A Child-World

Indianapolis and Kansas City: The Bowen-Merrill Company, 1897. FIRST American EDITION. First printing with Bowen-Merrill imprint on title page not followed by London imprint. Full maroon cloth with gilt lettering on front board and spine. Spine has gilt decoration. Very light shelf wear. Previous owner's name on front endpage. The beginnings of foxing (very, very light), and some soiling from thumbing. Front board has light discoloration. Overall VERY GOOD minus condition. James Whitcomb Riley (Greenfield, Indiana October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916), American writer and poet called the "Hoosier poet" and America's "Children's Poet" made a start writing newspaper verse in Hoosier dialect for the Indianapolis Journal in 1875. Some of his phrases remained in the popular repertory after the poems were no longer read: "when the frost is on the punkin." Known for his dialect recitations and pithy pragmatic remarks, his popular verse was humorous or sentimental— one of whose sentimental poems was "Little Orphant Annie" He knew the secret of his own success: “simple sentiments that come from the heart” and satisfied his public with modest verse that was "heart high." He supported himself touring with dialect and public readings of his poetry. His favorite authors were Burns and Dickens. His last collection was Knee Deep in June (1912). UncleAndy. First American Edition. Full Cloth. Very Good. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Hardcover.