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Passion-Flowers.
by Howe, Julia Ward
- Used
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1854. First edition of Julia Ward Howe's first book. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine, publisher's advertisements at rear dated 1853. Association copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper prior to publication, "Lizzie Agassiz from her Julia Howe Dec. 22nd 1853." The recipient, Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz was an American author, naturalist, and the co-founder and first president of Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In very good condition with the gilt to the spine bright. An exceptional association. Howe's first book was written in secret and published anonymously without her husband's knowledge by Longfellow and Ticknor, who had previously rejected one of her husband's manuscripts. The content was considered divisive as it overtly voiced Howe's frustrations with gender inequality and the confines of gender roles in 19th century America.
Synopsis
Julia Ward Howe was an American poet and author best known for writing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", but she was also an advocate for abolitionism and a social activist, particularly for women's suffrage. Her first book of poetry, a compendium of emotional and person poetry called Passion-Flowers , was complied in secret and published anonymously in 1854 with help from Longfellow and Ticknor. Her husband was not pleased with the nearly erotic and emotional poetry and found it scandalous - in fact, other proper Bostonians thought the same. Nathaniel Hawthorne opined that Howe "ought to have been soundly whipped" for publishing it! Many of the reprints of Passion-Flowers found some of the poems tweaked or retitled to soothe her marriage, although her husband never truly forgave her for being a more successful poet and writer than himself.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Raptis Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 109025
- Title
- Passion-Flowers.
- Author
- Howe, Julia Ward
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Ticknor, Reed, and Fields
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1854
- Keywords
- Julia Ward Howe First Edition Signed, Passion-Flowers First Edition
Terms of Sale
Raptis Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed.
About the Seller
Raptis Rare Books
Biblio member since 2012
Palm Beach, Florida
About Raptis Rare Books
Founded by Matthew and Adrienne Raptis, Raptis Rare Books is an antiquarian book firm that specializes in literature, children's books, economics, photo books, signed and inscribed books, and landmark books in all fields. Our business model is simple: we strive to handle books that are in exceptional condition and to provide exceptional customer service.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Association Copy
- An association copy is a copy of a book which has been signed and inscribed by the author for a personal friend, colleague, or...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
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