via: The Internet Archive
Today’s Mark Twain is one of my favourite books, Eve’s Diary. It’s nothing like Adam’s Diary, which I posted yesterday. Everything about it is unique. The artwork is softer and evocative and involves you in the story on an emotional level. The book is brilliantly illustrated by Lester Ralph in the Art Nouveau style, and every page has a charming illustration. I chose a few of my favourites to share with you below, but it was hard to limit myself.
It isn’t just the artwork that sets Eve’s Diary apart. The story is also told in a different style. Eve speaks with a sense of wonder and curiosity that is captivating and utterly charming. The book also has one of the most poignant and beautiful endings I’ve encountered. I encourage you to read this book. It’s wonderful.
That’s my copy of Eve’s Diary in the picture. (Sorry it’s a bit fuzzy – I’m hopeless using my phone camera) It was a gift from Marcus, and I treasure it. Marcus shared with me that Twain had just lost his wife and his daughter around the time of writing Eve’s Diary. It gave the book more depth for me, so I’m sharing it with you.
The illustrations are from The Internet Archive, where you can read the book. Enjoy.
Today’s first edition Twain is another submission from Marcus. Adam’s Diary is a satirical and lighthearted look at Adam’s early days in the Garden of Eden. I’m including a few of the drawings from the book, mostly for comparison with the drawings from tomorrow’s book. You won’t want to miss that!
Cover photo via Marcus Ranum (Stderr)
The book is available to read at The Internet Archive
Today’s book by Mark Twain was submitted by Marcus, and he’s holding his own first edition copy of the book. I love the artwork on the cover, and since the frontispiece illustration is similar, but with more detail, I’m including that as well.
Cover photo via Marcus Ranum (Stderr)
The book is available to read at The Internet Archive