Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief

Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief is a serial novel by James Fennimore Cooper first published by Graham's Magazine in 1843.[1] The novel explores the upper crust of New York Society from the perspective of a woman's handkerchief.[2]

After the initial publication in Graham's Magazine the novel was published by several other magazines, including Brother Jonathan.[1] The novel was published in whole in 1843 by Cooper's London publisher Richard Bentley under a separate title, The French Governess; or, The Embroidered Handkerchief.[1] In 1845 a German publisher also published the work in full.[1]

Themes

Critic Thomas Bender describes the whole novel as devoted "to the subject of the evils of selfishly attempting to achieve higher place".[3] The city of New York, in this context, represent the evils of "struggle for social status" and this becomes the model for the woes and disorder caused by this struggle.[3]

References

1. MacDougall, Hugh C. "Transcriber's Preface to Autobiography of a Handkerchief" – via James Fenimore Cooper Society.
2. Axelrad, Allen M. (July 1995). Hugh C. MacDougall (ed.). ""Aristocracy forsooth!...the Blackguard is the Aristocrat": James Fenimore Cooper on Congress and Capitalism". State University of New York College at Oneonta: 7–16. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. Bender, Thomas (April 1970). "James Fenimore Cooper and the City". New York History. LI (3): 287–305 – via James Fenimore Cooper Society.