Frank Harris

I've wondered for some years whether the barb-nibbed Ambrose Bierce intended Frank Harris as the target of the following entry in his [i]Devil's Dictionary[/i]. The verse seems to agree with the opinions of other Harris-haters; and didn't Harris gleefully collect the insults tendered him? This is the entry: Scrap-book n.

This forum replaces the old visitors' book on the [url=http://oddbooks.com/harris/]Frank Harris area of this site[/url]. All the comments made in the visitors' book have been transferred to this new forum and timestamped with the original date of posting. I hope you will like this new forum, and I look forward to reading your comments.

Bravo !! For such a wonderful site, dedicated to a truely fascinating gentleman ! I have long been an admirer of Frank Harris after reading the 'masterpiece'-'MY LIFE AND LOVES'. I marvelled at the adventures and energy that such a person could live within only one lifetime. Frank Harris and his writings are a true testimonial of the journey(s) through life that one man lived in a most astounding and astonishing manner of thought and action. His insights of and on any topic or person was amazing !

The writer Henry Miller was the son of a tailor. I just noticed this quote tonight in his book "Nexus". Perhaps you are already familiar with it: "Thus far in my life I had met only two writers whom I could call artists: John Cowper Powys and Frank Harris. The former I knew through attending his lectures; the latter I knew in my role of merchant tailor, the lad, in other words, who delivered his clothes, who helped him on with his trousers."

Writing a piece for Writers' Forum about George Bernard Shaw, and needed a bit more info on Frank ( a writer I first came across in the 1960s) and found this site. Very informative, and fun. Am I remembering this wrong, but isn't there a reference somewhere in Joyce's Ulysses about Harris's My Love and Loves, and a corresponding one by Harris? Steve

A wonderful site. I enjoyed finding out more about Frank Harris and reading the comments of other readers. I have only (the complete) "My life and loves" and "The magic glassses" (which I found on this website) to judge him by, but I find him a very interesting man and an original thinker. I also was struck by the similarity in events (as per Amatsia of Oxford (Comments, above) between the origins of the Boer War (as per Harris) and current events in Iraq.

Why no entry for Swinburne?

I have the book by frank harris My life and loves vol.1. I am trying to find vols. 2-5. Can you help me.

I first read My Life and Loves back in the 1970's. Its hard to tell fantasy from reality but as it was always so much fun i didnt really care. I am interested in the distant connection with Bruce Logan and the Hatry scandal of 1929. (see posts from Bob from Michigan and Anne from Melbourne) My grandfather was also a business associate fo Hatry and was directly involved in identifying him as a fraud. I have some information on the events leading up to the exposure of the fraud.

Having just finished Philippa Pullar biography of Frank Harris, I am disappointed. The book is a blob of Polyfilla splattered over the fine cracks of an old masterpiece. The first part is an exercise in finding what did he (not) tell us wrong, whereas the second part is a thorough and condescending bookkeeping account of Harris’s menial activities.