{"product_id":"1900-to-have-and-to-hold-by-mary-johnston-illustrated-houghton-mifflin-and-company","title":"1900, To Have and to Hold by Mary Johnston, Illustrated, Houghton, Mifflin and Company","description":"\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003eMary Johnston's \"To Have and to Hold\" is a captivating historical romance set in the early 17th century Jamestown colony of Virginia. The narrative follows Captain Ralph Percy, an English soldier and Virginia explorer, who marries a woman he believes to be a penniless Puritan. This woman, Jocelyn Leigh, is in fact a ward of King James who has fled England to avoid a forced marriage to the villainous Lord Carnal. The story unfolds with a series of adventures, including swordplay, pirates, and an Indian uprising, as Percy and Leigh navigate their complex relationship and confront Lord Carnal, who pursues Jocelyn to the New World. The novel explores themes of love, loyalty, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human heart against the backdrop of colonial ambition and rivalries.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003eMary Johnston (1870-1936) was an American novelist and women's rights advocate from Virginia, known for her contributions to the historical novel genre. She was largely self-educated and began writing to support her family after her mother's death and during a financial downturn. Johnston was one of America's best-selling authors during her career, and \"To Have and to Hold\" was her most popular work, selling over half a million copies and becoming the best-selling novel in the United States in 1900. Beyond her literary success, Johnston was an active suffragist and social advocate, using her fame to champion women's rights and other social reforms.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003e\"To Have and to Hold\" holds significant literary and historical importance as a prime example of the early 20th-century historical novel, particularly its success in depicting colonial Virginia. The novel's immense popularity upon its release, breaking publishing records and becoming the best-selling novel of 1900, solidifies its place in American literary history. For collectors, the book is interesting not only for its historical context and the author's prominence but also for its illustrations by notable artists such as Howard Pyle, E. B. Thompson, A. W. Betts, and Emlen McConnell. Howard Pyle, in particular, is considered one of America's most influential illustrators, known as \"The Father of American Illustration,\" whose work ushered in the \"Golden Age of American Illustration.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003eOverall condition is Good. The covers and boards are rubbed and scuffed. The spine is darkened and rubbed, with faded lettering and worn gilt. Hinges and joints are tight. The text block and pages are crisp and clean. Plates and illustrations are all present.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003eIllustrated edition. Hardcover. No dust jacket. Bound in cloth over boards.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom:1em\"\u003eLocation: ABS-1-2-009\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Houghton, Mifflin and Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42739816136802,"sku":"EN-04142026-012249","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0248\/1094\/6612\/files\/1776127340357-6xok16sy3jy-DSC03790.jpg?v=1776129813","url":"https:\/\/ebonnoir.com\/products\/1900-to-have-and-to-hold-by-mary-johnston-illustrated-houghton-mifflin-and-company","provider":"Ebon et Noir","version":"1.0","type":"link"}