Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York by Paul Gallico. 1960 first edition.

Written by Paul Gallico. Illustrated by Mircea Vasiliu. First edition, 1960. Doubleday & Company. Garden City, New York.

Chapter One

"Mrs. Ada Harris and Mrs. Violet Butterfield, of Numbers 5 and 7 Willis Gardens, Battersea, London, respectively, were having their nightly cup of tea in Mrs. Harris's neat and flower-decorated little flat in the basement of No. 5.

"Mrs. Harris was a charwoman of that sturdy London breed that fares forth daily to tidy up the largest city in the world, and her lifelong friend and bosom companion, Mrs. Butterfield, was a part-time cook and char as well. Both looked after fashionable clientele in Belgravia, where they met varying adventures during the day, picking up stray interesting pieces of gossip from the odd bods for whom they worked. At night they visited one another for a final cup of tea to exchange these tidbits."

Front Flap

"The London charwoman's warm, tender, yet resolute nature, which enabled her to go to the elegant Dior salon in Paris, now drives her to America - to reunite a child with his GI father. This is the glowing story, as only Paul Gallico could tell it...

"How Mrs. 'Arris met the one person who was able to spirit little 'Enry Gusset into the United States, how she found 'Enry's father, how she captivated ambassador and chauffer alike, and how she made a childless couple happy..."

Paul Gallico (1897 - 1976) was a sports writer and editor for the New York Daily News, where he became known for his innovative creation of the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. Transitioning from journalism to fiction, Gallico found success with novels such as The Snow Goose, The Poseidon Adventure, and the Mrs. Harris series.

Mircea Vasiliu (1920 - 2008) was an artist and author, born in Bucharest, Romania. Initially embarking on a diplomatic career with a law degree from the University of Bucharest, Vasiliu defected to the United States in 1948 following the Communist takeover of Romania. In America, he found his calling in the arts, illustrating both adult and children's books. He is best known for his children's books A Day at the Beach and Miss Agatha's Lark.

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Condition: Very Good/Good. Dust jacket: Price-clipped; light soiling, front and back; on the front, small closed tear at upper edge, small closed tear with old tape shadow at lower edge; wear along fore edge; on the back, small closed tear at upper edge; small closed tear and red pencil mark at lower edge; sunning along spine with wear along edges, small hole, and chipping at head and tail; bumped at the corners with small closed tears at front corners. Gray cloth cover boards with purple decoration and black spine are starting to loosen at front hinge. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.