Greetings all--

Someone posted a message last week about book agents who sold Twain's books.
I was too busy at the time to respond, and I don't recall which book had
been mentioned, but I can report three such accounts, all worthwhile reading
(not just for the Twain references):

Likin, Mrs J. W. SIX YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A BOOK AGENT IN CALIFORNIA. SF,
1874. The 1992 Book Club of CA reprint is easily found for $50. The original
edition is extremely rare and valuable. She sold INNOCENTS ABROAD, ROUGHING
IT, and GILDED AGE.

Anon. FACTS BY A WOMAN. Oakland, 1881. Never reprinted as far as I know, and
the book is very scarce. She gives an account of selling TOM SAWYER,
including a detailed account of selling a copy to a Black man in a barber
shop, whose boundless admiration for Twain she records in dialect. The
author is unknown so far as I know, but if anyone knows her name, I'd like
to know it.

Lindley, Elizabeth. DIARY OF A BOOK AGENT. NY, 1911. Never reprinted, and
very scarce. She gives an account of being tricked into calling on one "Mr.
Clemens" to sell him a set of Mark Twain's works (one of the several
American Pub Co editions, no doubt). She catches onto the joke too late to
get out of it (when Twain appears in a doorway of his parlor) and he asks
her all kinds of leading questions, and concludes by buying a set and having
it directed to the prankster ("Arthur") who sent her over. She prints the
text of Twain's letter to "Arthur", which I've not found recorded (Tenney,
Machlis, etc) and she dates the incident "July 10" in NYC where she took an
"uptown train" to reach Twain's home. Given the time and place, 1907 at
Tuxedo Park would be the most likely date since (so far as I can tell with a
quick check) Twain summered in Dublin NH when he lived at 21 Fifth Ave.
(1905-6) and was at Livy's funeral in Elmira in 1904). If anyone can pin
down the date, identify "Arthur" (Twain knew several Arthurs), or locate the
letter in print elsewhere, I'd be grateful to hear of it.

I know of many book agent accounts, but these are the only ones that I've
found that include Twain references of any substance. Interesting to note
they are all by women --there were no glass ceilings oppressing the fair sex
when it came to the drudgery of door-to-door selling in the late 19th
century. It is also worth noting that the two accounts of selling the early
subscription books are both from California (where Twain had a strong
market), even though Bliss had subscription agents and offices in nearly
every major city west of the Mississippi, and anybody could sign up as an
agent by mail from even the most remote rural locations.

Sincerely,

Kevin Mac Donnell
Mac Donnell Rare Books
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