Description
Signed limited edition of the Memoirs of Harry S. Truman, inscribed to United States Ambassador to Spain and historian, Claude G. Bowers.
Thick octavo, [two volumes], xi, [1], 596pp; xi, [3], 594pp. Blue cloth, titles in gilt on spines over black labels. Top edge gilt. Both volumes appear unread. In publisher’s original acetate jackets, both fine. Gray endpapers. Housed in slipcases made specifically for this limited edition set, in fine condition.
Both volumes are inscribed on the half-title. Inscription in Volume I: “To the Honorable Claude G. Bowers, with kindest regards and with greatest appreciation of his wonderful contributions to the History of the United States and the service he has rendered this great republic, from / Harry S. Truman / Independence / Jan. 10, 1956.” Inscription in Volume II: “To Honorable Claude G. Bowers / from / Harry S. Truman. 5/5/56.”
Harry Truman first met Claude Bowers at a Kansas City Democratic Party rally in 1928, where Truman was impressed with Bowers. By 1943, Senator Truman had the opportunity to meet Bowers again in Washington and the two began a friendship that lasted until Bower’s death in 1958. Bowers served as the United States Ambassador to Spain from 1933-1939, then Chile from 1939-1953, but offered public criticism of the United Sates for failing to help put down the “Fascist state” of General Franco of Spain. Truman remained loyal to Bowers through the controversy and valued his domestic and international insights during his presidency.
This limited edition set of the Memoirs of Harry S. Truman is limited to 500 unnumbered copies. They were originally meant to be released to the public as a signed limited edition set for $35.00 per set, but President Truman had no desire to profit off his signature. In a letter to Ken McCormick of Doubleday, dated July 1, 1955, Truman comments that “I cannot possibly enter into a program which would look as if I were selling autographs instead of a book. I want the book sold on its merit.” Doubleday sent President Truman 500 copies of the deluxe set, which he inscribed to dignitaries over the years. Not all of the 500 were distributed by the president, with a few remaining unsigned copies being sold at the Truman Library.
