Miss Lonelyhearts (1933)

by Nathanael West

Novel

58 pages

Beginning:

“The Miss Lonelyhearts of the New York Post-Dispatch (Are you in trouble?—Do-you-need-advice?—Write-to-Miss-Lonelyhearts-and-she-will-help-you) sat at his desk and stared at a piece of white cardboard,” (1).

Somewhere in the middle:

“The whisky was good and he felt warm and sure. Through the light-blue tobacco smoke, the mahogany bar shone like wet gold. The glasses and bottles, their high lights exploding, rand like a battery of little bells when the bartender touched them together,” (15).

End:

“The cripple turned to escape, but he was too close and Miss Lonelyhearts caught him.

While they were struggling, Betty came in through the street door.  She called to them to stop and started up the stairs.  The cripple saw her cutting off his escape and tried to get rid of the package.  He pulled his hand out.  The gun inside the package exploded and Miss Lonelyhearts fell, dragging the cripple with him.  They both rolled part of the way down the stairs,” (58).