1923 - 1941 BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND UNIQUE DIARY BY A SMART, CLEVER AND WELL EDUCATED WOMAN IN CAPE ANN, MASSACHUSETTS, RELISHING HER DAYS ON THE BEACH, HER CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS, AND THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE THAT’S ALL AROUND HER

On offer is the 1923 handwritten diary of Elizabeth E. Saunders, beginning in 1923 and going all the way to 1941. She writes of her life spent in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts as well as Andover and Arden, as well as her friendships that last many years. The beach and nature figure prominently throughout, as do fireside discussions about books she is reading, birds she has spotted, friends she has seen and enjoyed, and much more. It is a diary of a bygone era and should be in a museum in Manchester-by-the-Sea. It is, above all else, beautifully written: “October 8, 9, 10, 1923. Days of unbroken sunshine. On the beach - in the woods - under the pines, - by the fire. Each meal a ‘movable feast.’ Called on Miss Anna Proctor in her darling house...Walked through the woods to the station. Ravine of unsurpassed brilliance. Met at the station, Miss Mabel Carter of Andover, who comes for a visit. In the afternoon, I walk with Miss Carter around the shore via Smith’s Point. Home at dusk; fire and supper. Long evening by fire-light only. Fuel enhanced by dry leaves. Mabel Carter eloquent on her ‘Order of Silence’ a persuasive voice speaking out of the shadows around the glowing embers. She magnified and illuminated all the attributes of God with the tem ‘infinite’; Never love, wisdom, and power alone, but always infinite-love, infinite-wisdom, infinite-power.” The diary takes on a unique form after a few pages. On the right hand side of the book, there are entries going chronologically from 1923, usually a few a year. On the left hand side of the book are long entries from the year 1941, beautiful written as well and presenting a very interesting juxtaposition between the two pages, written many years apart. The 1941 entry is an account of a number of weeks at the beginning of autumn, going on for many pages, only on the left hand side. It stops for a few pages and then continues again. This can be confusing, but Saunders writes on the bottom of each page, where to go next to get the continuing 1941 entry. After the 1941 entry ends, there is one for 1942, this time discussing the carefree summer months and the “perfect Arden days”. As the entries from the early years progress, Elizabeth Saunders begins to include quotations, essays, passages, and more taken from other sources. These include, “The Lost Continent of Mu” by Colonel James Churchward; a passage from “An Undiscovered Island Depicted in Shakespeare’s Tempest”; “Sacrament of Fire” by John Oxenham; “Islands of Light” by Glenn Clark; and many other passages listed from many sources. Saunders always writes her personal feelings on these passages, in very intelligent and interesting ways. She is obviously a very intelligent and learned woman. She is also a bird lover, and includes lists of bird sightings for many years in the 1930s. Book lists are included as well, beginning in 1923 and going all the way to 1941. Saunders writes often of her summer daily walks to Manchester-on-the-Sea’s Singing Beach, of bonfires and holiday beach picnics with friends and family, of the solitude of the beach in winter, of bird sightings and books read. Her entries are an absolute joy to read, and one that presents a complex and fascinating portrait of a woman over almost 20 years of her life, living in the same place. This book is lovely and incredibly unique. Its cover has 1/2 leather binding and is still in very good condition. There is almost no wear and tear at all. The book was obviously very important to Ms. Saunders as it is still in excellent shape even after decades of use. Overall, it is clean and almost immaculate. Pages and binding are in exceptionally great condition. The handwriting is clean and crisp throughout, in blue and black ink. This book is really a treasure. OVERALL: VG+; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, ELIZABETH E SAUNDERS, MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA, ARDEN, ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, CAPE ANN, INTERWAR YEARS, NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, FEMINISM, WOMEN’S RIGHTS, FRIENDSHIP OF WOMEN, SINGING SANDS, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNAL, LOG, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D’ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL