Saturday, April 25, 2009

Nicola Beauman, Persephone Books and Mary Hallock Foote


Persephone's new website has just gone live, and is delightful for any book lover to browse. I was also reading about the founder Nicola Beauman, both here and here.

I was interested to read how they come across the books they publish. At Cup of Tea and Cake Jess was able to attend a talk given by Nicola Beauman, at The Suffolk Book League. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, was a favourite book of a customer's mother.

I must say I submitted an author which I very much enjoyed reading and will have to revisit. Mary Hallock Foote.


I was browsing through Ebay a few years ago looking for old poetry books, preferably with lovely illustrations and I came across Mabel Martin, by J. B. Whittier, Illustrated. So I bid on the book and won. More for the beautiful illustrations than the poetry. The book was in a tatty condition, but could not take away from the beauty of the illustrations.

Several years later I was looking through all the books Mary Hallock Foote had illustrated and of course Mabel Martin rang a bell. So I looked for it in my many book cases and yes here I had a book illustrated by her.








She led a very interesting life, traveling and living in many places out west. She grew up in the Hudson Valley and you always felt that she was a wanderer, estranged from her roots. Very often she kept the family afloat with her illustrations, which were published in books and magazines. She had a personal friend and agent who she would send them to back east.

Look her up and read her life story. I think you'll enjoy it.

Christy


2 comments:

  1. Those illustrations are quite amazing. Thank you for sharing.

    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nicola, what a wonderful find you have. I am working as a docent at the North Star House in Grass Valley, CA. It was designed in 1905 by Julia Morgan. It was the last home of Mary Hallock Foote and is being reconstructed by volunteers, all the money to support this effort is from volunteers. We have a small locked display cabinet with no original books. Please consider donating your book. We would credit you as the donor. It will be there for all time and add so much to continuing to honor this incredible artist. Thanks so much for you posting.

    ReplyDelete

01 09 10