Remy de Gourmont - A Modern Man of Letters

This copy of Remy de Gourmont - A Modern Man of Letters by Richard Aldington was the First Edition, Second Printing published in 1928 by the University of Washington as Number 13 in its Chapbooks series, edited by Glenn Hughes. The book, which measures approximately 5 inches wide by 7 ¼ inches tall, is a 41 page presentation by Aldington on the life and works of Remy de Gourmont. This paper was previously read before the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society.

Remy de Gourmont (April 4, 1858 – September 27, 1915) was a French Symbolist poet, novelist, and influential critic. He was widely read in his era, and an important influence on Blaise Cendrars. His poetic works include Litanies de la rose (1892), Les Saintes du paradis (1898), and Divertissements (1912). His poems plunge from perhaps ironic piety to equally ironic blasphemy; they reflect, more than anything else, his interest in mediæval Latin literature, and his works led to a fad for late Latin literature among authors like Joris-Karl Huysmans. He was also a literary critic of great importance, and was admired by T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound in that capacity. [Wikipedia]

The book is staple-bound in a soft cover made of blank tan cardstock covered in a color-speckled paper jacket, with black lettering and decoration on the front face. The name of a prior owner, with the date 1940, is handwritten on the front free end paper. The pages of the book are unblemished; the jacket shows some signs of wear along the edges. The overall condition of the book is very good.

The illustrations accompanying this description show the Front Cover, the Title page, the first page of the presentation, and a typical 2-page spread of further text.

Richard Aldington (8 July 1892 – 27 July 1962), born Edward Godfree Aldington, was an English writer and poet. Aldington was best known for his World War I poetry, the 1929 novel, Death of a Hero, and the controversy arising from his 1955 Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry. His 1946 biography, Wellington, was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. [Wikipedia]