''Emblems of Conduct'' is a book by American writer
Donald Windham
Donald Windham (July 2, 1920 – May 31, 2010) was an American novelist and memoirist. He is perhaps best known for his close friendships with Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Windham moved with his then-boyfriend F ...
, first published in 1963. It is a personal memoir, an account of his early life in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
.
Background
After publishing ''The Hero Continues'', a novel based on the life of
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
, in 1960, Windham started publishing recollections of his childhood in Atlanta in the ''
New Yorker
New Yorker may refer to:
* A resident of New York:
** A resident of New York City and its suburbs
*** List of people from New York City
** A resident of the New York (state), State of New York
*** Demographics of New York (state)
* ''The New Yor ...
''.
[ The series of recollections grew into the personal memoir ''Emblems of Conduct''.][ It was first published in book form by Scribner in 1963.] The book is thus an account of him growing up in the city of Atlanta, and it follows ''The Warm Country'', a collection of stories about the same city, published in 1962.
Plot
The book tells about Windham growing up in Atlanta during the Depression, as his family, which had once been prosperous, gradually becomes impoverished. The Victorian home of the family, a remainder of their prosperous past, is demolished, and young Donald keeps a piece of stained glass as a reminder of "fading grandeur". Meanwhile his mother is struggling to cope with the situation, and is forced to rely on her relatives. The book covers Windham's childhood, through his graduation from high school and his decision to move to New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
thereafter. It evokes "with faint but unmistakable nostalgia the Atlanta of the early decades of the modern century."
Reception
''Emblems of Conduct'' is a highly-regarded personal memoir by Windham. The book was warmly received. The success of this work allowed Windham to publish the collection of short stories ''The Warm Country''.[
]
References
American autobiographies
1964 non-fiction books
Books by Donald Windham
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