>
> As someone else mentioned, seek out his short
stories. The man was a master
> of the form. He could tell a story through dialog
better than anyone. The
> plotline develops through the dialog but in a buried
form. It's there on
> another level.
This thread prompted me to dig out my volume of O'Hara's
short stories that had been forgotten under the pile. It has
an introduction by Frank MacShane who says "O'Hara invented
almost single-handedly what came to be known as The New
Yorker story." And you're right -- he would drop a few solid
details in among the dialogue, and all of a sudden, it's
real.
He was from Pottsville, Pa., not that far from where I lived
for many years. I thought I read that he grew up across from
the Yuengling Brewery. I went there once, trying to find his
house. I couldn't find it, but I ended up touring the
brewery. It's nice. They give you free beer at the end.
Hugh
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