Store of Ladies

New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Good. 1927. First American Edition. Hardcover. (no dust jacket) [worn but intact, bumping and slight exposure of boards at several corners]. A satire of modern (English, 1920s) manners by this Anglo-Jewish author. The opening paragraph lays it out: "This is the story of Mrs. Horsham, after she met Jimmy Burton, the handsome young boxer from Bermondsey. It is more particularly the story of Jimmy Burton, after he met Mrs. Horsham, the wealthy widow from Belgravia. Too much time cannot be spent on their spiritual histories antecedent to their meeting, yet some reference must be made to the defunct Mr. Horsham, lest his widow, who will not fail to provoke some pity, should provoke more violent condemnation. This tale of Belgravia and Bermondsey and the singing island of Fiore del Mare calls for the exercise of generous judgments; and it is hoped that some readers may even discover a sort of affection for Mrs. Horsham, at no time an unamiable creature. It will be difficult to deny that she was a lady of more value after the affair of Jimmy Burton than before, however lamentable she was during its prosecution. As for Jimmy Burton, no human ever cared less for the judgments of other humans regarding his character and conduct; at least, until the tragic ascension of Sylvia von Gleichen." (I don't care what anybody says: that's a great opening!) .