H. L. MenckenH.L. Mencken (September 12, 1880-January 29, 1956). He was a controversialist, humorous journalist, and strong writer of American life who effectively impacted U.S. fiction through the 1920s. He worked as a reporter for the Baltimore Morning Herald i 1899 and, in 1906, joined the staff of the Baltimore Sun, where he worked at intervals throughout his life. From 1914 to 1923 he worked as editor-in-chief of the witty urban magazine, and in 1924 he and Nathan established the American Mercury, which Mencken edited until 1933. In 1919, he published The American Language, a strong volume that attempted to bring together examples of America, alternately English, idioms, and expressions. The book at once attracted attention. Mencken’s autobiographical trilogy, Happy Days (1940), Newspaper Days (1941), and Heathen Days (1943), is dedicated to his experiences in journalism. Read More Read Less