The O’Hara Generation. By John O’Hara. First Edition, First Printing. Random House. New York, 1969.

American author John O’Hara was one of the most popular fiction writers of his era. A prolific short story writer, he helped to revitalize the literary short story in the twentieth century, with major contributions to notable magazines, especially the New Yorker. His friends and contemporaries–including Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and John Steinbeck–praised his work both publicly and privately. Writers from the following generation, such as John Updike, expressed supreme admiration for O’Hara as well. Yet major literary awards alluded O’Hara, save a National Book Award for his novel Ten North Frederick. O’Hara also often refused to reprint his short stories in anthologies, and so much of his achievements have been overlooked by readers today. This is part of what makes this collection so remarkable. It is a rare anthology of O’Hara’s short stories selected from 1935 to 1966. It was published near the end of his life. For any O’Hara admirer, it is an exciting volume, one that celebrates his greatest achievements.

This first edition, first printing is in very good condition. In the original cloth, near-fine with only fading and bumping to edges. Text block near-fine, only soiling to bottom edge. In the original dust jacket, very good with only minor chipping, bumping, and creases to edges. Price clipped.

A very good first edition of this John O’Hara story collection.