Less an autobiography and more a series of reflections, philosophies, and anecdotes, I'd Hate Myself In The Morning is a slender but superb work by one of the most underrated writers America has ever produced. I say underrated because he was not only competing with the legacy of his famous father, but also because of his experiences with the blacklist and his subsequent emergence from that period, all of which Lardner discusses with a candor that is very engaging, honest, and thought-provoking. In noting that he passed away shortly after the book was published, it casts a very eerie, but not creepy, shadow over the last chapter in which he discusses his views on mortality and death. A very quick read and well worth it.

Like most people I first came to know the work of Ring Lardner, Jr. through his Oscar writing screenplays for 1942's "Woman of the Year," the film that introduced Spenser Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, and for 1970's "M*A*S*H." It was only later that I learned Lardner was much more than a writer, since his greatest moment of personal triumph and tragedy was his refusal to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee during the Red Scare. Larder served a one-year sentence for his act and this memoir details his entire career in Hollywood. These are the tales of someone who lived in and outside of the studio system and given what happened to him with the blacklist it is rather surprising to find Lardner telling his story without rancor or self-justification, let alone all the other emotions to which he was certainly entitled. Even without taking into account his personal Golgotha, "I'd Hate Myself in the Morning" is one of the best looks at the machinations of Hollywood during the decline and fall of the studio system you are going to find. This work is essentially a posthumous effort, which only underscores the ultimate irony that once again, circumstances have prevented the world from recognizing the worth of the man.

Ring Lardner, Jr. died shortly after the publication of _I'd Hate Myself in the Morning_ (Thunder's Mouth Press), at the age of eighty-five. He was the last of the famous Hollywood Ten, those who were jailed by the House Un-American Activities Committee for being Communists. He also landed on the blacklist, unable to get the studio work he had previously and lucratively enjoyed with Twentieth Century Fox. He was a hero to many, but his humorous, delightfully self-effacing memoir shows he didn't think he fit that role. He writes, "I try to suggest that we weren't as heroic as people make us out to be. It would be more analytically precise, it seems to me, to say that we did the only thing we could do under the circumstances."

Lardner's time in our nation's history, his membership in the Communist Party, and his work in the movies make this a unique memoir. Those who read his touching recollections will learn about screenwriting in a type of studio system that no longer exists, and about a type of Americanism (and American Communism) that also no longer exists. He writes with grace and amusement about his own mistakes and those of others. The wit that won him Oscars for _Woman of the Year_ in 1942 and _M*A*S*H_ in 1970 is clearly on display, as is a lack of rancor for how his nation and his fellow movie makers treated him. This book is a warm farewell.

Lardner's voice is distinctive, and it cuts through all the noise in your life until all you hear are his characters speaking, telling their stories as best they know how, their dialect as real and immediate as it was when these stories were first written. Imagine Dorothy Parker covering the World Series, Oscar Wilde at a bridge club in suburbia, Dave Barry on the slow train from Chicago to New York. The only difference is in Lardner's restraint: his characters, when ridiculous, never fail to remind that to laugh at them is to laugh at ourselves as well, a fact which can be comforting and disconcerting at the same time.

Best of the collection: "Alibi Ike," "Liberty Hall," "There Are Smiles," "The Anniversary."

As a young boy, Hemmingway signed his first fiction "Ring Lardner Jr." (this was long before there was a Ring Lardner Jr.) Read Ring Sr's short fiction and see why young Hemmingway admired him so much. Lardner is one of the trancendent talents America has ever produced. His stories are rich in pathos and punchlines. Nobody is funnier in print, and nobody knew the human condition better. Read him once, and you'll read Lardner for life. My personal favorites "Haircut" and "Albi Ike".

Let's just face it, Ring Lardner was the greatest writer ever. "You Know Me Al" did stink, but these short stories prove that there was no one better. He had emotion and character and plot and his stories are the best.

I could read this book 100 times and never tire of it

Ring Lardner, with his background as a sport writer, demonstrated his unique ability to mix dialogues of his characters with vivid descriptions of the scenes and plots of his short stories. The result: Reading his stories is like watching movies. This audio dramatization of Ring Larners's stories include his classics such as "Champiion" and "The Golden Honeymoon" Again, to listen to these stories is like to enjoy some great old time movies. The only difference and the better part of it is that, the narrations-the very essences of these stories, never miss out in the process.

I had this book in hardback and it dissappeared when I lent it to a friend. A long time went buy until I found Amazon and was able to replace the book. To tell you the truth I enjoyed it even more the second time around. Alibi Ike could probably make someone laugh on his way to the electric chair. Also for young people, this book could show you the path we followed to get here. Frank Callender-Reviewer

Since only a small portion of the great Ring Lardner's work is still in print (i.e., "You Know Me Al" and various collections of his sports writing and short stories), this well-chosen collection of his letters is a happy discovery for fans of the humorist. As one would expect from Lardner, the letters are breezy, funny, and full of acerbic insight. Enormously popular in his day and now sadly forgotten, Lardner corresponded with a veritable Who's Who of his time. Mr. Caruthers is to be commended for his intelligent selection of letters, as well as his helpful commentary and annotation. Reading these letters makes one wish that some enterprising publisher would release the Collected Works of Ring Lardner. Until such time, we deprived fans must be grateful for small gems such as this book.

This book was a real hoot to read. Ive always loved the language that revolved around the game of baseball. Ring Lardner does a credible job of creating this youthful prospect trying to make big in The Show. The format of writing letters gives it a touch a realism. The language and grammar of this semiliterates lend it a charm that is slightly reminiscent of Huck Finn. His delusional arrogance is more humorous than offensive in the long run. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the literature and journalism that surrounds this great American game.

Ring Lardner's 'You Know Me Al' is a classic of American literature. Continuing in a tradition established by Mark Twain, Ring Lardner writes in a style that captures the dialogue and spirit of the common man.

The sports characters are timeless and their characteristics and foibles are as true today as they were a century ago. And the characteristics really transcend baseball and sports entirely and apply to everyone.

This is a great book and a very enjoyable read.

The travails of the boastful, blame-shifting, naive-unto-the-point-of-stupidity White Sox rookie first went into print 85 years ago. It's one of the miracles of 20th century fiction -- or a comment on the eternal childishness of America's national pastime -- that the bush leaguer's absurd confidences to a friend back home are still fresh and funny. "I have not worked yet Al and I asked Callahan to-day what was the matter and he says I was waiting for you to get in shape. I says I am in shape now and I notice that when I was pitching in practice this A.M. they did not hit nothing out of the infield. He says That was because you are so spread out that they could not get nothing past you. He says The way you are now you cover more ground than the grand stand. I says Is that so? And he walked away." Yeah, this is clearly the same sport where the portly John Kruk turned aside a question a few years ago about conditioning with the Bartlett's-worthy, "We're not athletes. We're ballplayers."

Lardner does more than get laughs at the expense of his dense protagonist, though. He gives an intimate picture of baseball in its first classic era -- the busher comes face to face with Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker and Walter Johnson with interesting results. But it's not a sentimental depiction of the age: Among those with whom the busher crosses paths is the famously parsimonious and autocratic White Sox owner, Charles Comiskey. The book gives a hint of the resentments that led his players to agree to throw a World Series (as they did a few years after Lardner wrote "You Know Me Al") and illustrates the indentured servitude that all but the best players endured before free agency arrived in the mid-'70s.

Ring Lardner's comic strip "You Know Me Al" first appeared in September 1922 courtesy of the Bell Syndicate. However, Lardner's naive, letter-writing busher was already well known because of appearances in "The Saturday Evening Post" in 22 stories which followed Jack's life from his arrival with the Chicago White Sox through his experiences in World War I, all told in letters to Al Blanchard, Jack's friend back home in Bedford, Indiana. As you would expect, these comic strips combine the same knowledge of the game of baseball with knowing satire that made Lardner famous. These comic strips begin at the same point in Jack's career, when he reports to the ChiSox for his first season in the big leagues, but the time now clearly the Roaring Twenties. Of course, in 1922 the team was still reeling from the Black Sox scandal and the baseball was entering the "lively" ball era. To really enjoy this strip you had better be up to date on ballplayers from the that era. Just to help you out, there is a guide to the players in the back of the book which will tell you not only about Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson, but Nick Altrock and Charley O'Leary. So any time you do not get the joke, just flip to the back.

The strips follow not only Jack's baseball career but what he does for winter employment (would you believe "acting"?) and his marriage. The "Busher," as he is often called, even goes abroad. The strips reproduced her were taken mostly from the "Milwaukee Journal," and vary in quality. But Lardner's wit comes through, no matter how good the reproductions or who was doing the drawing (Will B. Johnstone and Dick Dorgan). Lardner quit the strip in early 1925, although his name continued on the strip. He wrote continuity for over 700 strips, of which 292 are included in this book. Al Capp writes the preface and Richard Layman puts together the Introduction and the Afterword.

I absolutely love Ring Lardner. Some of his classics such as "Alibi Ike" and "Champion" are included in this volume. Champion is a frightening portrait of a brutal, totally amoral heavyweight champ who makes Mike Tyson look like a choir boy. The character is absolutely chilling and stands in sharp contrast to the many humorous characters Lardner has created. The beauty of his more humorous creations is that they bring a chuckle but are not so outlandish as be unreal. What is funny is that we all probably know people who are just like those satirized by Lardner. My criticism of this collection is that it omits my favorite Lardner story: "Mr. & Mrs. Fixit." We all know people like those lampooned in that story and it's too bad it's missing. My suggestion is to buy a collection that omits the short novel "You Know Mw Al" and buy one with a larger selection of shorter stories and then buy "You Know Me Al" separately. However, if you do buy this, you will still most certainly get your money's worth.

I was delighted to finally find a biography of Ring Lardner. I had read all his stories, and the "You Know Me Al" articles. I was full of anticipation when I began reading Mr. Yardleys history of early baseball under the guise of a Biography of Ring Lardner. I realize that Ring Lardner wrote about baseball, but Mr. Yardley's coverage of this part of Ring Lardner's life is over done to put it mildly.

When I read a biography I expect to learn about the details of the individual's life, not baseball stories during the teens.

Mr. Yardley does cover some very limited events of Ring Lardner's life between his baseball history lessons. If I want to read a book on Baseball history, I would find a book on that subject. While some may find the stories entertaining, I found them boring and over done.

If you are looking for a Biography of Ring Lardner's life do not buy this book. If you want a early history of Baseball you will be right at home. I rate this book in reality 5 yawns, the only way I could stay awake reading it was on a cross trainer at the gym and even then it was an effort.

Ring Lardner began his career as a sports journalist, writing mostly about BASEBALL. He had his first literary success with stories about a BASEBALL player. There is a good case to be made that BASEBALL events like the Black Sox Scandal greatly affected his world view. So guess what? Any biography of Ring Lardner is going to have a lot of stuff about BASEBALL in it! Kind of like a biography of George Patton might mention the army here and there.

Jonathan Yardley sets the stage with a 38 page section about baseball as Lardner knew it. If you're allergic to baseball you can skip this part. The other 362 pages of text mention baseball no more than is necessary to tell Ring's story. Mostly this is an affectionate, critically insightful, well written biography of a vastly influential and still funny American writer who is sadly neglected today. Includes a decent sampling of Ring's newspaper journalism and personal letters.