Word: samarra
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Since 1934, when his first book, Appointment in Samarra, was published O'Hara had been astonishingly productive. At his death, he had written twelve novels, between 300 and 400 short stories and a large assortment of essays, novellas and plays; he had recently completed a new novel, The Ewings, scheduled for publication next February and was 70 pages into a sequel as well. His tough, spare prose, crackling dialogue and gift for creating mood and atmosphere won him a worldwide audience (his works have been translated into at least 19 languages, including Dutch and Vietnamese). He was, almost certainly...
...prodigious drinker-he quit altogether in 1953 after suffering a massive internal hemorrhage-with a concomitant talent for being fired. But by 1929 the first of his short stories started appearing in The New Yorker. Four years later, his literary reputation solidly established, he set to work on Samarra. Between August and November he rattled out 25,000 words, then ran out of money. He promptly sent copies of the early chapters to three publishers, asking for an advance. Harcourt, Brace responded with $500 and a $50-a-week allowance...