The Merry-Go-Round

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

26320

Title

The Merry-Go-Round

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Carl Van Vechten's *The Merry-Go-Round* is a collection of essays celebrating artistic expression, bad taste, and the vibrant cultural life of early 20th-century America. With wit and erudition, Van Vechten defends individuality in decoration, explores the boundary between popular and classical music, and offers glowing critiques of Edgar Saltus's fantastical fiction. A spirited defense of the artist's soul against conformity.

Summary up to 500 words

In *The Merry-Go-Round*, Carl Van Vechten presents a spirited collection of essays championing artistic freedom, individual taste, and the power of imagination against the backdrop of early 20th-century American society. The volume opens with a vigorous defense of 'bad taste,' critiquing wealthy Americans who lack the courage to express their own aesthetic ideas. Instead of hiring decorators who impose impersonal, garish styles, Van Vechten argues that true comfort arises from self-expression, whether in selecting a lamp or hanging a Matisse. He contrasts this with the 'cattle-like' conformity of society, urging readers to reject borrowed finery in favor of personal discovery. The collection then turns to music, distinguishing between mere entertainment and 'supermusic' that transcends commercial appeal. Van Vechten praises composers like Verdi and Wagner while critiquing the superficiality of modern popular tastes. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the enigmatic writer Edgar Saltus. Van Vechten provides a detailed, admiring analysis of Saltus's work, describing it as a 'prose paranoiac' filled with purple prose, exotic imagery, and themes of death and eroticism. He catalogs Saltus's novels, essays on Balzac and Wilde, and his unique mythology of New York, which blends real locations with mythical creatures like harpies and vampires. Throughout the text, Van Vechten weaves together discussions of theater, acting, and the lives of artists, from Isadora Duncan to Sarah Bernhardt. He maintains a tone that is both scholarly and playful, encouraging readers to embrace their own quirks and to find joy in the eclectic mix of high art and low life. The book serves as both a literary guide and a manifesto for the independent spirit, urging readers to reject societal pressure in favor of a life rich in creative risk.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26320.epub.noimages

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data/epubs/pg26320.epub

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Categories

• Essays
• Music
• Theater