A descriptive, annotated calendar of the letters from Harriet and Leon Lewis to their publisher Robert Bonner, with a critical introduction and notes

Abstract

Harriet (1841-1878) and Leon Lewis (1833-1920), American popular writers of children's and adult serial fiction during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, published over two hundred novels, short stories, and articles of adventure and romance, fiction and nonfiction, under the Lewis name and under the many pseudonyms that they adopted during the course of their careers. Their works were circulated throughout the United States and abroad, and their stories were translated into many different languages. Although these authors were extremely popular and commercially successful, their position in the world of serial publishing has gone virtually unnoticed by scholars. Information about these authors is unavailable in current publications, and most of what they wrote remains out of print. The most intriguing information concerning the lives, short stories, and pseudonyms of the Lewises can be found in a collection of unpublished letters, located at the Center for Textual and Bibliographical Studies at Texas A&M University. In this collection there are 57 letters, six receipts, and a detailed financial statement written by the Lewises and addressed to Robert Bonner (1824-1899), publisher of the New York The purpose of this thesis is to present a descriptive, annotated calendar of these letters. This calendar includes: a critical and biographical introduction to the authors and their works, a note on the text with a description of the collection, a guide to editorial abbreviations, an annotated calendar of the letters, and a list of the sources consulted. These letters, dating from 24 September 1862 to 17 August 1878, define the close relationship between the authors and their publisher, provide important insight into the fast-paced world of serial publishing, and emphasize Harriet and Leon Lewis's contributions to the publishing industry during the height of their popularity. Although information about the Lewises is not readily available, this research reveals valuable information about their lives, their works, and their use of pseudonyms. The Lewis-Bonner correspondence provides important insight into the relationship between the authors and their publishers during the nineteenth century, a relationship that extended beyond the world of publishing.