The Winning of Barbara Worth by Reverend Harold Bell Wright (1911? Hardcover without Dust Jacket)

The theme of this story is the appropriate use of technology in the development of the Imperial Valley of California - comparison to the nature of courtship used to win the beautiful orphaned young woman living there, Barbara Worth. This was Reverend Wright's fifth novel.

Gary Cooper's first major movie, The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926) was based on this novel. That film is also remembered for its' dramatic depiction of the flood which created the Salton Sea of California in 1905. This was the seventh movie made from Reverend Wright's works.

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 Rev. Wright 1st editions were published by The Book Supply Company.

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 black lettering on spine and front, portrait of young woman pasted on front cover, but no dust jacket. Cloth worn through to cardboard at edges. Prior owner's signature on ffep, Easter greeting card laid-in. Book has been roughly handled leaving pages 77 to 87 wrinkled with tears (repaired). Interior is tight, appears complete, and text is unmarked. Material as expected for pre-WWI book.

Copyright 1911. Stated published August 1911. No printing date on title page. Likely manufactured in U.S.A. by same printer used by The Book Supply Company. No ISBN, LCCN nor MSR.