The Americanization of Edward Bok by Edward Bok

Free US/UK Kindle Classic

The Americanization of Edward Bok : the autobiography of a Dutch boy fifty years after by Edward Bok won the 1921 Pulitzer.  (US Edition)  (UK Edition)  

I must start off with several caveats which should not put you off this book.  The title page is poorly capitalized; the foreward is unreadable (many are); and it is written in third person.  Third person is an odd choice for an autobiography, but this is the story of an unlettered Dutch boy who ends up editing a famous women's magazine for thirty years.  So perhaps a bit of eccentricity is to be expected.

Let us see:

The author is good friends with Kipling and recounts traveling with him and publishing his work in "The Ladie's Home Journal."

"What annoys me," said Kipling, speaking of his father one day, "is when the pater comes to America to have him referred to in the newspapers as 'the father of Rudyard Kipling.' It is in India where they get the relation correct: there I am always 'the son of Lockwood Kipling.'"

Here is an exchange with Bok's boss:

"This is a young-looking crowd," said Mr. Scribner one day, looking over his young men. And his eye rested on Bok. "Particularly you, Bok. Doubleday looks his years better than you do, for at least he has a moustache." Then, contemplatively: "You raise a moustache, Bok, and I'll raise your salary."

This appealed to Bok very strongly, and within a month he pointed out the result to his employer. "Stand in the light here," said Mr. Scribner. 

"Well, yes," he concluded dubiously, "it's there—something at least. All right; I'll keep my part of the bargain." He did. But the next day he was nonplussed to see that the moustache had disappeared from the lip of his youthful advertising manager. "Couldn't quite stand it, Mr. Scribner," was the explanation. "Besides, you didn't say I should keep it: you merely said to raise it."

This book should appeal to those interested in publishing.  Bok is quite a name dropper!

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