Some of the Victorian era's brightest literary stars contributed to this collection of reminiscences on the struggle and reward of publishing a first book. Alongside such indisputable masters as Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling, we encounter lesser-known figures like Israel Zangwill, a son of Jewish immigrants from London who earned acclaim from novelist George Gissing and President Theodore Roosevelt for such works as The Melting Pot (1908) and Children of the Ghetto: A Study of Peculiar People (1892). Marie Corelli, despite being rejected by the literary establishment of her time, was a pioneering science fiction writer whose bestselling works were beloved by the British people and Royal Family alike. Hall Caine was a bestselling writer whose novels, short stories, and poems-often set on his native Isle of Man-made him the most financially successful writer of his day. H. Rider Haggard, an influential forerunner of the lost world genre of literature, was an English writer whose tales of high adventure-notably King Solomon's Mines (1885)-won him popularity around the world.

My First Book (1894) is a collection of reminiscences by some of the leading fiction writers of the Victorian era. Beginning with a heartfelt introduction by English humorist Jerome K. Jerome, the collection includes reflections by such literary titans as Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, and Arthur Conan Doyle. "It rose to my lips to answer him that it was not always the books written very, very well that brought in the biggest heaps of money [...] But something about the almost baby face beside me, fringed by the gathering shadows, silenced my middle-aged cynicism." In his brilliant introduction, Jerome recalls a scenario that will be familiar to writers at any stage in their career. A young and ambitious artist seeks the advice of an older mentor. The mentor longs to warn the writer about the difficulties of obtaining success, but knows that to do so would risk breaking the essential innocence necessary for making art. Conscious of this dynamic, the contributors to My First Book endeavor to demystify the writing process as well as the trajectory of their own careers by sharing with readers how their first major works came into being. Heartfelt, humorous, and ultimately honest, their reflections remain invaluable to writers from all walks of life. This edition My First Book is a classic of British literature reimagined for modern readers.
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