Beerbohm Books of the Day: what we lost when people stopped writing letters

Hart-Davis, Rupert, ed., Max Beerbohm’s Letters to Reggie Turner (Lippincott, 1st ed., 1965). LOC 65-15124. A writer in his own right, Reggie Turner (1869-1938) is remembered almost entirely today as Max’s friend. His was the most evanescent of talents, beloved by his friends but gone as soon as uttered. As Hart-Davis explains, “Unfortunately Reggie’s wit deserted him when he tried to write it down. His letters are gossipy, affectionate, and touching, but only occasionally witty. None of his twelve novels achieved any great success, and he was fond of saying that, whereas most authors’ first editions were rare, with him it was the second editions.” Still, he chose his friends well, and brought out the best of Beerbohm in their 47-year correspondence. Duodecimo, 312 pp. with four appendixed articles by Max and an index. Hardcover, slight wear to unclipped dust jacket. Overall, very good condition. HBB price: $20.

Hart-Davis, Rupert, ed., Letters of Max Beerbohm 1892-1956 (W.W. Norton, 1st Am. ed, 1st printing, 1989). ISBN 0-393-02655-8. He was, truly, the

incomparable Max: caricaturist, writer, critic, and author of some of the most sparkling letters of a generation of sparkling writers. Of New York in 1895: “I don’t like the custom they have of keeping the streets artificially cold.”

Recalling, in 1954, seeing the ancient Lady Cardigan- widow of the ill-fated Crimean general- dressed “in the fashion of a debutante in the eighteen-seventies...It was all very strange and conducive to deep thought.”

Not at all Zuleika-like.

Hardcover, unclipped dust jacket showing some slight wear, overall very good condition. HBB price: $20.

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