David Harum - Classic Text | Alexandria
A quintessential work of late 19th-century American literature, "David Harum" emerged as an unexpected literary sensation upon its posthumous publication in 1898. Written by Edward Noyes Westcott (1846-1898), a Syracuse banker who composed the novel while battling terminal illness, this tale of a shrewd, horse-trading small-town banker in fictional Homeville, New York, captured the American imagination and became one of the best-selling novels of its time.
The manuscript, initially rejected by six publishers, finally found a home with D. Appleton and Company, though Westcott would not live to witness its extraordinary success. The novel's protagonist, David Harum, became a cultural touchstone, embodying the archetype of the clever, folksy American businessman whose homespun wisdom and sharp trading practices masked a fundamentally ethical character. His sayings and aphorisms, particularly "Do unto the other fellow the way he'd like to do unto you, an' do it fust," entered common parlance and offered a wry twist on conventional morality.
The book's popularity spawned numerous adaptations, including a successful 1900 Broadway play starring William H. Crane, and a 1915 silent film. Most notably, Will Rogers portrayed Harum in a 1934 film adaptation that reinterpreted the character for Depression-era audiences. The novel's influence extended beyond entertainment, contributing to American business folklore and shaping popular perceptions of rural banking and horse-trading culture at the turn of the century.
Despite its initial commercial success, "David Harum" represents a fascinating intersection of American literary and economic history, offering modern readers valuable insights into late 19th-century rural capitalism and social mores. The work's enduring legacy lies not only in its entertaining narrative but in its authentic portrayal of a uniquely American character type and its documentation of period-specific business practices and rural dialectics. Contemporary scholars continue to mine the text for its rich depiction of economic relationships and social dynamics in small-town America during the Gilded Age.