Jefferson Davis: American Patriot, 1808-1861.
New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, [1955]. Hardcover. Small 4to. Grey cloth spine with silver lettering and black paper over boards. xx, 460pp. Color frontispiece, illustrations. Near fine. Item #39149
Tight, handsome first edition of the first volume (only) of this four-volume magnum opus -- with a spectacular presentation inscription from the author in black ink on the front flyleaf: "For / Adlai Stevenson -- / with admiration for his qualities / and with profound good wishes / for his success and happiness -- / Hudson Strode / April 16, 1956 / Cherokee Road / Tuscaloosa, Alabama." Above this appears Stevenson's large rubberstamped ownership signature. Laid in is an 8½" X 14" mimeographed sheet presumably published by Harcourt, Brace -- a group of blurbs about this book from various notables (Allan Nevins, Clifton Fadiman, etc.). Strode draws an arrow alongside the bottom blurb by Van Allen Bradley, and across the top pens, "Page 6 from 7 pages of 'comments' gathered by Harcourt, Brace." Adlai E. Stevenson II (1900-65) was Illinois governor, U.N. ambassador and two-time presidential candidate -- the second campaign against Eisenhower going on when this book was presented by Strode. A most unusual and choice copy.
Price: $175.00