John O'Hara, Butterfield 8

James MacDonald (University of Exeter)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.4: American (US) Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary, 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Sofia Ahlberg (Uppsala University), Patrick Chura (University of Akron), Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Dale Enggass (University of Utah), Christopher Hugh Gair (University of Glasgow), Matthew Hofer (University of New Mexico), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Justin Parks (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Nick Selby (University of East Anglia)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1935

Places

United States (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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Set in the district of New York City covered by the Butterfield 8 telephone exchange, the story recounts the final days in Gloria Wandrous’s tragically short life in the late spring of 1930. In the throes of an unwelcome love affair with Yale alumnus Weston Liggett, Gloria temporarily purloins a fur coat belonging to Liggett’s wife, visits her best friend illustrator Eddie Brunner, and tries to determine what to do with her life. Flashbacks detail a history of pre-adolescent sexual abuse, liberal misuse of alcohol and, up to this moment, far too many encounters with men. This time, Gloria desperately hopes, will be different. But Liggett displays a casual attitude toward their relationship that leaves Gloria unsure until the very end when, fleeing Liggett’s advances on board a…

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1135 words

Citation: MacDonald, James. "Butterfield 8". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 November 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6187, accessed 26 April 2024.]

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