e-artnow presents to you this meticulously edited H. L. Mencken collection: The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche A Book of Burlesques A Book of Prefaces In Defense of Women Damn! A Book of Calumny The American Language The American Credo Heliogabalus: A Buffoonery in Three Acts Ventures Into Verse Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, and contemporary movements. As a scholar, Mencken is known for The American Language, a multi-volume study of how the English language is spoken in the United States and the book on Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy.