The Eyes of The World by Reverend Harold Bell Wright (1914 First Edition Hardcover without Dust Jacket)
Romantic novel about a mountain girl set in Southern California cities. Story revolves around several artists and art patrons. It was the best selling U.S. novel in the year of it's release. This was Reverend Wright's seventh novel.
The Eyes of The World was the basis and title of two movies. The 1st a 1917 silent film (now considered lost). The second a 1930 pre-code movie.
Harold Bell Wright (1872–1944) was a best-selling American writer of fiction, essays, and nonfiction. Although mostly forgotten or ignored after the middle of the 20th century, he had a very successful career; he is said to have been the first American writer to sell a million copies of a novel and the first to make $1 million from writing fiction. Between 1902 and 1942 Wright wrote 19 books, several stage plays, and many magazine articles. More than 15 movies were made or claimed to be made from Wright's stories.
A Christian theme runs through all of Wright's novels, often with a western setting. Elsberg W. Reynolds, a wealthy friend of the author, created The Book Supply Company to publish Wright's work. Most of Wright's 1st editions were published by Book Supply.
Frank Graham Cootes was also the illustrator of The Shepard of the Hills, perhaps the most famous of Reverend Wright's novels.
Hardcover has red cloth boards with gold lettering on spine and front, evidence of several readings and rough storage, but no dust jacket. Cloth worn through to cardboard at edges. Cover separated from text repaired and functional. Prior owner's signature on ffep, Ex-Libris from pharmacy indicating the pharmacy was a lending library. Book has been handled leaving finger prints on interior pages as well as exterior. Interior is tight, appears complete, and text is unmarked. Near Good.
Copyright 1914. Published August 1914. Likely this copy from early printing and was manufactured in U.S.A. No ISBN, LCCN nor MSR.