"A Day with William Shakespeare" by Maurice Clare [Mary Clarissa Byron], 'The Days with the Poets' series published by Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK, undated [1913]. First Edition, illustrated.

Hard boards with portrait of Shakespeare on the front board [crease between spine and front board], some soiling and wear, damaged corner of the front board]; 6" x 8.1/4"; undated inscription on the front endpaper, unpaginated c.50 pages + 5 color plates on glossy paper, some foxing, very good condition.

Mary Clarissa "May" Byron (1861-1936) was a British writer and poet, best known for her abridgements of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan book. She published under the names May Byron, M.C. Gillington and Maurice Clare. Byron specialized in writing biographies of great composers, poets and writers, before going on to rewrite some of J. M. Barrie's works for younger readers, to write poetry, and to write cookbooks.

May Byron's biographies were generally well-received, though some critics could not tell if they were first-hand or fiction based on research. The books went on to inspire others, and her biography "A Day with Shakespeare" (written under the pseudonym "Maurice Clare") was particularly influential for James Joyce in writing Ulysses

US: Priority (c.2-8 days) ------------ $14.50
Canada: Priority (c.2-6 weeks) ---- $32.50
World: Priority (c.2-8 weeks) ----- $45.50