Description
Presentation copy of An American Four-In-Hand in Britain by Andrew Carnegie, inscribed to the “playmate of my mother.”
Octavo, viii, 338pp, [1], [4pp catalogue]. Red cloth, title stamped in gilt on spine. Light soiling to cloth, small spotting along lower edge of text block. Solid text block.
This book is dedicated to “My Favorite Heroine, My Mother,” and is inscribed on the same page: “To Dear Mr. Childers / The play mate of my Mother – Andrew Carnegie.”
Andrew Carnegie’s mother, Margaret Morrison Carnegie (1787-1866) was born in Dunfermline, Scotland. At her direction, the Carnegie family immigrated to the United States in 1848, where they settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Margaret worked as a weaver to support the family during their early years in America. Carnegie later credited much of his success to her guidance and example of dedicated work. This work, “An American Four-in-Hand in Britain” is a travel narrative written by Andrew Carnegie and published in 1883. The book recounts his carriage journey through the British countryside, and offers reflections on British culture and society from the perspective of an American industrialist. The title refers to the “four-in-hand” driving style, where a team of four horses is controlled by a single driver.
