Rare Books Collection: Clarence Darrow's Books and Library

The Law Library and Riesenfeld Center's Clarence Darrow Collection features more than a thousand letters to and from the great American trial attorney. It has also grown recently through the acquisition of significant books from Darrow's personal library, and several owned by close family members. The books augment the extensive printed material related to Darrow's legal cases, speeches, debates, and other writings that round out the collection. A number of the new items have been inscribed by Darrow, or inscribed to Darrow by friends and associates. The books, bookplates, and inscriptions tell us more about what Darrow owned and read, and shed light on some of the volumes and people he cherished.

Darrow was the nation's leading criminal defense attorney in the early 20th century and he remains today the most famous American trial lawyer. His memorable courtroom arguments, speeches, and eloquent, "country lawyer" rhetoric won him fame and saved the lives of a long series of criminal defendants. His courtroom rhetoric was often imbued by his pessimistic philosophy, along with a belief in compassion as the reasonable response to human frailty. The same views were distilled in key works for popular audiences. They can be found in his early volume, A Persian Pearl, a collection of literary essays and his first book-length publication; Farmington, a semi-autobiographical novel about growing up; An Eye for an Eye, his second novel, treating poverty and crime; and The Story of My Life, his mature autobiography. In addition to these are more minor works, including A Skeleton in the Closet, which have supplied some of Darrow's most quotable lines.

 

Typical of authors, Darrow signed and inscribed copies of these works, often for friends and fairly well-known associates. Darrow's library also contained works of friends and associates who personalized and sent him their publications. Among the recently acquired books are inscribed volumes of poetry, in particular, that suggest Darrow's own literary ambitions and the kind of critical, socially-oriented poetry that he preferred. Of special interest among the volumes is a first edition of A Persian Pearl, inscribed by Darrow to his first wife, Jessie Ohl Darrow. Though comparatively little is known about their relationship, in the inscription, written two years after the marriage ended, Darrow calls Jessie "his best friend," suggesting an enduring warmth as they continued to care for their son, Paul. Another family heirloom is inscribed fondly by Jessie to Paul, and another of Paul's books is inscribed by Darrow's father, Ammirus.

 

Together the books from Darrow's library and family members enrich the Library's Darrow Collection and cast more light on his personal life and relationships.  

  

   - Ryan Greenwood, Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections