WHAT A LIFE! AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by E. V. L. and G. M. Illustrated by Whiteley's. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., [1911]. Octavo, pp. [1-9] 10-128, original orange wrappers printed in black. First edition, first printing. A photo-collage novel using illustrations from Whiteley's General Catalogue. The satire is best known for its inventive narrative technique: the story takes the reader through the life of an upper-class British gentleman, with the plot being dictated by the book's illustrations, which Lucas and Morrow took from a copy the London department store's catalogue. A copy of this classic piece of proto-surrealism was included in the 1936 MOMA exhibition "Fantastic Art, Dada, and Surrealism." Edward Verrall Lucas (1868-1938), English humorist, essayist, journalist, editor, was a prolific writer, most celebrated for his short essays. He joined the staff of the humor magazine PUNCH in 1904, and remained there for the rest of his life. Like Lucas, George Morrow (1869-1955), Irish cartoonist and book illustrator, was a PUNCH stalwart, beginning his long association with the magazine in 1906. In addition to his own works, Morrow illustrated more than seventy books for adults and children written by other authors. He published twelve books with Lucas, including WHAT A LIFE! AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, their best-loved and most memorable collaboration. Wrappers worn at edges, chip from lower front cover, 30 mm chip from lower spine end (wrappers now professionally mended), a very good copy. Rare in the original wrappers; most copies have been rebound. Enclosed in a custom cloth clamshell box with leather spine label. (#169967).
Price: $1,850.00
"First Published in 1911" on copyright page.