Record Number: 32994

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

‘We make another sally today … I have the parcel, and the letters and J. Oxenham’s books … "The V.[Vision] Splendid" contains several real poems: those indeed which you [i.e., Owen’s mother] have marked. But the majority of the things have no poetic value at all. The “Cross Roads” is very very good. Otherwise the book has little Pacific Value, if you understand me … "Barbe of Grand Bayou" seems a little too idyllic so far. Oxenham’s aim seems to be to unsophisticate the reader. It is very pleasant to be reminded of Brittany, which seems not to be of this continent at all … The book is at the opposite pole from the O. Henry books which Leslie sent me. Impossible to read them together … At the same time I am at p. 50 of A. & E. Castle’s recent book: "The Hope of the House", which promises well, and which I can recommend … I am in haste to pack … I crave Travel and shall be pleased like any infant to get into a puff-puff again.’

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 6 Jun 1917 and 10 Jun 1917

Country:

France

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Cerisy-Gailly
county: Somme
specific address: 41st Stationary Hospital

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Wilfred Owen

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Mar 1893

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder

Occupation:

2/Lt., 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment (from 18 June 1916)

Religion:

Christian (Anglican)

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

France

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

O. Henry (pseud. Willam Sydney Porter

Title:

unknown

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
sent by Owen's cousin Leslie Gunston

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32994

Source:

Print

Author:

Wilfred Owen

Editor:

Harold Owen

Title:

Wilfred Owen: Collected Letters

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1967

Vol:

n/a

Page:

468

Additional Comments:

Letter to Susan Owen, 10 June 1917, 41st Stationary Hospital, Cerisy-Gailly (Somme)

Citation:

Wilfred Owen, Harold Owen (ed.), Wilfred Owen: Collected Letters, (London, 1967), p. 468, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32994, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Some of O. Henry's short stories had recently been published by Eveleigh Nash, as a collection in 1916, for example "The voice of the city : further stories of the four million" as well as earlier US collections from Doubleday.