Jam for Breakfast

New York: H.C. Kinsey & Company, Inc.. Very Good. 1940. First Edition. Hardcover. (no dust jacket) [lightly shelfworn, some age-toning to edges of text block, some spotting on upper section of fore-edge, hinges are intact but feel a little weak]. "Wittily portrays the modern scene, focusing its attention on a small group of highly entertaining characters and ignoring, happily, any questions of social reform." (Quoted from the dust jacket of another copy; this copy of the book has NO dust jacket.) The New York Times reviewer opined that "its story of a Summer's romance is told in an engaging style that sparkles with teasing and half-complete literary and non-literary illusions. [I think she meant "allusions," but who am I to quibble with The New York Times?] Its conversations are the natural talk of intelligent, eccentric, rather balmy and pleasant people." She added that the story's humor is "not so jolly as Angela Thirkell's nor so acid as Dawn Powell's but a very enjoyable brand that can be highly recommended." Ms. Halsted wrote for the popular magazines of the day, and published four novels in a quick burst between 1938 and 1943, all of which were generally well-reviewed -- then vanished from the literary scene (to extent that she was ever really on it). All her novels, for whatever reason, are fairly scarce. .