The High Road- by Frances Grinstead

FOR SALE
A first edition book The High Road by Frances Grinstead, 1945

You can see the condition of the book in the pictures. The book has a personal inscription to her former teacher. It was signed by Frances Grinstead in 1945.
Spine and cover has some wear but is still tight. Some discoloration of the pages due to age. More information about the book is below in the story of how I came to find it. Starting bid is at 29.99

Frances Grinstead was born April 24, 1899.
She was a Professor of Journalism at the University of Missouri from 1927 to 1945.
She also taught at the University of Kansas. She retired in Sarasota, Florida. She never married or had any children.

Taken from the Feb. 19, 1945 issue of TIME magazine:
Posted Monday, Feb. 19, 1945
THE HIGH ROAD — Frances Grinstead —Doubleday, Doran ($2.50). Rove Carruthers would rather dream great deeds than do them. Aged 16 and a man by Ozark standards, he loves Jubilee, hates go-getting, hardworking Abner Holly. But even Jubilee grows impatient with Rove when he neglects his new farm because he has heard the call to preach. The story of how Rove finally wins over Jubilee by driving Abner to the sinners' bench at pistol point is a slight but colorful description of Ozark manners, with humor and charm for the sympathetic reader.

How I came about this book—a short story.
..... Heather pulled a book from the shelf.

It happened to be an old book. She opened the cover and in it was an inscription. It was in flowing ink, possibly a fountain pen. Signed, "Helen Hull".

"Hmmm", said Heather. Then she closed the book and looked at the front cover again.

Shocked, she saw that Helen Hull was indeed the author! "Wow! This book has been inscribed by the author!" The others seemed unimpressed. Then Heather looked at the front flap. "It is a first edition! OMG! How odd that I pull a book from the shelf and not only is it inscribed by the author, and old, but it is a first edition!"

The others remained unimpressed and even snickered at her astonishment. These people were obviously dullards.

Then Katrina walked in. Heather told her what she just discovered on the shelf. Katrina said, "You're kidding me! Let me see!" Katrina yanked away the book and looked; her eyes growing bigger. "You found this on the shelf here???" said she.

"Yes!" exclaimed Heather, "SEE! I knew Katrina would understand. Thank you!"

Katrina flippantly grabbed a book. Being basically a smart ass, she flipped through the pages.

Then she re-flipped through them, pausing on the first page. There was an inscription.

Katrina read it aloud.

"For Herbert W. Smith, my former teacher and fellow alumnus. With all good wishes,
-Frances Grinstead
April 30, 1945"

She couldn't actually make out the name "Grinstead" in the handwriting because it was illegible. At least she couldn't make out the name until she closed the cover.

Upon reading the cover, she made the discovery that shocked EVERYONE this time.

The book was faded to a pink color, probably originally a deep red. There was no dust cover, and the she turned the book over to view the spine.
Then she read the title aloud and paused.

"The High Road by Frances Grindstead"

Katrina gasped. "What are the chances of pulling a second book from the shelf, also inscribed by the author???" she questioned. Everyone was dumbstruck too.

As Katrina frantically (at this point), flipped through the pages she saw that once again, a first edition had been discovered.

Others in the group vainly tried to pull other books off the shelf... coming up short each time.

Not being much of a reader, Katrina decided to sell her book on eBay