[Item #47368] In Prison and Out. Hesba STRETTON, pseud. Sarah Smith.

In Prison and Out

New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, n.d. [circa 1879]. First American Edition. Octavo (19cm); deep tan cloth, decoratively stamped in black, w/ gilt label on spine; tan stock; 269pp. Boards mildly soiled and rubbed, especially on black portions and along hinges; gilt dulled; spine heel/crown bumped. Textblock edges foxed, toning at page margins; bindings shaken, with exposed threads at signatures; ownership stamp on ffep; a Very Good copy.

English author Sarah Smith created her pseudonym "Hesba Stretton" from the initials of her siblings. She may be best known for her evangelical Christian stories for children, which were popular and enjoyed worldwide distribution. Later in her career, she began producing more adult-oriented works, often intertwined with social criticism. Despite her wholesome image, Hesba Stretton was known as a sharp businesswoman who was not afraid to challenge the gender norms of the field, as well as a fierce champion of children's rights and justice. Her c.1879 novel In Prison and Out originally appeared as serial in British periodical The Sunday Magazine, and concerns the fate of a poor boy trapped in a cycle of imprisonment and social stigma.

Price: $125.00

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