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

When I think of Ogden Nash, I think first of a poem I read in school a long time ago titled "The Purist." I have read it too many times to actually laugh out loud again, but I still smile when I read it. I become the kid I once was somehow, happy to hear the joke over and over again. I think Ogden Nash brings back memories for many older Americans. When I was reading the new biography Ogden Nash: The Life and Work of America's Laureate of Light Verse by Douglas M. Parker, while eating a sweet roll in Panera last week, an older man noticed. As he passed my table he said, "Ah, Ogden Nash, he was a wonderful man." I noticed the older man, who looked like a retired executive, having a look of competence and industry, was cleaning tables. Was he laid off by a corporation, replaced by someone young? Was he working at Panera because he was unable to find a management job in the new economy, which disvalues the older, experienced worker? Is Nash for him a link to a happier time, his time? Nash has often been a bright spot in a dark time. He became popular for his humorous poetry during the Great Depression when his works began to appear regularly in The New Yorker, Saturday Evening Post, and other magazines. Because he was never paid much for his poems, he had to write and sell a lot of them, which he continued to do into the 1960s, when changing tastes made his work harder to sell. By the time of his death in 1971, he had published over a thousand poems. Nash did not only write poetry. He tried his hand as a book editor, magazine editor, screen writer, playwright, lyricist, and game show panelist. He was valued as an editor at Doubleday and other publishers, but the pay was poor and he left the profession to write fulltime. His efforts in Hollywood and on Broadway always started with lots of promise but usually fizzled. Radio and television appearances eventually paid fairly well, but poetry was his steady income. Being a writer, he often worked from home. Unlike many men of his era, he seems to have spent much time with his two daughters. On several occasions, he was the primary parent as his wife took long European vacations. It may not have been difficult to do, as the family always had servants. His wife had her own money inherited from her "old family" Baltimore ancestors. She and Nash were always able to live the country club and martini life. I think readers will enjoy learning how involved Nash was in the literary scene of the 1920s and 1930s. He knew Dorothy Parker, F. Scott Fitzgerald, E. B. White, and many others. Douglas M. Parker also tells much about mid-twentieth century world of publishing. Fans of The New Yorker will especially want to read this book. Some will enjoy the book for their own memories. There are many Nash verses scattered throughout the text. Read "The Purist." The punch line ends with a word that rhymes with "smile."

Many of us probably recognize Ogden Nash as the creator of humorous poetry, but he was a man of far greater accomplishments than might be generally known.In this biography, Doug Parker gives a very complete and fascinating overview of Nash and the diversity of his works, which included movie scripts and--much to my surprise--song lyrics. Parker relates his story in manageable sequences, interspersing just enough famous lines from Nash to lure the reader into wanting to read more of the man's work. One would think that Parker knew Nash personally because of the skillful manner in which he discreetly discusses the poet's health problems, his devotion to his family, his dislike of confrontation, and the entire span of his creative life. It took an impressive amount of research to create this interesting account of Nash's life, and Parker made much use of Nash's personal letters. He does not overwhelm the reader with excessive detail, rather, he leaves the reader feeling like one who has enjoyed a great meal but has not overeaten, and who knows he can come back for seconds by reading more of Nash's work. This is an enjoyable and informative book that gives the reader a real appreciation for the talents of Ogden Nash.

Ogden Nash is an example of how our need to label things can cheat us of clearly seeing something that is actually quite unique and important. It is an understandable problem because it is hard to put a meaningful label on something that stands apart. We say that he is the poet laureate of light verse, or a humorist, or a writer of joke verse. His detractors call him a bad poet because he is "not serious". Balderdash. He was a very serious writer. Though many have tried to copy him by going after some of his rhythms and wonderfully forced rhymes, they never pull it off because they are not as serious or as talented has he. Nash said that he looked on his work as essays in verse (pg 245) and noted several times how hard he had to work to create his works. Never mind the fact that at one book signing he wrote a couplet along with his signature and of course everyone else wanted one, too. That evening he had to spontaneously create 100 of these witty little things. It was an incredibly draining evening. What is it about Nash's work that makes it stand apart? Well, it is genuinely funny. Not because it goes in for the cheap giggle or the linguistic pratfall. It is because he has something real to say first and then has the ability to give the meaning energy and lift in fabulous words that are just right and the humor makes the point all the more meaningful and memorable. Even when he does lay the verbal egg it is done with purpose and care in a way that rewards the reader. Nash lets you know that he knows that you know that he knows what the joke is and you are in it together. This biography has a lot to do with his wife and daughters and that is appropriate since his domestic life informed so much of his work. His publishers, for magazines and books, also make many appearances since he was an author who made his living from his earnings through publishing. The New Yorker has a central place with his various editors over the years. It is all very interesting stuff. However interesting the life, it is the work we hold close and Douglas Parker makes good selections and includes a lot of appropriate, relevant, and delightful works by Nash in his text. We owe Mr. Parker a debt of gratitude and we can show that by purchasing this valuable book, reading it, and then digging into Ogden Nash once again. Maybe we can get a revival of Nashomania going!

Full disclaimer: this is the biographer's daughter writing in...! This biography of Nash is complex, well-researched and scholarly, but most importantly, like Nash's poetry, it is a joy to read. I grew up hearing bits of Nash's poetry (and many other witticisms) recited throughout my childhood. At some point I probably (and unfortunately) dismissed Nash as being old-fashioned. Having now grown up, however, I see the true timelessness of his work - in fact one of his sayings was on a greeting card that I purchased this week. To embark on a journey through Nash's diverse experiences is pure delight; his life encompasses many eras, and because his unique voice was expressed in such a wide variety of genres he crossed paths with many variously talented, often famous and certainly interesting people. While these personal connections and Nash's struggles and triumphs make good biographical material, it should be noted that this material is handled with just the right touch; the biographer allows Nash's writing to stand on its own, and Nash's place in American literary history - as America's Laureate of Light Verse - becomes clear. The thing about good biographies - of writers - is that they make you want to revisit the writer's original work, and this biography accomplishes that many times over. So, even though there are plenty of poems included, you might want to keep one of Nash's original volumes handy - just for fun! Enjoy.

Douglas Parker's book is a wonderful biography of Ogden Nash, an important American poet. Nash's name may no longer be commonplace in many American homes; if so, Parker's book will go a long way in restoring Nash's name among the elite of American poets. Parker carefully presents Nash's life in chronological sequence, highlighting the influences and experiences that shaped his work. Throughout Parker liberally draws Nash's poetry into his story to allow Nash to speak for himself. The result is a book in which Nash's personality and talent rise to the surface and Parker's voice recedes into the background. I enjoyed the book very much and recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Ogden Nash and his role in 20th c. literature.