An Amusing 50-year-old Anecdote

[DianaRubino]

I'm a HUGE Lincoln buff since childhood. When I was in 3rd grade, we had a 'show and tell' with books, so my mother gave me this old book about Lincoln to bring in. Even then it was all taped up, the binding coming off. I said to my mother "I don't want to bring this. The teacher will think we're poor."
The book was written in the 1890s and I still have it to this day.

[RJNorton]

Diana, I have a book exactly as you describe. It's called Abraham Lincoln's Stories and Speeches edited by J. B. McClure. The book is truly falling apart.

[DianaRubino]

Not sure of the title of mine--I'll have to get it off my 'Lincoln shelf' and let you know.

Diana, I have a book exactly as you describe. It's called Abraham Lincoln's Stories and Speeches edited by J. B. McClure. The book is truly falling apart.
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[Diana Rubino]

The title of mine is:
THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN VOL I by Ida Tarbell, published in 1895. It was falling apart in 1966, it's very fragile now!

Diana, I have a book exactly as you describe. It's called Abraham Lincoln's Stories and Speeches edited by J. B. McClure. The book is truly falling apart.
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[RJNorton]

(04-29-2014 11:14 AM)Diana Rubino Wrote:  The title of mine is:
THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN VOL I by Ida Tarbell, published in 1895. It was falling apart in 1966, it's very fragile now!

Diana, I have a book exactly as you describe. It's called Abraham Lincoln's Stories and Speeches edited by J. B. McClure. The book is truly falling apart.

Yes, I have that one, too. Volume I of my set is pretty much like yours, but Volume II is in pretty good shape for its age. My volumes are reddish-brown.

[Rob Wick]

The very first Tarbell-authored book on Lincoln was published in 1896 and was called THE EARLY LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. It was simply a reprint of the McClure's Magazine articles from 1895 and 1896, using the same plates that the magazine did. Tarbell's THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN wasn't published until 1900 (her series didn't end in McClure's until 1899). It was published by Doubleday and McClure and even though the first copyright date is 1895, that was due to the series on which the book was based, not the book's original publication date.

Tarbell, from 1909 to 1911, was involved in a protracted series of negotiations with the McClure Company over the subscription rights to her LIFE OF LINCOLN, which was very lucrative to both McClure and the Lincoln History Society, but which Tarbell received nothing.

Best
Rob

[RJNorton]

Many thanks for clarifying, Rob. The edition I have says:

Copyright, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899
by the S.S. McClure Co.

Copyright, 1900
By Doubleday & McClure Co.

Copyright, 1900
By McClure, Phillips & Co.

[Sally]

I have a little volume by Ida Tarbell called "He Knew Lincoln". It has a dark green binding and "The Macmillan Company 1919" is printed inside.

[Gene C]

Last summer, I ordered on line a book I have come to treasure. It's an older book titled "The True Story of Abraham Lincoln - Illustrated, by Elbridge F Brooks. It's a 230 page children's book in pretty good shape. The text has a few inaccuracies, the many illustrations are all simple, black and white drawings, no photographs.

What made it special for me was the inside inscription; "A Merry Merry Christmas to Harold ---- Aunt Harriet, 1896". I have some young boy's Christmas present from over 100 years ago!
(Thanks, Aunt Harriett. Your thoughtful gift given so long ago is still being appreciated)

[LincolnMan]

Gene: I love your telling of the inscription in the book. Makes you somehow feel connected to the persons. They would have never dreamed that in 2014, someone would be commenting on the inscription.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(04-29-2014 08:30 PM)Sally Wrote:  I have a little volume by Ida Tarbell called "He Knew Lincoln". It has a dark green binding and "The Macmillan Company 1919" is printed inside.

I found this one in a used bookstore today. Bought it, naturally! Neat little book.