About this Item
"Picaroons" by Gelett Burgess and Will Irwin was published collaboratively in 1904 by McClure, Phillips and Company in their Special Editions series. As explained in a prefatory note, a Picaroon is "a petty rascal; one who lives by his wits; an adventurer. The Picaresque Tales in Spanish literature at the beginning of the Seventeenth Century dealt with the fortunes of beggars, imposters, thieves, etc., and chronicled the Romance of Roguery. Such stories were the precursors of the modern novel. This San Francisco Night's Entertainment is an attempt to render similar subjects in essentially modern settings." **************************** Gelett Burgess was a major player in the San Francisco Bay Literary Renaissance of the 1890s. He was publisher of a number of literary magazines which specialized in lampoons and satire. It was Burgess who first wrote about French Modern Art for Americans with an essay titled "The Wild Men of Paris". For modern readers he is most likely remembered for his nonsense poem "The Purple Cow" "I never saw a purple cow / I never hope to see one; / But I can tell you, anyhow, / I'd rather see than be one!" This ditty became so widespread and notorious that Burgess wished he had never penned it, saying - in another ditty : "Ah, yes, I wrote the "Purple Cow" / I'm Sorry, now, I wrote it; / But I can tell you Anyhow / I'll Kill you if you Quote it!" / Gelett Burgess is also more often remembered - with nostalgia - for his famous creation in verse and cartoon format of "The Goops : "The Goops, they lick their fingers, / and the Goops, they lick their knives; / They spill their broth on the tablecloth, / Oh, they lead disgusting lives! " / Will Irwin was an author and journalist, who is now associated with Muckrakers. Irwin was a local lad, born in Oneida, New York, and then moving with his family to the village of Clayville, located south of Utica on Rte 8; then they moved to Leadville Colorado. Clay . lead . lots of mining activity there . lots of digging, which maybe is why Muckraking, which involved digging of a different sort, was in Irwin's blood. Irwin was also a reporter for the "San Francisco Chronicle", and then for the "New York Sun". His story on the San Francisco Earthquake was read across the nation. When World War I broke out, Irwin traveled to Europe where he was one of the first journalists to report on the use of poison gas by the Germans. He continued to write for newspapers, but also authored a number of books. "The Picaroons" , issued in 1904 as a collaborative effort, and while quite entertaining as a read, is now just about forgotten by the modern world. I warrant some mighty good laughs for its readers. ******************************* CONTENTS: - A MIRACLE AT COFFEE JOHN'S . The Story of the Great Bauer Syndicate // - JAMES WISWELL COFFIN 3d . The Story of the Harvard Freshman // - PROFESSOR VANGO . The Story of the Ex-Medium // - ADMEH DRAKE . The Story of the Hero of Pago Bridge // - THE DIMES OF COFFEE JOHN . The Story of Big Becky // - THE HARVARD FRESHMAN'S ADVENTURE : THE FORTY PANATELAS : The Story of the Returned Klondyker / The Story of the Retired Car-Conductor // - THE EX-MEDIUM'S ADVENTURE : THE INVOLUNTARY SUICIDE . The Story of the Quadroon Woman // - THE HERO'S ADVENTURE: THE MYSTERY OF THE HAMMAM . The Story of the Minor Celebrity / The Story of the Demograph Artist / The Story of the Deserter of the Philippines // - THE WARDS OF FORTUNE *************************** SERIES : Special Edition. / TITLE : The Picaroons. / AUTHORS : Gelett Burgess ( 1866 - 1951 ) ; Will Irwin ( 1873 - 1948 ) / IMPRINT : McClure, Phillips and Company. / PLACE : New York. / DATE : 1904. / EDITION Second Edition [ not stated as such], First Year of Publication. / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Trade hardcover; Decorative title page printed with black lettering and orange publisher's device of floral dolphin and anchor; viii + 284 pages; 5 1/4" x 7 1/2", finely ribbed dark blue, cloth-covered boards with. Seller Inventory # 456
Contact seller
Report this item
