Mark Twain's Autobiography

Title: Mark Twain's Autobiography

Author: Twain, Mark

Publication: New York: Harper & Brothers, 1924.

Description: First edition, first printing of Mark Twain's Autobiography, with H-Y on the copyright page, indicating that the book was printed in August 1924. This is a copy of Variant A, as described in the Bibliography of American Literature (BAL), with 2 pages of advertisements in Volume 2. The autobiography was published posthumously and contains anecdotes from Twain's life. The anecdotes are presented in the non-sequential manner in which Twain had dictated them to his secretary during the last few years of his life. In publisher's blue cloth binding, with gilt lettering on the spine and the author's facsimile signature in gilt within a blind border on the front cover; top edge gilt. Each volume with a photogravure frontispiece portrait of the author. Title page in red and black. 9.625 x 6.375 inches. Volume 1: xvi, 368, [2] pages (final leaf blank), [1] plate; Volume 2: [6], 365, [5] pages (final leaf blank), [1] plate.

From the library of Mark Twain scholar John C. Gerber, with his bookplate on the front pastedown in each volume. Bookseller's label (Brentano's, New York) on the rear pastedown of Volume 1. Mild bumping and edgewear to the bindings and booksellers' notations on the endsheets. A Near Fine and very collectible copy.

Reference: Blanck, J. Bibliography of American literature (BAL), 3537.