Kaaterskill Books

"Like Having Access to the Library in Alexandria" Bachiller y Morales' Most Important Work

Bachiller y Morales, Antonio.

Apuntes para la historia de las letras, y de la instruction publica de la isla de Cuba [Three Volumes in One].

Habana: Impr. de P. Massana / Impr. del Tiempo, 1859-61. 225, 2 pp.; 220, 4 pp.; 247, 1 pp. 8vo. Modern quarter speckled calf over green marbled boards, four raised bands, red morocco spine label titled in gilt, marbled endpapers. First edition. A very good copy, title page foxed, owner's stamp on margin, a few small holes to top edge, notations on a few pages, leaves browned and edges foxed, more heavily to the first volume, binding quite fine. A handsome copy of a rare and important work with a distinguished provenance. Palau 21634. Sabin 2608. Trelles IV, p.90. Jones / Medina 667. Parreño sale 1036. Griffin 905. Item #39690

"The most important work published by Bachiller y Morales and containing valuable information on the literary history of Cuba," Trelles ("es la obra mas importante publicada por Bachiller y contiene preciosos datos sobre la historia literaria de esta Isla"). These articles -on schools, higher education, the press, literature, historiography, theater, music, biographies; and also containing a complete list of books printed in Cuba from 1724 to 1840- were previously published in various Spanish and Cuban periodicals. Antonio Bachiller y Morales (1812-1889) is considered the father of Cuban literature and Cuban bibliography (Cuba's Librarian Day is celebrated on his birthday). Jose Marti wrote that talking to Bachiller y Morales was like having access to the library in Alexandria. Provenance: Mario Guiral Moreno (1882-1964), essayist and founding member and chairman of the Cuban National Academy of Arts and Letters (his library stamp).

Price: $750.00