In 1936 at the age of 55, H. L. Mencken published s reminiscence of his Baltimore boyhood in The New Yorker. With this modest beginning, Mencken embarked on what would become the Days Trilogy, a long and magnificent adventure in autobiography by America's greatest journalist.
This is actually three books in one binding an edition by The Library of America. It is a great social history. Mencken starts writing about his boyhood from 1880 right through to when he is famous and travels the world.
As a Managing Editor he wasn't about inventing news to get the circulation ticking over so what is happening today has all been done before. He admits that he has "gilded the lily'in these memoirs as well but that doesn't matter because what we get is several hundred pages of fascinating writing that at times makes you laugh out loud at times and shake your head in disbelief at others.
Highly recommended.
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