Hot Corn: Life Scenes in New York Illustrated is a collection of short stories by Solon Robinson about the life of the poor in New York City, and was a "runaway bestseller" when first published in the United States in early 1854. Along with songs and plays based on the book's stories, which were first published in the New York Tribune, Hot Corn enjoyed a brief frenzy of popularity.[1]
The book is a collection of stories set in New York City's impoverished Five Points neighborhood, and first appeared in the New York Tribune in 1853.[1][2] One of stories was that of Little Katy, a "hot corn" (corn on the cob) seller on the street, who is beaten to death by her alcoholic mother who needs Katy's income to support her drinking, after Katy's corn supply is stolen.[3]
Receptionedit
Illustration from the book of a "Hot Corn girl" by John McLenan, engraved by Nathaniel Orr
Though it garnered some positive press for promoting morality, especially in religious newspapers (for example, the Christian Secretary of Hartford, Connecticut said "The Hot Corn stories are eloquent appeals in favor of temperance and virtue"), the book (and stage adaptations) were also the subject of much scorn by critics. The New York Herald faulted the book for "giving minute descriptions of life in fashionable houses of ill-fame, and entering into the details of seduction, licentiousness and debauchery, with a gusto, ill concealed by the pretence of morality."[4] The Southern Literary Messenger excoriated the book, proclaiming that "to say that the man who deliberately writes and prints such perilous and damnable stuff deserves a place in the penitentiary, is feebly to express our notion of the enormity of his offence."[5][6]
Author Henry James wrote in his autobiography he was prevented from reading Hot Corn as a child; a copy was given to his father with the admonishment that it wasn't proper for children to read. James wrote that "so great became from that moment the mystery of the tabooed book, of whatever identity; the question, in my breast, of why, if it was to be so right for others, it was only to be wrong for me..... Neither then nor afterwards was the secret of "Hot Corn" revealed to me ..."[7]Henry Wadsworth Longfellow took his sons to see one of the plays in April 1854 and called it "wretched stuff."[8]
The Tribune trumpeted the popularity of the stories and plays, boasting in December 1853 that the stories had been reprinted "more than any other article that ever went the rounds of the press."[9] Numerous songs based on the story of Little Katy, including ones performed at minstrel shows, also circulated.[10]
The book was sold in a cloth edition for $1.25 and gilt edition for $2.00.[11] A January 1854 advertisement in the Tribune claimed that forty thousand copies had already been ordered, putting the publisher 10,000 copies behind its production to date.[12]
The feverish popularity of Hot Corn was not to last, and faded from popularity within eighteen months,[13] though the plays saw occasional revivals.[14][15]
Robinson later recounted that the book sold over 100,000 copies within a year of being released.[16]
Stage adaptationsedit
Sheet music cover for the Wood's Minstrels "Little Katy" or "Hot Corn", published within a month of the original publication of the Little Katy story in the Tribune
At least three temperance plays in 1853-54 were staged based (at least loosely, and in varying degrees) on the stories in the book, including Little Katy; or, The Hot Corn Girl, by C.W. Taylor, Hot Corn; or, Little Katy, which played at Barnum's American Museum, and The Hot Corn Girl at the Bowery Theatre.[17] The plays (which varied in content) were said to be the second only to Uncle's Tom Cabin in popularity as a play in New York in the 1850s. The role of Little Katy was played by Cordelia Howard, daughter of George C. Howard, in one of the productions. Cordelia was also playing the role of Little Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin at the same time.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abBurt, Daniel S. The Chronology of American Literature, p. 200 (2004)
^Hart, James D. The Popular Book: A History of America's Literary Taste, 307 (1950) (listing Hot Corn as one of seven bestselling books of 1854)
^ abBlocker, Jack S., et al., eds. Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History, p. 202 (2003)
^(14 February 1854). "Hot Corn" Revelations on the "Shady Side of Life" in New York City, Lowell Daily Journal & Courier
^The Book Trade, Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review, at p. 397 (March 1854)
^Notices of New Works, Southern Literary Messenger, pp. 125-26 (February 1854) ("We are sick at heart when we think how little can be done by the reviewer to check the sale of such literature or to punish the makers of it.")
^James, Henry. A Small Boy And Others: A Critical Edition, at p. 65 (2011)
^Irmscher, Christoph. Public Poet, Private Man: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow at 200, p. 1 (2009)
^Hot Corn (advertisement), New York Tribune, p. 1, col. 4 (January 21, 1854)
^Grimes, Robert R. Come Buy Hot Corn! Music, Sentiment, and Morality in 1850s New York, Journal of the Society for American Music, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 33-59 (February 2011)
^(28 May 1914). Notes and Queries, Boston Evening Transcript (For years these dramatic versions were revived.... little Katy was a well known to novel readers and theatre goers as Miss Alcott's 'Little Women' are to the present generation.")
^Edwards, E.J. (14 October 1911). New News of Yesterday: Connecticut Pedler Who Once Wrote a "Best Seller", Amsterdam Evening Recorder
^Bordman, Gerald & Thomas S. Hischak. The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, p. 317 (3d ed. 2004)
corn, life, scenes, york, illustrated, collection, short, stories, solon, robinson, about, life, poor, york, city, runaway, bestseller, when, first, published, united, states, early, 1854, along, with, songs, plays, based, book, stories, which, were, first, pu. Hot Corn Life Scenes in New York Illustrated is a collection of short stories by Solon Robinson about the life of the poor in New York City and was a runaway bestseller when first published in the United States in early 1854 Along with songs and plays based on the book s stories which were first published in the New York Tribune Hot Corn enjoyed a brief frenzy of popularity 1 Hot Corn Life Scenes in New York IllustratedBook cover of first editionAuthorSolon RobinsonIllustratorJohn McLenan engraver Nathaniel Orr LanguageEnglishPublisherDeWitt and Davenport New York Publication date1854Pages408 Contents 1 Background 2 Reception 3 Stage adaptations 4 References 5 External linksBackground editThe book is a collection of stories set in New York City s impoverished Five Points neighborhood and first appeared in the New York Tribune in 1853 1 2 One of stories was that of Little Katy a hot corn corn on the cob seller on the street who is beaten to death by her alcoholic mother who needs Katy s income to support her drinking after Katy s corn supply is stolen 3 Reception edit nbsp Illustration from the book of a Hot Corn girl by John McLenan engraved by Nathaniel OrrThough it garnered some positive press for promoting morality especially in religious newspapers for example the Christian Secretary of Hartford Connecticut said The Hot Corn stories are eloquent appeals in favor of temperance and virtue the book and stage adaptations were also the subject of much scorn by critics The New York Herald faulted the book for giving minute descriptions of life in fashionable houses of ill fame and entering into the details of seduction licentiousness and debauchery with a gusto ill concealed by the pretence of morality 4 The Southern Literary Messenger excoriated the book proclaiming that to say that the man who deliberately writes and prints such perilous and damnable stuff deserves a place in the penitentiary is feebly to express our notion of the enormity of his offence 5 6 Author Henry James wrote in his autobiography he was prevented from reading Hot Corn as a child a copy was given to his father with the admonishment that it wasn t proper for children to read James wrote that so great became from that moment the mystery of the tabooed book of whatever identity the question in my breast of why if it was to be so right for others it was only to be wrong for me Neither then nor afterwards was the secret of Hot Corn revealed to me 7 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow took his sons to see one of the plays in April 1854 and called it wretched stuff 8 The Tribune trumpeted the popularity of the stories and plays boasting in December 1853 that the stories had been reprinted more than any other article that ever went the rounds of the press 9 Numerous songs based on the story of Little Katy including ones performed at minstrel shows also circulated 10 The book was sold in a cloth edition for 1 25 and gilt edition for 2 00 11 A January 1854 advertisement in the Tribune claimed that forty thousand copies had already been ordered putting the publisher 10 000 copies behind its production to date 12 The feverish popularity of Hot Corn was not to last and faded from popularity within eighteen months 13 though the plays saw occasional revivals 14 15 Robinson later recounted that the book sold over 100 000 copies within a year of being released 16 Stage adaptations edit nbsp Sheet music cover for the Wood s Minstrels Little Katy or Hot Corn published within a month of the original publication of the Little Katy story in the TribuneAt least three temperance plays in 1853 54 were staged based at least loosely and in varying degrees on the stories in the book including Little Katy or The Hot Corn Girl by C W Taylor Hot Corn or Little Katy which played at Barnum s American Museum and The Hot Corn Girl at the Bowery Theatre 17 The plays which varied in content were said to be the second only to Uncle s Tom Cabin in popularity as a play in New York in the 1850s The role of Little Katy was played by Cordelia Howard daughter of George C Howard in one of the productions Cordelia was also playing the role of Little Eva in Uncle Tom s Cabin at the same time 3 References edit a b Burt Daniel S The Chronology of American Literature p 200 2004 Hart James D The Popular Book A History of America s Literary Taste 307 1950 listing Hot Corn as one of seven bestselling books of 1854 a b Blocker Jack S et al eds Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History p 202 2003 14 February 1854 Hot Corn Revelations on the Shady Side of Life in New York City Lowell Daily Journal amp Courier The Book Trade Merchants Magazine and Commercial Review at p 397 March 1854 Notices of New Works Southern Literary Messenger pp 125 26 February 1854 We are sick at heart when we think how little can be done by the reviewer to check the sale of such literature or to punish the makers of it James Henry A Small Boy And Others A Critical Edition at p 65 2011 Irmscher Christoph Public Poet Private Man Henry Wadsworth Longfellow at 200 p 1 2009 City Items Hot Corn The New York Tribune p 7 col 4 December 7 1853 Lawrence Very Brodsky Strong on Music The New York Music Scene in the Days of George Templeton Strong Vol 2 p 439 40 1995 Mellby Julie L Hot Corn Graphic Arts Graphic Arts Collection blog of Princeton University Library Hot Corn advertisement New York Tribune p 1 col 4 January 21 1854 Grimes Robert R Come Buy Hot Corn Music Sentiment and Morality in 1850s New York Journal of the Society for American Music Vol 5 No 1 pp 33 59 February 2011 31 January 1876 Amusements The Baltimore Bee 28 May 1914 Notes and Queries Boston Evening Transcript For years these dramatic versions were revived little Katy was a well known to novel readers and theatre goers as Miss Alcott s Little Women are to the present generation Edwards E J 14 October 1911 New News of Yesterday Connecticut Pedler Who Once Wrote a Best Seller Amsterdam Evening Recorder Bordman Gerald amp Thomas S Hischak The Oxford Companion to American Theatre p 317 3d ed 2004 External links editHot Corn Life Scenes in New York Illustrated at Project Gutenberg Hot Corn 1854 print at Google books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hot Corn amp oldid 1177138082, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
