JUST FOLKS

Chicago: The Reilly & Lee Co., 1917. First Edition. Signed presentation from Guest on the half-title page: "For F.W. Teele:- The best folks are [then the title Just Folks,) Rotary (Cousin?), Edgar A. Guest. Oct. 18/22." Edgar Albert Guest [1881-1959] was a British-born American poet who was popular in the first half of the 20th century and became known as the People's Poet. His poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life. Guest was a copy boy and then a reporter at the Detroit Free Press where his first poem appeared on December 11, 1898. For 40 years, Guest was widely read throughout North America and is known for his sentimental, optimistic poems. Guest penned some 11,000 poems which were syndicated in about 300 newspapers and collected in more than 20 books. He was made Poet Laureate of Michigan, the only poet to have been awarded the title. His grand-niece Judith Guest is a novelist who wrote "Ordinary People." Fred Warren Teele was appointed by Rotary International to develop and coordinate Rotary Club activities in Continental Europe and in 1923 its Regional Office opened in Zurich, Switzerland. Guest was active in the Detroit Rotary Club. 16mo., red limp faux-leather, top edge gilt, covers stamped in gilt; 192 pages. Very Good (covers nice & bright; contents clean & tight).