William Gilmore Simms’s, Paddy McGann, or the Demon of the Swamp, was first published in 1863. One of his most interesting works appeared in a magazine during the War to Prevent Southern Independence and did not achieve book form until 1972. The tale of fantasy and satire concerns a rugged South Carolina riverboat captain, Paddy McGann. By some freak of weather Paddy ends up in Manhattan. His rollicking experiences allow Simms to portray New York society and literary pretensions in an unflattering light. The book is now online. See also 20.00.05.
CNW