Books like Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara
John O'Hara sketches the life of Gibbsville much as William Faulkner did for Yoknapatawpha, but with a modern, realist tone. The story centers on Julian English, a well‑off, married man whose indulgence in drinking and spending spirals into a 72‑hour collapse over the Christmas season. O'Hara’s narrative exposes how ordinary choices can precipitate personal ruin, illustrating broader themes of social life, domesticity, and self‑destructive behavior within the American middle class.
First publish date: 1934
Genre: Literary Fiction/Classic Literature
Authors: John O'Hara
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