Item #H10523 1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner. James Merrill, Frederick Buechner.
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner
1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner

1939-1941 Scrapbook of Lawrenceville School (NJ) kept by Arthur Wells, including copies of "The Lit" from 1941 with first published appearances by James Merrill and Frederick Buechner

Large hardback scrapbook kept by Arthur Wells of Newell, West Virginia (his family ran the Homer Laughlin ceramics factory that produced Fiesta Wear) with approximately 30 pp. of clippings, memorabilia, etc. from the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, including issues of the school literary magazine, The Lit, featuring the first published creative writing of James Merrill and Frederick Buechner. Wells was elected to the board of the magazine and illustrated several pieces from 1940-1941 including works by Merrill. The 'Vacation Issue' of December 1941 contains two short prose pieces by Merrill and his first published poem, "The Laughing Buddha." An earlier issue (that is glued by its back cover into this scrapbook) contains Buechner's first published works, with cover illustration by Wells -- an early sketch for the cover illustration is also inserted. Merrill's first works were collected by his father and published in 1942 as 'Jim's Book' -- limited to around 200 copies, it is notoriously scarce and asking prices are in the mid four figures. Merrill was embarassed about this book in later years. Buechner and Merrill had an intense and literary friendship and both said their warm literary rivalry with each other at Lawrenceville provided a major impetus to embark on careers as writers. Buechner's second novel, 'The Season's Difference' (1952) explored his and Merrill's relationship at Lawrenceville. Wells returned home to run the factory, but his extensive library (sold and dispersed 13 years ago) reflected the influence the school had in forming a sophisticated literary taste. There are five copies of 'The Lit' from 1940-41 inserted into the scrapbook, and only the one mentioned above is attached to the scrapbook, the others are loose and very good or better, including the Vacation Issue featuring Merrill. Very Good. Item #H10523

Price: $650.00

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