Over the top by an American soldier who went ... Together with Tommy's dictionary of the trenches
New York & London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Knickerbocker Press, 1917. Fourteenth impression, 8vo, pp. x, [2], 315, [1], [4] ads; original red cloth lettered in gilt on upper cover and spine; spine faded, binding cocked; a good copy, but with a rare presentation from the author, "To W. M. Schenck, Best Wishes, A. G. Empry, Oct. 24, 1917." A slip laid in, almost certainly by the presentee, mentions that "'Over the Top' was the first published World War I experience by an American and was widely sold and read. As President of the Boston Booksellers' Association, I introduced him as speaker at one of our regular meetings in his Twentieth Century Club, Joy St., Boston." Over a quarter of a million copies were sold. Wikipedia notes that Empey wrote several screenplays, more books on World War I, and formed his own production company called the Guy Empey Pictures Corporation. He was also a popular song-writer during the war years, writing the lyrics for numbers such as "Your Lips Are No Man's Land But Mine," and "Liberty Statue is Looking Right at You." In later years Empey turned to writing pulp fiction, creating the hero Terence X. O'Leary. Item #46742
Price: $75.00
