Michael OHalloran

Michael O’Halloran (1917) by Gene Stratton-Porter – John Murray

ISBN: None
Condition: Good
Published: 1917
Cover: Suede-effect binding with decorative illustration
Offered by: Crappy Old Books

There was a time when literary heroes were expected to be honest, industrious, courageous and possessed of a moral compass so reliable that one could practically navigate the Atlantic by it. They might be poor, orphaned and thoroughly disadvantaged by society, but they were generally determined to improve the world through hard work, kindness and an almost suspicious absence of cynicism.

Welcome to Michael O’Halloran, Gene Stratton-Porter’s wonderfully earnest tale of youthful resilience, human generosity and the extraordinary proposition that being a decent person might actually be worth the trouble.

Our hero is Michael, affectionately known as Mickey, an orphaned newspaper boy attempting to survive on the streets of Chicago through a combination of enterprise, resourcefulness and an admirable refusal to surrender to adversity.

His life becomes considerably more complicated when he encounters Peaches, a young girl whose circumstances are even more difficult than his own. Rather than sensibly concluding that his existing problems are quite sufficient, Mickey decides to help her, setting in motion a story filled with kindness, determination, unexpected friendships and the gradual discovery that human beings are occasionally capable of behaving rather well.

Stratton-Porter, best remembered for A Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles, brings her characteristic warmth and moral conviction to a narrative that celebrates compassion without entirely overlooking the less agreeable aspects of society.

Published in 1917, this John Murray edition belongs to an era when wholesome fiction was a serious cultural enterprise and readers were encouraged to emerge from a novel feeling morally improved, rather than existentially traumatised.

This particular copy possesses an especially attractive feature: its unusual suede-effect cover, complete with a delicate woodland illustration. The soft-looking binding and understated decorative design give it a distinctly period charm, suggesting a book intended to be treasured rather than casually abandoned on a railway carriage.

The woodland motif is particularly appropriate for an author whose literary reputation was closely associated with her profound appreciation of the natural world, even when the story itself ventures into the distinctly less leafy surroundings of urban America.

Condition: Good. A respectable surviving copy dating from 1917, showing the natural signs of age, handling and previous ownership. Its distinctive suede-effect binding has acquired the patina of a long and eventful existence, but retains much of its vintage character.

Naturally, there is no ISBN. Such administrative innovations were still decades away, and books were expected to identify themselves through the quaint combination of author, title and publisher.

Offered by Crappy Old Books, where elderly literary survivors are welcomed, unusual bindings are appreciated, and moral improvement is entirely optional.

A charming piece of early twentieth-century fiction, combining sentimental adventure, social observation and the reassuring belief that even in an imperfect world, a little human decency can go a surprisingly long way.

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