This I Remember, Signed and Inscribed by Eleanor Roosevelt, First Edition, in Original Dust Jacket, 1949

Roosevelt, Eleanor. This I Remember. New York: Harper & Brothers , 1949. Stated First Edition.  Inscribed by Eleanor Roosevelt on the first free endpaper, in black ink. In the original publisher’s dust jacket and blue cloth boards. Illustrated throughout. 

Presented is a signed and inscribed first edition of This I Remember by Eleanor Roosevelt. The book was published in New York by Harper & Brothers in 1949 and is a stated first edition. Eleanor Roosvelt signed the first free endpaper in black ink. The inscription reads, "Inscribed for [Mike? Jobealtner?] with best wishes Eleanor Roosevelt." The book is in the publisher’s original gold, red, black, and white dust jacket, with a photographic portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt on the front, and the original blue cloth boards. 

Written shortly after leaving the White House, This I Remember was the second autobiography of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The memoir spans her husband’s governorship of New York to his passing in 1945, at the beginning of his fourth presidential term. Throughout her tale, she reveals how she managed and balanced the official duties as President's wife, White House hostess, wife and mother with her own aspirations and personal goals. Chronicling both her public and private life, “she takes one behind the scenes on a personal level- but never does she reveal state secrets, rather does she interpret the moods, the circumstances, the personalities” (Kirkus Reviews, Nov. 7, 1949). 

The book was positively received  and reviewed upon publication in early November of 1949. Elizabeth Janeway, writing in the The New York Times, claimed “In this age of papier-mâché memoirs turned out by ghost-writers at so much per yard, it is almost shockingly delightful to read a book which could have been written by absolutely no one else in the world than the great and important figure whose name is signed to it, which is flavorful, characteristic, and moving. But since the name signed to it is that of Eleanor Roosevelt, no one is particularly surprised. This is just what we expect of Mrs. Roosevelt.” She continues, “Mrs. Roosevelt's view of events and especially of people is coherent, unified, and illuminated always by her own personal and political wisdom and sense of proportion.” 

Kirkus Reviews called the book “a very human…unpretentiously humble document in the story of our First Lady during 12 vital years.” The review stressed that the book's success and popularity rests “on the sheer simplicity and bigness of the woman herself.”

CONDITION:

Stated "First Edition. I-Y" Original gold, red, black and white dust jacket with black and white portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt on the front. Chipping to the spine and corners of jacket, fading to red on spine, small stain along bottom of spine, into back panel of lower corner. Not price clipped. Original blue cloth boards, with gilt embossed title to spine, black facsimile signature on lower right front board. Sunning to boards, wear and discoloration along top, wear from water stain along bottom spine. Inscribed on the first free endpaper, in black ink. "Inscribed for [Mike? Jobealtner?] with best wishes Eleanor Roosevelt." The inscription has a little bit of bleed on her name. Deckled foredge. Clean pages inside, light toning to paper edges.  Illustrated throughout with frontispiece portrait, 13 illustrations following page 68, 16 illustrations following page 164, 11 illustrations following page 260. 387 pp.

Dimensions: 9 1/2" H x 6 5/8" W x 1 1/2" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.