"Why Authors Go Wrong, and Other Explanations" by Grant M. Overton delves into the common pitfalls that writers encounter in their creative journeys. Overton explores the psychological and practical barriers that can hinder an author's success, offering insights into the writing process and the importance of understanding one's audience. Through a blend of anecdotal evidence and critical analysis, the book serves as a guide for aspiring authors, encouraging them to reflect on their motivat...

In this work, Overton celebrates the talent, diversity, and unique perspectives that women bring to fiction, profiling both well-known and emerging authors of the time. Writers such as Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, and Mary Roberts Rinehart are discussed not only for their narratives but for the ways their work explores themes of independence, identity, and social justice. Overton delves into the lives of these writers, offering insight into how their personal experiences and societal posit...

In "When Winter Comes to Main Street," Grant M. Overton masterfully explores the intricate tapestry of small-town life amidst the relentless change of the seasons. Through a rich narrative interwoven with vivid imagery and delicate prose, Overton captures the essence of a community grappling with the duality of nostalgia and modernity. The book is set against the backdrop of a New England town, reflecting a literary style reminiscent of 20th-century regionalism, layered with introspective ...

Excerpt: "It seems unlikely that any one will misunderstand the precise subject itself. What, exactly, is meant by an author "going wrong"? The familiar euphemism, as perhaps most frequently used, is anything but ambiguous. Ambiguous-sounding words are generally fraught with a deadly and specific meaning—another illustration of the eternal paradox of sound and sense. But as used in the instance of an author, "going wrong" has a great variety of meanings. An author has gone wrong, for examp...

In "When Winter Comes to Main Street," Grant M. Overton artfully captures the intricate tapestry of small-town life during the transformative winter months. Through lyrical prose infused with vivid imagery, Overton delves into the emotional landscape of his characters, highlighting themes of introspection, community, and resilience. The narrative oscillates between poignant nostalgia and the stark realities of change, set against the backdrop of a town grappling with the duality of winter'...

"Mermaid" is a romantic novel set in a coastal setting, where the story revolves around a young woman who is metaphorically or literally linked to the mythical concept of a mermaid. The narrative likely involves themes of love, fantasy, and personal transformation, exploring the protagonist's journey through a blend of romance and mythological elements.The novel may incorporate aspects of folklore or legend related to mermaids, using these motifs to deepen the story’s emotional and themati...

Excerpt: "How that I, Robinson Crusoe, came to be wrecked with others of the ship's company on a Desert Island, all being lost save my unworthy self, hath in a precise manner been narrated by one D. Defoe in the book he saw fit to entitle with my name; but his ending is indifferent. For novels like Defoe's must have the Happy Ending, so styled. Yet is the truth often happier far than fiction. Being no hand to invent a tale, I am content to set down in this place events as I humbly took par...

In "Cargoes for Crusoes," Grant M. Overton presents a thought-provoking exploration of the themes of survival and human ingenuity through the lens of travel and adventure literature. Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century, Overton's prose is characterized by rich, descriptive passages that evoke the fantastical and often perilous journeys undertaken by seafarers and explorers. The book engages with the romantic notions of adventure, capturing the essence of longing and the spir...

In "American Nights Entertainment," Grant M. Overton offers an insightful exploration of the vibrant tapestry of American nightlife in the early 20th century, presenting a nuanced examination of entertainment forms'—from vaudeville to jazz. Overton's rich, descriptive prose captures not only the live performances but also the cultural zeitgeist that shaped the era's social interactions. By weaving historical anecdotes with astute sociocultural commentary, the book serves as both an engagin...

Grant Martin Overton (1887-1930) was an American writer and critic. Born in New York, he was a graduate of Princeton University and fiction editor at Collier’s magazine from 1924 to 1930, and a novelist in his own right. His “Cargoes for Crusoes,” published in 1924, is a book about books and authors of the time, featuring works produced by three American publishing houses. Individual chapters are devoted to the work of such outstanding authors as: Philip Gibbs, Melville Davisson Post, Jeff...

In the autumn of 1922 New York began to witness a play by John Galsworthy, called Loyalties. Not only the extreme smoothness of the acting by a London company but the almost unblemished perfection of the play as drama excited much praise. Because, of the two principals, one was a Jew and the other was not, with consequent enhancement of the dramatic values in several scenes, it was said (by those who always seek an extrinsic explanation) that Loyalties simply could not have avoided being a...

Says his American contemporary, Joseph Hergesheimer, in an appreciation of Hugh Walpole: “Mr. Walpole’s courage in the face of the widest scepticism is nowhere more daring than in The Golden Scarecrow.” Mr. Walpole’s courage, I shall always hold, is nowhere more apparent than in the choice of his birthplace. He was born in the Antipodes. Yes! In that magical, unpronounceable realm one reads about and intends to look up in the dictionary.... The precise Antipodean spot was Auckland, New Zea...