H L Mencken

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) was an American journalist, critic, essayist, satirist, and scholar. He began his career on local newspapers in 1899, becoming a reporter for the Baltimore Morning Herald and then serving on the taff of the Baltimore Sun. He is best known for the aggressive iconoclasm of his editorial policies, challenging cherished beliefs and institutions. The term "Menckenian" has entered multiple dictionaries to describe anything of or pertaining to Mencken, including his combative rhetorical and prose style.