Alice and the Lost Novel
| Author | Sherwood Anderson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Short Novels of the Twentieth Century |
| Genre |
|
| Publisher | Elkin Mathews and Marrot |
Publication date | 1929 |
| Publication place | United States |
Alice and The Lost Novel is a 1929 book containing a collection of two autobiographical essays by the American author Sherwood Anderson (1876–1941).[1][2]
Publication and description
Alice and The Lost Novel was issued as part of the “Short Novels of the Twentieth Century” series by the London publisher Elkin Mathews and Marrot, in a limited edition of 530 numbered and signed copies, making it one of Anderson’s rarest publications.[3]
The volume consists of two autobiographical prose pieces, “Alice” and “The Lost Novel”, in which Anderson reflects on the creative process, the struggles of the writer’s life, and the emotional undercurrents that shaped his fiction. Both essays offer a deeply personal look into the author’s artistic philosophy and his preoccupation with authenticity, failure, and the search for meaning through art.[3]
Critical reception
The 1930 review in The Guardian stated, "As the authors in one of Mr. Sherwood Anderson's stories agree, "you almost get at something sometimes," but the aspiring writer can hardly hope for more than that. Mr. Anderson is a little disappointing; he writes almost as though he were telegraphing, and as in the telegram, he seems to try for the absolute and miss the warm, human modulations."[4] The New Statesman critic stated, "One danger of the new, personal kind of short story is that it tends to droop away into the essay. This is a grave flaw in Mr. Anderson's two brief tales—he stops at times to insert such pure essay touches as: "I mean an artist, of course. They can be first-class lovers. It may be they are the only lovers. And they are absolutely ruthless about throwing direct personal love aside."[5]
References
- ^ Anderson, David D. (1967). Sherwood Anderson: An Introduction and Interpretation. American Authors and Critics Series. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. pp. 115–116. OCLC 501231. Retrieved October 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Kimbel, Bobby Ellen, ed. (1989). American Short-Story Writers, 1910–1945. Detroit: Gale. p. 24. ISBN 0-8103-4564-1. Retrieved October 18, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b "Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941). Alice and The Lost Novel. London: Elkin Mathews and Marrot, 1929". The Library of Virginia. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
- ^ A. N. M. (January 3, 1930). "The Woburn Books". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 18, 2025. Retrieved October 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ ""Alice and the Lost Novel". Anderson (Book Review)". New Statesman. Vol. 34, no. 875. February 1, 1930. p. 537. ProQuest 1306864973.
External links
- Full text of Alice and the Lost Novel at HathiTrust Digital Library