The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas

One of the greatest non-fiction books of the twentieth century, this masterful volume tells the story of Alice B. Toklas and her lifelong partner, Gertrude Stein.

Following the tragedy of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Alice B. Toklas moved to Paris where she met her lifelong partner, Gertrude Stein. The women moved in together and were inseparable until Stein’s death in 1946.

First published in 1933 and presented as an autobiography, Stein adopts Toklas’ voice to tell the story of her life. The pair were part of the Parisian avant-garde, nurtured the Lost Generation writers, and shared friendships with prominent artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Ernest Hemingway.

The volume is separated into seven chapters:

– ‘Before I Came to Paris’

– ‘My Arrival in Paris’

– ‘Gertrude Stein in Paris, 1903–1907’

– ‘Gertrude Stein Before She Came to Paris’

– ‘1907–1914’

– ‘The War’

– ‘After the War, 1919–1932’

Featuring an introduction by Sherwood Anderson, this volume is an essential read for fans of Gertrude Stein’s work and those with an interest in Jazz Age literature.