Grand Man: Memories of Norman Douglas. Boxed with G.M. Memories of George Moore.
Cunard, Nancy. Grand Man: Memories of Norman Douglas. With extracts from his letters, and appreciations by Kenneth MacPherson, Harold Acton, Arthur Johnson, Charles Duff, and Victor Cunard; and a bibliographical note by Cecil Woolf. London: 1954.
8vo.; black and white photographs; brown cloth; dust-jacket; lightly rubbed; extremities chipped.
Boxed together with:
Cunard, Nancy. G.M. Memories of George Moore. London: 1956.
8vo.; black and white photographs; brown cloth; white paper spine; white printed dust-jacket lightly soiled; spine browned; light wear to extremities.
First editions of the last two books published in Cunard’s lifetime—her appreciations of the two writers who most profoundly influenced her life and work; each a presentation copy to Clyde Robinson. The first is inscribed on the verso of the half-title with a letter in pencil covering the page: Sept 1—1961—Lamothe Fénelon, Lot, France. Dearest Clyde, Now you have a house somewhere in “God’s Own Country”; maybe you'll be able to keep this copy of my memories of darling Norman Douglas—even if not—should you look into it again (after 2 other copies I seem to remember you said you had)—it will not matter. A quip or two of himself will remain with you. We cannot ask for much in this world—yet if we ask for nothing, less than nothing do we get! [two words]. “Each one goes out seeking something, and none finds what he seeks in life—yet everyone finds something.” Wrote G[eorge]. M[oore]. (approximately) Words to ponder! Lovingly, Nancy Cunard, 88 F in shade. The second bears Cunard’s inscription on a piece of graph paper affixed to the front endpaper: For dearest, dearest, dearest Clyde Robinson with admiration for his beautiful poetry. Appreciation of his person, and thanks for our unforgettable Mallorca (both of us here at this moment) February 27, 1960. Nancy Cunard (in bed, yes!).
In her prefatory note to Grand Man, Cunard states that her intent is not to write a biography, but an “almost physical…evocation” of the friend she calls “a master of modern prose—a great individualist—a free spirit—a salubrious iconoclast…the man of profound and perfect taste…the connoisseur who developed out of the youthful scientist and scholar…” To communicate this image she includes not just her own recollections, but reminiscences by other friends as well. Cecil Woolf’s bibliographical note, Roger Senhouse’s index, and a chronology of Douglas’s life and examination of his works complete the volume. Among those works are two Cunard published herself under the imprint of her Hours Press: Report on the Pumice-Stone Industry of the Lipari Islands (1928, 80 copies, all hors commerce); One Day (1929, 200 signed copies, 300 unsigned). Cunard was also r
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