Great Letters Series

Farrar, Straus & Young, Inc. / Farrar, Straus & Cudahy, Inc. (New York, US)
Series dates: 1951-1961
Size: 5.75″ x 8.25″

The Great Letters Series was edited by Louis Kronenberger and titles were published between 1951 and 1961. A few reprints appear as late as 1984. The series is focused on great letter writers, rather than, as the blurb above says, “great writers who wrote letters of no particular distinction.”

Jackets are unique to each title but follow a specific pattern with a portrait of the author appearing in the middle of the front of the jacket. Jacket colors vary from title to title. The series name is included at the top of the front of the jacket. The front jacket flap includes an overview of the title and the price ($3.75).

The book overview began on the front jacket flap, continues on the rear flap. A blurb about the series along with already published volumes and volumes in preparation are listed.

Bindings are basic cloth, red in this case, with gold typography in a printed black box on the jacket spine.

The half-title page:

A list of published and forthcoming titles in the series faces the title page.

The copyright page:

The table of contents:

The first page of text: