Is Shakespeare Dead? From My Autobiography [First Edition, First State]

New York & London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1909. 1909. FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE HARDCOVER [NO PUBLISHER'S NOTE BEFORE TEXT; GILT ON TOP EDGE; RUBBER STAMPED "PRINTED IN U.S.A., INTENDED FOR EXPORT TO ENGLAND;" TWO PAGES OF PUBLISHER'S ADVERTISING AT END]. Green binding, gilt lettering, two frontispiece plates, untrimmed fore-edge and bottom edge (to give book a sophisticated look), 150 pages plus two-pages of advertising at end. Several pages unopened, folds not cut open at the printer. Condition: Very light age wear, including corners and spine ends, old settled dust on top edge. Else, overall Near Fine. Text is clear, very readable. Plates are vivid. Free of the musty old book smell and free of the smell of a cigarette or cigar smoker. Very collectable condition. Here Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) gets into the controversy over who really wrote the plays, etc. attributed to Shakespeare. Twain believes it was Frances Bacon, who was the actual playwright. Twain also discusses his concerns on the same topic when he was a young man. Fascinating, historical, and a scarce first edition, first state book. Note: We are a well-established, well-respected, ethical book dealer in business since 1991. We describe the condition of our books thoroughly and honestly, so you'll know exactly what you will receive when you order. We ship promptly. . First Edition, First State. Hard Cover. Near Fine.