ABSTRACT
The first book of Mabel's four-volume autobiography, Intimate Memories: Background, was published in 1933 by Harcourt, Brace. Although her original plan had been to wait until some people had died before bringing out her memoirs, she clearly abandoned this idea and forged ahead. In Brill's letter, he praises Background and encourages Mabel to continue publishing her memoirs without overdue concern for the short-term consequences. Book sales matched the enthusiastic reviews and Harcourt's earlier reassuring prediction: Background was judged a best seller by The New York Times in April 1933. The American public's thirst for exposing the true inner life under a muffled and well-ordered outward presentation is reflected in the commercial success of Mabel's refreshingly honest book, filled with candid observations. Background was published as the product of Mabel's persistent, even unrelenting, efforts to understand herself and her childhood experiences.
