• Title: Richard Carvel
• Author: Winston Churchill
• Publisher: Hurst & Co.
• Estimated year of printing: 1912

Notes:

Copyright 1899 

References many publications, latest is March 1912.

This was the first “old book” I acquired.  I was drawn to the fact it looked old — the cover is not in very good condition although otherwise it’s fairly good.  I was also intrigued by the author — Winston Churchill.  Nowadays, we associate that name with Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, but this is a different Winston Churchill.  This one is an author who lived from 1871 until 1947.  Initially, the author Winston Churchill was much better known than the British statesman, and they actually communicated with each other in order to try and reduce confusion amongst readers — agreeing that the British Churchill should use the pen name “Winston Spencer Churchill.”  

This book, Richard Carvel, was an extremely popular novel, Churchill’s most successful.  It’s a historical fiction set during the Revolutionary War, and sold around 2 million copies.  It was adapted into a Broadway play which ran from 1900 – 1901.  Waltzes from the play were published a sheet music under the title “Richard Carvel Waltzes.”

Historical context:

When this book was published in 1912, it was the same year that the Titanic sank, and would be 2 more years before World War 1 would begin. New Mexico and Arizona became states in this year.