Appointment in Samarra

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First published in the United States of America by Harcourt, Brace and Company 1934

This edition with an introduction by Charles McGrath published in Penguin Books 2013

Copyright John O’Hara, 1934

Copyright renewed John O’Hara, 1961

Introduction copyright © Charles McGrath, 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

The quotation on page 3 is from Sheppey, a play by W. Somerset Maugham (Copyright 1933 by W. Somerset Maugham), published in 1933 by William Heinemann Ltd, London.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

O’Hara, John, 1905–1970

Appointment in Samarra / John O’hara; introduction by Charles Mcgrath.—

Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.

pages cm

“Originally published in 1934”—Introduction.

ISBN 978-1-101-60295-9

1. self-destructive behavior—Fiction. 2. Ethnic relations—Fiction. 3. Suicide victims—Fiction. 4. Married people—Fiction. 5. Young men—Fiction. I. Title.

PS3529.H29A8 2013

813’.52—DC23

2012049156