Ogden Nash: The Life and Work of America's Laureate of Light Verse

(Paperback)

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Description

His keen grasp of human nature and a unique style of verse made Ogden Nash, in the mid-twentieth century, the most widely read and frequently quoted poet of his time. For years, readers have longed for a biography to match Nash's charm, wit, and good nature; now we have it in Douglas Parker's absorbing and delightful life of the poet. Intelligent, informative, and engaging.... There is no comparable study not only of Nash's life but also of the role that poetry, especially comic verse, played in modern American literary culture.... A story long overdue in the telling. Dana Gioia

Reviews

In this faithful and fascinating chronicle, Ogden Nash's triumphs and disappointments on Broadway and in Hollywood; his battles with writers block and the bottle; his disparate careers as poet, lyricist, editor, film writer, radio and television personality, courtly lover, and resident Jesus for Harold Ross of The New Yorker, are all revealed. Nash was a man without enemies; Douglas M. Parkers captivating biography should win him legions of new friends. -- X. J. Kennedy
Douglas Parkers superb biography of Ogden Nash is the book I would rather find in a hotel drawer than the Gideon Bible. Ironically, upon reading a Nash verse, I am invariably tempted to break the Commandment: thou shalt not steal. -- Mark Russell, political satirist
Now that humor has finally been released from the doghouse called 'light verse' and has reclaimed its rightful place in poetry, how well-timed is Douglas Parker's examination of the life and work of Ogden Nash, who refused to hide his joyful wit behind the long, serious mask donned by the writers of 'heavy verse.' -- Billy Collins
Douglas Parker's intelligent, informative, and engaging new biography fills a significant scholarly need in presenting the life and times of this neglected but important American poet. -- Dana Gioia
Parkers is a useful, highly readable biography of one of Americas best-loved poets. * Publishers Weekly *
Well-researched. * Bloomberg *
Parker's biography may well lead to a new appreciation of Nash -- Debra Lawless * Chatham Chronicle *
Explores the complex person behind the deceptively simple verse. -- Melanie Lauwers * Cape Cod Times *
I've marked page after page to treasurefor the skill of the friendly first-time biographer as well as the delights of the poet. -- Roderick Nordell * The Christian Science Monitor *
Admirably concise. -- Brad Leithauser * The Wall Street Journal *
Douglas Parker has given us an attractive book about an engaging writer. -- John M. and Priscilla S. Taylor * The Washington Times *
Capable biography -- Jonathan Yardley * The Instrumentalist *
Parker narrates Nash's accomplishments with careful detail, sprinkling apt verse excerpts throughout to add lyrical detail. * Zentralblatt fr Geologie und Palontologie *
Ogden Nash is an irresistible subject for biography. Douglas M. Parker, a former lawyer and public servant, has undertaken the task out of affection and admiration for his subject; his response to Nash is that of an intelligent layman to a unique talent. Without indulging in special pleading for Nash's importance, Parker's Ogden Nash is a temperate and carefully measured account. -- William H. Pritchard * Times Literary Supplement *
In the best of Nash we find a haiku of hilarity, a profound explication of the human condition. Parker has given us a levelheaded explanation of where Nash was coming from. * American Spectator *
Parker tells this life story smoothly.... Nash's legion of fans should find themselves satisfied at this total story. * Arkansas DemocratGazette *
Parker has done a tremendous service by writing this readable and workmanlike biographythe first biography of Nash, amazingly enough. * Books and Culture *
Douglas M. Parker, a retired Washington, D.C., lawyer, writes a solid biography of Ogden Nash (19021971), perhaps America's most beloved versifier.... The author has done himself proud. It wouldn't bother citizens of the country much if more Washington lawyers took to writing biographies. * The Buffalo News *
Parker's finely written biography provides a thorough picture of Nash. The reference section is extensive and impressive. If you are a Nash fan to begin with, you will be more so upon completion of Parker's book. * Charleston Post and Courier *
This biography is a fine and overdue tribute to a good man who wrote very funny and sometimes sad light verse. It is particularly strong on Nash's ventures into musical theatre and his long involvement with the New Yorker. * Literary Review *
Parker's sympathetic appraisal reveals a man of adaptable talents. * The New Yorker *
Douglas M. Parker's biography tells his story with an abundance of detail. * The New York Times *
There seems to be a law of deceptive appearances requiring that anyone who wrote as much and as wittily as Ogden Nash must have been deeply troubled. However, according to Douglas M. Parker's carefully researched and authoritative new biography of the master of light verse, Nash violated that law as cavalierly as he broke the laws of rhyme and prosody. In Odgen Nash Parker shows that Nash was in fact the likable man that his poems suggest. Even when his verses are slightly acerbic, he describes universal experiences that strengthen the bonds of our humanity. * The Seattle Times *
Multifaceted biography covers all aspects...and is a 'must' for any Nash reader. * Bookwatch *
Affectionately honest. -- Laurie Higgins * Upper Cape Codder *
Douglas M. Parker believes that Nash has become too littleknown, and he makes a good case. -- Richard Wakefield * Light Quarterly *
Richly detailed....[An] affectionate look at Nash's life. -- Theresa Barnaby * Tri-City Herald *
A fast-paced, readable biography....One of the delights of Parker's book is its reprinting of Nash's pleasure-giving lines. -- Joseph Rosenblum * Magill's Literary Annual *
Really quite dandy to read by the fire whilst nibbling on candy...a good introduction to Nash. -- R.A. Bartlett * Choice Reviews *
[An] affectionate look at Nash's life.... Richly detailed with excerpts from family correspondence. * Tri-City Herald *
Worth Reading. -- Louis Phillips * Georgia Review *

Author Bio

Douglas Parker studied at the Cornell Law School, practiced corporate law in New York City, and served in the White House under President Nixon and in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He is now retired from private practice and lives in South Orleans, Massachusetts.