Reveries of a Bachelor (1854) Ik Marvel aka Donald Grant Mitchell HC Acceptable

Charles Scribner, 1854. Antiquarian cloth bound hardcover of Reveries of a Bachelor by Ik Marvel.

Born in Norwich, Connecticut, Donald Grant Mitchell (1822–1908) was an American author and diplomat who achieved literary stardom under the pseudonym Ik Marvel. Mitchell graduated from Yale in 1841, where he was a member of Skull and Bones. His career also included a diplomatic post as the U.S. consul in Venice from 1853 to 1854.

In Reveries of a Bachelor, he explored the intersection of domesticity and imagination, themes of marriage, travel, and country life, capturing the dream-like spirit of the era. Overlooked by contemporary critics, the book was a massive commercial success and a personal favorite of Emily Dickinson.

Acceptable. Stains to the pages and light pencil markings throughout that do not obscure text. Previous owner's (from 1855!) info to the front fly leaf. Solid reading copy.