Disturber of the Peace, Second Edition

The Life of H. L. Mencken

By: William Manchester

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

This fine biography of H. L. Mencken tells of how, for better or worse, he rose to his unique position as comic genius and preeminent critic of American culture.

InDisturber of the Peace, one finds the facts of the stormy Mencken legend: his hectic and hilarious editorship with George Jean Nathan ofThe Smart Set, the memorable saga ofThe American Mercury, the famous Scopes "monkey trial" in Tennessee, and Mencken's own trial in Boston when The American Mercurywas banned. Here is the story of a man whose massive power of invective inspired and infuriated his contemporaries and whose popularity and unpopularity mounted with the frenzied pace of the 1920s. Mencken sounded a loud, jarring note to a world governed by conformity and never hesitated to express his contempt for every kind of hypocrite, fake, and narrow-minded censor. Mencken also had a human side, which Manchester details—not just his rambunctious wit and pungent criticism but also his courtesy and hospitality, the warmth of his friendships, his support of many struggling writers, and his personal foibles and weaknesses. What emerges from this highly readable biography is a compelling portrait of an extraordinary man.

Originally published in 1951, this second edition includes a new introduction by the author and a new final chapter, "My Old Man," which recounts in moving terms his own experiences as a friend and prot├®g├® of Mencken in his later years.

©1950 , 1951, renewed 1979 by William Manchester. Introduction and envoi © 1986 by William Manchester (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Manchester’s book is written with verve, intellectual sophistication, and a prickly wit worthy of its eminent subject…A first-class piece of literate entertainment.”

(New Yorker)

“Narrator Anthony Heald takes on a saucy attitude for the descriptions of Mencken’s milieu…He seems to thumb his nose at the world, just as H. L. did.”

(AudioFile)

refreshing

Mencken was a very complex character. Manchester knew him. Mencken was frequently wrong. he was also frequently right. he is very current and relevant as we c watch the Re biblical party against start to self-destruct with right wing nonsense.

A fascinating biography of a very eccentric genius

If you could sum up Disturber of the Peace in three words, what would they be?

Fun. Informative. Well-written

What did you like best about this story?

I will read anything William Manchester wrote. I love his flair for story telling and making you understand Menchen.

Have you listened to any of Anthony Heald’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, new listener but satisfied

A very enjoyable read

A very enjoyable read. An insightful read of comings and goings of H.L. Mencken.

A Revelation

This beautifully written, superbly narrated biography of H.L. Mencken seduced me with its language and insight into an amazingly complex enigma of a writer. I had never read anything by either Mencken or Manchester and this book proved a revelation to me. All I new of Mencken was his name as mentioned in movies of the 30's and in Inherit the Wind and his reputation as a tart-tongued pundit, so I was surprised by the breadth of his work. As a result, I have already ordered one Mencken book in paperback from Amazon (sadly not available in either audible or Kindle) and will investigate other Manchester bios in my preferred formats.
Anthony Heald's narration is marvelous - sarcastic, boisterous, warm, sad, or sweet by turns as appropriate to the text. This audio book is highly recommended.

An American original

If you're interested in America in the 1920s and 1930s, journalism and criticism, and the life of an American original, there's a lot to like in this book. The chapters on Mencken's late-in-life marriage and on the end of his life where Manchester read to him are moving. There are bits and pieces of Mencken's own writing, but not enough, and for that, one needs to read elsewhere. Some of his work remains in print, as it should.

Manchester delivers a caring, careful bio. If you like the form, this is an excellent specimen.

Am glad I read it, but think I'd get more from Mencken's own work.