The audio (podcast) of my February 16,2017, lecture at the Boston Athenaeum on “Isabel Anderson as Writer, Editor, and Impresario” is now available by clicking here: SoundCloud.com.

The powerpoint (in PDF format) that accompanies the lecture may be downloaded here.  Click on this link: Isabel Anderson as Writer… (Powerpoint) and then click on the photograph of Isabel to access the document. (Warning: large file.)

Isabel Anderson produced a prolific literary output between 1909 and 1948. In all, she published some sixty works across many genres: children’s literature, travelogues, short stories, drama and musical theater, historical nonfiction, and poetry. At the same time she was writing books, she published articles, short stories, and poems in local and national magazines and newspapers. Fairly complete biographies of her books exist in the library of the Society of the Cincinnati in Washington and in the archives of the Boston Athenaeum. Unfortunately, due to the enormous volume of her newspaper and magazine articles, we may never know about everything else that she published.

Many of her books, however, are available as PDFs and e-books (including Kindle format) on a number of websites, especially archive.org.   Here is a small sampling of some of my favorite Isabel Anderson titles:

The Spell of Belgium (1917)
Odd Corners (1917)
Presidents and Pies (1920)
A Yacht in Mediterranean Seas (1930)

Download some of them today and start reading!

Illustrations: Book covers from the library of Skip Moskey,

author of Larz and Isabel Anderson: Wealth and Celebrity in the Gilded Age

Wherever he went in the world, with or without Isabel, Larz Anderson sent Isabel cards and notes, many of which had a local flavor. He once annotated a color picture postcard of Prague (probably around 1908) adding a silhouette of himself with the bubble caption “That’s a pretty girl: reminds me of Isabel!” He was especially attentive at Valentine’s Day, producing clever and highly personalized sentiments for his beloved Isabel, whom he often called “Punk” and “Pudding.”

[Valentine, ca. 1908, made aboard the Anderson’s houseboat, the Roxana.]

Larz compiled these and many other sketches, notes, and handmade greeting cards into four small printed volumes all titled Larz Anderson: U.S.A. The first appeared in the summer of 1909, when his mother wrote, “I am enjoying your book of sketches so much.”

[Cover of one of the U.S.A. books.]

It is not clear WHY Larz had these little books printed. There is no publication data (year, publisher, etc.) nor is there a copyright notice. By 1909, Isabel was already writing professionally and understood the need for a copyright. Larz clearly printed these privately for very limited distribution. (Copies rarely if ever come up for sale on eBay or other sites, unlike Isabel’s books.) Many of the references in the notes, however, are so obscure that they could only have been meaningful to Larz and Isabel, and some are a bit on the “racy” side (though not by today’s standards; i.e., a view of Isabel reclining with her petticoats exposed). All this leads me to conclude that the books were never really meant for anyone but Larz and Isabel.

[Larz ruminating on the course of his marriage to Isabel.]

The couple often traveled without each other; or rather, Larz often traveled abroad without Isabel, who stayed behind to spend time at her cottage in New Hampshire. The Larz Anderson: U.S.A. volumes could very well have been Larz’s own Gilded Age version of an iPad, in which he could carry around with him his most precious memories of Isabel. Even the simple cover provides a clue, its almost generic title providing a “return address” in the event a book was lost or misplaced abroad. During his lifetime Larz was so famous that something mailed to “Larz Anderson, U.S.A.” would likely have reached him.

What do you think?

Please use the response form linked below to send me your thoughts on why Larz published the “U.S.A.” volumes.
I will publish the best suggestions in a future update to this blog post.

Click here to send a “Larz Anderson U.S.A.” suggestion.

Illustrations All illustrations from “Larz Anderson: U.S.A.” [undated, ca. 1909-1915]

from the author’s collection.

[Click on the map for a closer look!]

In 2014 I purchased a second copy of Isabel Anderson’s book, Under the Black Horse Flag (1926), for my collection of Anderson materials.  My copy of this important reference work by one of the subjects of my forthcoming dual biography, Larz and Isabel Anderson: Wealth and Celebrity in the Gilded Age, had become dogeared and heavily annotated after years of use. The copy I received turned out to be in pristine condition, with the original dust jacket intact and the flyleaf of the book inscribed in Isabel’s hand: “Best Wishes, Isabel Anderson.”

Tucked into the book was a carefully folded piece of paper which, when opened, turned out to be a road map showing how to get from downtown Boston to the Andersons’ estate, “Weld,” in Brookline.  Published by the Walker Lithograph and Publishing Co. of Boston, the map shows many interesting details of the Andersons’ neighborhood, including an orphanage with the charming name: the Home for Little Wanderers. Charles Sargent’s estate “Holm Lea” and Mrs. John L. Gardner’s estate “Green Hill” are also shown nearby.  Mrs. Gardner is better know to modern readers as Isabella Stewart Gardner.  Both Professor Sargent and Mrs. Gardner appear along with many other celebrities of the Anderson era in the forthcoming book about the couple.

Larz was the consummate host who entertained his guests with the best of Gilded Age hospitality. In an era when roads were only beginning to be marked for automobiles, Larz Anderson’s map was a sort of Gilded Age GPS.  He obviously wanted to make sure that the guests arrived on time!

Skip Moskey giving a tour of the Larz Anderson Park
Brookline, MA, August 16, 2013

Illustration Larz Anderson Estate Map (ca. 1920) Skip Moskey Collection This scan copyright © 2016 by Skip Moskey

(Digimarc® Guardian for Images)

The Tesla is currently one of the hottest passenger vehicles in the world, yet the idea behind it – an automobile that runs on electricity – is hardly new.  Over a hundred years ago, Larz Anderson purchased the electric automobile shown here.  The engine and mechanical core of the 1905 vehicle were manufactured in England by the Electromobile Company of London. As he did for most of his autos, he ordered a custom-designed chassis and body from another firm, in this case Kellner & Sons of Paris.

Larz also gave each of his cars a name and a motto and called this one “Porte Bonheur” (Bringer of Happiness), with the motto “Ça va sans dire” (It goes without saying).  The motto was a clever play on words.  Not only does the motto allude to a certain nonchalant feeling one might have driving such a sporty car, it is a direct reference to its virtually soundless engine.  A car like this would have cost between $2,000 and $2,600.  In today’s economy, that equates to around $50,000 to $65,000 dollars.  The price range for a new Tesla runs from $70,000 to $85,000.

This automobile, and several others once owned by Larz, are on display at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Mass.

More information about Larz’s automobiles will appear in Larz and Isabel Anderson: Wealth and Celebrity in the Gilded Age by Stephen T. Moskey, scheduled for publication by iUniverse LLC in late winter 2016.  If you haven’t already done so, please join the book’s mailing list by CLICKING HERE.

The “charging station” for Larz’s
1905 Electromobile.

Photos Copyright © 2011 by Skip Moskey All rights reserved.

(Digimarc® Guardian for Images)