The epic, best-selling turn-of-the-century novel of the conversion of Western desert into farmland, The Winning of Barbara Worth is now available for the first time in a comprehensive, enlarged 392-page limited edition that includes the complete text of the first edition, plus loads of other material which sets the book in its historical perspective as one of the most important novels of the American west.

Limited to 750 copies, this privately printed edition is sure to become a collectible, as it is the only edition of a Harold Bell Wright novel to have, in addition to the original text, and illustrations, essays about the author, the writing of the book, the plays and the movie which resulted from it, collectibles associated with “Barbara”, and other information about research resources. The limited printing run also adds this book to the list of the rarest of HBW collectible books in the years to come.

This hard-cover book has a four-color dustjacket and contains the entire, unabridged text of the author’s original 1911 novel, plus an introduction by Harold Bell Wright biographer, Lawrence Tagg, author of Storyteller to America, and a preface by Norman Wright, son of the author. The book is edited by Quentin Burke, who wrote the additional five informative essays at the back of the book. Mr. Burke is co-president of the Harold Bell Wright Society.

While it is a novel, it has a firm historical background, accurately describing the early days of the reclamation of the Imperial Valley of California from desert.

Early in the century, Harold Bell Wright was one of the nation’s most popular authors. He wrote about the Ozarks before coming West to California for health reasons, briefly making his home at Tecolote Rancho, at Meloland. This ranch, where he raised horses and did general farming, was located in Imperial County, not far from the Mexican border. Barbara is likely the highest-selling book HBW ever wrote, according to Luther Mott, in his Golden Multitudes (Macmillan, 1947), where he quotes an estimated 1.6 million hardcover sales to that date. There have been many editions since then, but none as comprehensive as this one!

In The Winning of Barbara Worth, he tells a story of love, rivalries, greed and noble ideals. The setting is the Imperial Valley, where he lived for seven years. The novel is set in the days when the area was being reclaimed from desert by diversion of water from the Colorado River. It has the distinction of placing twice on the country’s top ten best-seller list.

It has relevance even today, as “water wars” are still being fought in board rooms and law courts over the precious resource of the West. One reviewer on an WWW site wrote recently that “I never would have expected to be enthralled by a turn of the century novel about irrigation....”

The new edition has all the illustrations and the map from the original Book Supply Company edition.

There is a lot of additional information articles in the six appendices at the end of the book. These special articles were researched and written by Mr. Burke, editor of the book. They describe how the book was written, printed and promoted; the two plays adapted from the book which toured the country; the movie starring Gary Cooper, Vilma Banky and Ronald Colman which was made from the book; Barbara Worth collectibles; and resources where those interested can pursue their interest in the author and his works. Even HBW Internet websites referencing HBW are listed!

Gary Cooper fans will want to know that there are two movie scene pictures of the actor in the book, plus details on how he got this, his first movie role.

Each of the appendices is illustrated. Included are stills from the movie, advertisements and reviews of the play, newspaper clippings and a page from an old book catalog.

Order The Winning of Barbara Worth $29.95

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