boyle --2
1936: Total stranger / James Gould Cozzens --3
1937: The devil and Daniel Webster / Stephen Vincent Benet --3
1938: The happiest man on earth / Albert Maltz --
1939: Barn burning / William Faulkner --2
*1940: Freedom's a hard-bought thing / Stephen Vincent Benet --
1941: Defeat / Kay Boyle --2
*1942: The wide net / Eudora Welty --
1943: Livvie is back / Eudora Welty --3
*1944: Walking wounded / Irwin Shaw --
1945: The wind and the snow of winter / Walter Van Tilburg Clark --3
1946: Bird song / John Mayo Goss --
1947: The white circle / John Bell Clayton --4
1948: Shut a final door / Truman Capote --2
1949: A courtship / WIlliam Faulkner --
1950: The blue-winged teal / Wallace Stegner --3
1951: The hunters / Harris Downey --
1954: The Indian feather / Thomas Mabry --
1955: In the zoo / Jean Stafford --3
1956: The country husband / John Cheever --3
1957: Greenleaf / Flannery O'Connor --3
1958: In sickness as in health / Martha Gellhorn --
*1959: Venus, Cupid, folly and time / Peter Taylor --
1960: The ledge / Lawrence Sargent Hall --3
1961: Tell me a riddle / Tillie Olsen --3
*1962: Holiday / Katherine Anne Porter --
1963: Everything that rises must converge / Flannery O'Connor --3
*1964: The embarkment of Cythera / John Cheever --
1965: Revelation / Flannery O'Connor --3
*1966: The Bulgarian poetess / John Updike--

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just read the Dorothy Parker story, which was alright.