Myths After Lincoln by LEWIS, Lloyd - 1941

New York: Press of the Readers Club, 1941. Hardcover. Introduction by Carl Sandburg. 8vo. Yellow cloth with brown lettering and decorations. xii, 367pp. Very good. Faint edgewear only, else internally fine. Tight, decent book club edition of the 1929 debunking classic (Monaghan 3108) -- with choice autograph addition: Tipped opposite the title page is a fascinating Typed Letter Signed from Lewis, 1p, 8¼" X 10½", Libertyville, IL, 12 June 1945. Addressed to "John" (John Valentine, manager of Chicago's noted Abraham Lincoln Book Shop). Very good. Two light original horizontal folds. Juicy content concerning "pathetic Mr. Warren. His squirmings are understandable for he has nailed his kite to Mrs. Lincoln's star and simply won't have Anne Rutledge mentioned. [Oliver] Barrett and others who have read his protest say it is unimportant. I haven't talked to [Paul] Angle about it. My piece was based on Angle's opinion years ago and his opinion after [Jay] Monaghan's article...." Signed large and bold in full in black ink. "Warren" is most likely Louis A. Warren, long-time director of The Lincoln National Life Foundation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who published a staggering variety of Lincoln essays over his long career and, for instance, in 1946 gave a speech titled "The Woman in Lincoln's Life: With Special Emphasis on Her Cultural Attainments." Lewis (1891-1949) was a popular "Chicago Daily News" editor, journalist and columnist -- and passionate Lincoln and Civil War scholar who penned books about Sherman and Grant. Nice copy of a classic title with outstanding author letter showing Lewis as always striving to clarify Lincoln issues.