What a magnificent combination of author and illustrator! This book, Elizabeth Madox Roberts' first novel, is revered by critics not only for its own power, but also as a crucial point in the transformation of American literature from a romantic period to a literary period marked by realism. Clair Leighton's wood engravings perfectly complement and add depth and meaning to the text. I know of no other book that the University Press of Kentucky has published that is as artistic and compelling and features such distinguished art and writing. Elizabeth Madox Roberts (1881-1941) was from Washington County, Kentucky.
Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, the first illustrated edition, 1945, of a 1926 release. 397 pages illustrated with woodcuts by Claire Leighton. Hardback with tipped-in woodcut.