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Behind the Scenes: or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House
by Keckley, Elizabeth
- Used
- good
- first
- Condition
- Good
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: G.W. Carleton & Company, Publishers, 1868. First Edition. Good. First edition, first printing. 371, [1], [8, ads] pp. Publisher's brown cloth, rebacked with original spine laid down, some reinforcement to tips, blue endpapers with old Lockwood, NY bookseller's ticket on paste down. About Very Good overall with bottom corner of front board worn, cloth slightly stained and rubbed, spine cloth shows rubbing along now-smoothed-over creases, light staining along fore edge, former owner's names on front free endpaper, a few reading smudges and light corner creases to contents.
The memoirs of an ex-slave who became a successful dressmaker in Washington, D.C., published for the financial and reputational benefit of Mary Todd Lincoln after the assassination of her husband, President Abraham Lincoln. The book caused a falling-out between the former first lady and the author, which wrecked her career. Rare in commerce nowadays.
Synopsis
Originally published in 1868—when it was attacked as an “indecent book” authored by a “traitorous eavesdropper”— Behind the Scenes is the story of Elizabeth Keckley, who began her life as a slave and became a privileged witness to the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Keckley bought her freedom at the age of thirty-seven and set up a successful dressmaking business in Washington, D.C. She became modiste to Mary Todd Lincoln and in time her friend and confidante, a relationship that continued after Lincoln’s assassination. In documenting that friendship—often using the First Lady’s own letters— Behind the Scenes fuses the slave narrative with the political memoir. It remains extraordinary for its poignancy, candor, and historical perspective. First time in Penguin Classics
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Details
- Bookseller
- Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 140941569
- Title
- Behind the Scenes: or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House
- Author
- Keckley, Elizabeth
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- G.W. Carleton & Company, Publishers
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1868
- Keywords
- slavery, White House, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd, Washington D.C., ex-slave narratives, Black authors
Terms of Sale
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2010
Portland, Oregon
About Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Burnside Rare Books specializes in literary first editions and works of cultural and historic significance. We are located in Portland, Oregon and welcome visitors by appointment.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Fore Edge
- The portion of a book that is opposite the spine. That part of a book which faces the wall when shelved in a traditional...
- Rebacked
- having had the material covering the spine replaced. ...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- G
- Good describes the average used and worn book that has all pages or leaves present. Any defects must be noted. (as defined by AB...
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