Dodo: a detail of the day

London: Methuen and Co., 1893. In two volumes. [8] 216pp; [8], [217]- 441pp, [16]. Original publisher's blue cloth boards lettered gilt, all edged untrimmed. All boards scuffed and marked, corners and spine ends bumped, Vol. II water stained. Pink Taunton library sticker on Vol. I., over an obscured yellow label. Vol. II has a partial sticker, Library, New Oxford St. Light foxing throughout, with scant pencil notations over both volumes. The debut novel of E. F. Benson, which launched his career. Biting high-society satire, the novel divided critics, with U.S. magazine The Outlook writing in 1893 'Dodo is a loud, vulgar, stupid young woman, whose character we should suppose might have been sketched in the demi monde' (perhaps they missed the point?), while others cheered Benson's extremely nuanced appraisal of English high society. E. F. Benson (1867-1940) was an extremely prolific English writer, completing over fifty novels, four novel series, short stories, plays, biographies, and other non-fiction works on subjects as varied as golf and grave digging. His last work, his third autobiography, was delivered to his publisher just ten days before his death. . First edition. 8vo.