JPD in Periodicals 50s-60s

"Dear Mr. Skully,
I have caught my neck in a
mangle and will be indisposed
for eternity.

Yours in death,
S.D."

- J.P. Donleavy from The Ginger Man

Photo by Godfrey Argent

Again, this list is still in flux as more information is being researched. If you know of any works missing from this list, please forward the details to add to the index. Scans or photos of missing covers would be much appreciated and providers will receive a thank-you credit (and link, if wanted). Published interviews are indexed on the J.P. Donleavy Interviews page.

"Party On Saturday Afternoon"

Short story - Envoy, April 1950, Dublin

The author's first published fiction, in John Ryan's sadly short-lived publication, Envoy. Later included in Donleavy's collection of short fiction, Meet My Maker, The Mad Molecule.

"Bash Night in Dublin"

Nugget, December, 1958

Excerpt from The Ginger Man.

"Title?"

Saturday Review, December 27, 1958

Contribution being researched.

To purchase books by J.P. Donleavy, go to the Buyers' Guide.

"Dish of Desire"

Playboy, January, 1959

This story was later collected in two anthologies: The Permanent Playboy and Stories for Swingers- another Playboy publication. Later published in the JPD book, Meet My Maker The Mad Molecule under the title "It Was My Chimes").

"Train of Thought"

Book review - Saturday Review, April 16, 1959

Donleavy often mentions in interviews that he reads little by other authors, except journalism. From time to time, however, he has written reviews of some of the books he has chosen to read. This is a review of Cadenza by Ralph Cusack.

"The True Beauty of Uselessness"

Book review - Saturday Review, September 12, 1959

Other early review by Donleavy, this one of the book What Is The Stars by Arthur Roth. The review title is classic Donleavy.

Unknown Contribution

Lilliput, April, 1960

"England's Mad & Merry Boat Race"

Holiday, May, 1960

Short non-fiction by Donleavy.

"Wimbledon: Game, Set and Match"

Holiday, June, 1960

Short non-fiction by Donleavy.

"Franz F "

The New Yorker, Sept. 24, 1960

Short fiction by Donleavy. Collected later in Meet My Maker The Mad Molecule.

"A Fairy Tale of New York"

The Atlantic Monthly, January, 1961

First publication of the short story version of A Fairy Tale of New York.
Later incorporated into the novel.

"THAMN"

Vogue, London, May, 1961

Early publication of the short story later found in Donleavy's collection Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule.

"Gustav G "

The Atlantic Monthly, October, 1961

First publication of the short story later found in Donleavy's collection Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule.

"One Suppressed Chapter from JP Donleavy's The Ginger Man"

Excerpt - Olympia, #1, printed in Paris, December, 1961 (But the copyright notice reads 1962; release date may have been January of 1962 as the back cover advertises the Feb. '62 issue forthcoming).
There were only 4 issues of the Olympia Press attempt at a monthly. The other 3 contained no Donleavy.

"The Ginger Man"

Plays and Players, London, September 1962

Unusual full-length publication of the play script in a periodical. See published plays for a complete publishing history of Donleavy's plays.

"The Romantic Life of Alphonse A"

Esquire, August, 1963

First publication of the short story also later published in the collection Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule.

"Youth, Love, Death"

Playboy, September 1964

First publication of 3 short sketches later published in Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule. The full titles here are: "Youth: When I Brought the News," "Love: Pins and Medals" and "Death: A Grave."

"Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule"

Saturday Review, October 1964

Short story.

"A Friend" and "In My Peach Shoes"

Queen, April 7, 1965

"In My Peach Shoes" is a short story version of a scene from the play Fairy Tales of New York. Researching "A Friend."

"New Fiction by J.P. Donleavy"

Town, March, 1965

Researching what piece, but as Meet My Maker The Mad Molecule was published in 1964 and The Saddest Summer of Samuel S wasn't published until 1966, this is most likely one of the short stores from the former.