The sons of Martha : and other stories
Richard McKenna (Author), Marion Sims Wyeth (Writer of introduction, Editor)
In this posthumous collection, Richard McKenna (1912-1964) reveals the Navy and the Orient as he knew and experienced them, beginning in the 1930s. In setting, these stories range from the frenzied engine room of a Yangtze River gunboat on the eve of World War II to the haunted caves of Tattemono on the island of Guam; from the charming atmosphere of prewar Japan to a tense Navy courtroom in Manila. "King's Horsemen" deals with a newcomer who upsets the old Navy pecking order. "Fool Errand" is an amusing story of an old warrant officer who must compete with a rival for the loyalty of his shipmates and the hand of a lady anthropologist. "A Chronicle of a Five-Day Walking Tour ...," McKenna's working title for his earliest known story, is a romantic account of exploration and adventure. The Sons of Martha, McKenna's unfinished novel, is based on his service on the Guam station ship, an unarmed Navy vessel which cruised between Guam, Yokohama, Shanghai, and other Asian ports. The three stories and three excerpts from The Sons of Martha demonstrate his remarkable ability to portray Navy life and exotic places with total authenticity. --Adapted from book jacket
Print Book, English, 1967
Harper & Row, New York, 1967