Backstage [on jacket: Back Stage]

New York: House of Field Inc.. Good in Poor dj. (c.1938). Unstated ed. Hardcover. NOISBN . [soiling and uneven fading to cloth, soiling to page edges, ffep removed with consequent weakening of front hinge; jacket is edgeworn with various small tears, but downgraded to "Poor" due to large piece (about 1/6 of total area) missing from bottom right-hand corner of front panel (taking most of the author's name with it)]. "A love story 'tis true, but unlike any other -- not the love of man for woman, of parent for child, or friend for friend; none of these, but a passionate all-consuming love of daughter for mother, as inversion of material instinct as it were." Takes place against "a background that extends from the theatre of New York and London of the present day, to the life and tragic death of Joan of Arc [wonder how they worked that in?] more than five hundred years ago." The author is described on the jacket as a New York corporate lawyer who had also dabbled in politics, written a number of books, and served as president of a large hospital; I'm not sure if this is the same "Melbert Cary" (Jr.?) who was also a noted Connecticut printer/publisher during this period. .