War Is Kind by Crane, Stephen - 1899

New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1899. Poems from Stephen Crane, who, like Poe, preferred his poetry over his stories. Drawings by Will Bradley in the Arts & Crafts style. Bradley also arranged and printed the book at the University Press in Cambridge and New York. Of Crane's "War Is Kind" poems, Michael Quigley, writing in "Firsts" magazine (January, 1996) noted ".....in recent years they have gained a place in the very forefront of his work, probably because they so essentially express his personal creed, especially that of the hopelessness of man in a hostile environment." Printed gray laid paper boards. Endpapers of book stock. Printed on gray laid paper (see BAL 4083). Paper label on spine. 96 numbered pages. Book plate of American author, poet, and collector of poetry, Carolyn Wells (1862-1942). Very small Brentano's book store sticker on rear pastedown. Bright, clean, gray paper with fine illustrations by Bradley. A tiny notch of paper loss from paper spine label not affecting any type. The fragile nature of this particular binding has unfortunately resulted in a thin splitting of about 3 inches to exterior of both front and rear upper hinge areas. There is also a one-eighth of an inch loss of material at head of spine, not affecting anything. Front cover has a very light, 3 inch scrape line. All pages still tight and overall an attractive copy and a fine example of artistic book design. "Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.". Paper Covered Boards. Good+/No Jacket as Issued. Illus. by Will Bradley. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.