SMITH, Dodie.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

I Capture the Castle. First edition, first printing, of the author's wildly successful debut novel, together with an autograph letter signed "Dodie", addressed to her close friend and theatre colleague, John Evelyn Moore. This letter is a warm and affectionate accompaniment to Smith's highly acclaimed novel, detailing the trials and tribulations of publishing the work, which was subsequently printed in the UK the following year. Written and first published in the United States, I Capture the Castle speaks to Smith's yearning for home. A conscientious objector, alongside her husband, Smith had emigrated from England to the US in 1939, spending time in California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. This coming-of-age story of Cassandra Mortmain living with her family amidst genteel poverty in pre-war south of England reflects a bucolic, idealized vision of Smith's former home and happy upbringing. The autograph letter accompanying this copy speaks to Smith's status as an exile and her sense of nostalgia for home. Smith had left behind a successful career as a West End playwright, having written a number of successful productions throughout the 1930s.The recipient, John Evelyn Moore, had been stage manager during the debut production of Smith's play Dear Octopus at the Queen's Theatre in the West End in 1938 and thereafter remained close friends with the author. Smith's fond memories her work in the theatre are evident in her letter as she discusses the arduous process of publishing

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