FLOYD DELL - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 11/08/1921 - HFSID 273085

FLOYD DELL
The controversial author and editor apologizes to a friend for not attending her tea invitation, saying that the letter sent to invite him has only just arrived
Autograph letter signed: "Floyd Dell", 1p, 7¾x10¼. Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., 1921 November 8. To "Miss Katherine Lord, National Arts Club, N.Y.C." Begins: "Dear Miss Lord". In full: "Miss Norman's letter inviting me to the National Arts Club tea came to Croton while I was staying in town - so, unfortunately, I have just received it. I am sorry, and I hope not hearing from me hasn't inconvenienced your arrangements. I am very sorry not to have been there. Faithfully yours". Dell had moved to Croton-on-Hudson in 1919, two years before he wrote this letter. In 1921, he published his novel, The Briary-Bush. American poet, journalist, novelist and playwright Floyd Dell (1887-1969) was a major force in American literature in from 1910-1920. Dell, who began writing poetry as a young man, worked as a cub reporter for the "Davenport Times" before moving to the "Chicago Evening Post", where he became editor of the paper's "Friday Literary Review" in 1911. While in that position, Dell promoted the works of such writers as Jack London, Upton Sinclair, Theodore Dreiser and Stephen Crane. He moved to New York in 1914 to help edit the radical journal, "The Masses", and the self-proclaimed Socialist would later go on to co-publish "The Liberator" (1918-1924), a similar publication. In 1916, Dell became involved in the Provincetown Theatre Group, whose first play was Dell's King Arthur's Socks. The group was best known, however, for introducing the works of Eugene O'Neill. After WWI, Dell published a number of novels, including the autobiographical Moon-Calf (1920) as well as Janet Marsh (1923) and Runaway (1925). He also wrote several nonfiction works, including Upton Sinclair (1927) and Love in the Machine Age (1930), and Dell published his autobiography, Homecoming, in 1933. By 1935, sales of his works had dropped dramatically, and Dell joined the WPA as an editor and ghostwriter. On thin paper. Lightly creased with folds, not at signature. Pinhead-sized ink mark at lower margin. Handwritten notes (unknown hand) on bottom right corner. Corners slightly worn and creased. Otherwise, fine condition.