Esmé Wynne-Tyson’s copy containing a detailed manuscript list of her early publications. The yearbook was given and inscribed to her by Noël Coward using his nickname of the time, in black ink to the head of the preface “To Leette Mother[?] / with appropriate affection / Poj / 29/6/19”. To the rear of the book is a blank table across nine pages designed for writers to record the progress of their manuscripts through the publication process (title, where sent, when sent, returned or accepted, payment), which has been fully and densely completed by Wynne-Tyson in ink and pencil, recording approximately 100 pieces penned by her and successfully published during 1920-1921 - her own little bibliography. These largely compose pieces for newspapers and periodicals covering a wide range of subjects, although with a focus on short stories (“Lady of White Peacocks”, “On the Bus”, “The Moon is a Penny”), comment pieces (“The Art of Wifehood”, “Cultivating a Personality”, “Truth About the Stage (Child Actress)”, “The Superstitious Sex”, “Don’ts for Present Giving”), and tales for children (“Prince Yara, or The Ivory Tower”, “The Christmas Fairy”). Elsewhere in the book Wynne-Tyson has added pencil lines besides the details of periodicals which she presumably thought suitable for submitting her work, jotted down two publisher’s addresses along with a list of story titles, and inserted a pithy comment on the title page: “Art for Commerce’s Sake”. Also loosely laid in is a later publisher’s compliments slip from William Heinemann, dated 30.10.67, on which Wynne-Tyson has typed a brief, curiously spikey review of Coward’s 1967 book of verse
Not Yet the Dodo: “Attaining a new shallowness. The Master has not even learned how not to use punctuation. At least his early books of verses achieved their aim in that they failed to amuse a Muse of current acclaim and pleased that lady’s critics. Not Yet the Dodo will not even impress the admirers of N.C’s technique. Is this the same hand that wrote the Three Quartets and Brief Encounter? It is impossible to read most of these verses without the beat of The Stately Homes of England constantly intruding over the shoulder”.
Esmé Wynne-Tyson (1898-1972) began her career as an actress, performing in the West End from childhood until her early twenties. During this period, she became a close friend and confidant of Noël Coward, with their friendship, for a time, forming the most important in Coward’s life. In her teens, she began to write plays, often in collaboration with Coward, including a series of shorts under the joint pen-name “Esnomel”. Following the First World War, she became a Christian Scientist, abandoned her stage career, and increasingly turned to writing both fiction, including numerous novels, and non-fiction journalism. Frequently penned in collaboration with J. D. Beresford, much of this served to promote pacifism, vegetarianism and the numerous other humanitarian causes in which she deeply believed. The present book – an indispensable guide for writers to the various publishers, journals, magazines, newspapers, and literary agents in Britain, the USA and elsewhere – was gifted by Coward during the course of the pair’s intimate friendship. Signed “Poj”, the nickname he used when the pair conversed, it was perhaps presented as an act of encouragement when Wynne-Tyson was just beginning to find her literary feet. It certainly reveals that she experienced significant early success in her new endeavours, earning £22. 6s from her writing in 1920, and £162. 3s. 4d. in 1921.
DESCRIPTION: Publisher’s original red cloth with titles in black to the upper board and spine. 12pp. of publisher’s advertisements to the front and rear. A very good copy, the binding square and secure with a touch of cracking to the hinges, a little marking to the boards and toning to the spine. The contents with the odd mark to page margins are otherwise in very good order.
