Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant
New York: Charles L. Webster & Company, 1885-1886. First printings. Black & White Engraved Plates, Maps, Facsimiles. Half Morocco and cloth over boards. Octavos. 584 & 647 pages. Bound with leather spines and fore corners, gilt rules to both boards, gilt medallions on upper boards, spines titled, ruled, and ornamented in gilt. Marbled endpapers, all textblock edges marbled. Front hinge of volume I is expertly reinforced, and two preliminary leaves each have a very cleanly repaired edge tear. A very clean and bright set overall.
The greatest American military memoir, written by the financially ruined Grant in a race with death, and published with the savvy assistance of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens). Luckily for us (and his family's finances) Grant finished writing just 4 days before his death from throat cancer in July 1885. By February 1886 Twain was able to present Julia Grant with the largest publishing royalty in U. S. History to that time--$200,000.
Twain did not write (or help write) Grant's book, as some have claimed, but he did see it as a literary masterpiece. Most subsequent critics concur.
A lovely set in what has proven to be one of the more attractive and durable of the various original binding styles. With Errata for volume I printed at end of volume II.
Ref. DORNBUSCH, Vol. II, #1986; EICHER #492; MULLINS, UNION BOOKSHELF #35; NEVINS, CWB Vol. II, p. 59.
Item #1147
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