Gettysburg, Manila, Acoma
by Edgar Lee Masters
Just received this nifty 1930 book by Edgar Lee Masters, author of Spoon River Anthology. Three verse plays.
It caught my eye because I’ve been to Acoma. A memorable bit of dialogue from that day:
YOUNG WOMAN: Good morning!
OLD WOMAN: It looks like rain.
YOUNG WOMAN: Oh! I hope so!
OLD WOMAN: Yes!
Yes: that’s why they call it a desert.
This slipcover volume was printed in an edition of 375 copies (350 for sale), signed by the author. It’s astonishing to think that this could once have been a paying proposition, especially in the teeth of the Great Depression.
It’s also astonishing that you can easily pick up a copy for $30 or $40 dollars.