Building the House of Books                          5

H. V. Marrot's Galsworthy bibhography, but he soon turned his
full attention to the works of a young writer named Ernest Hem¬
ingway, on whom Louis was to become an acknowledged author¬
ity with the publication by Random House in 193 r of his bibliog¬
raphy of Hemingway's work.

Of the two future owners of House of Books, jVIargic was the
one who seemed more naturally destined toward her future occu¬
pation. Although she always claimed to know less about "litera¬
ture" than anyone to whom she was speaking, this was typical
self-deprecation. The truth is that from the time she learned to
read, Margie did so with joy and discrimination. In fact, a note¬
book survives in which she listed all the books that she read each
year up to the time when she married Louis. Perhaps as significant¬
ly, she was a collector from childhood on, beginning with paper
dolls she meticulously cut out of ladies magazines (and saved ever
after) to cigar bands that she carefully mounted in a special album.
With the zeal and tenacity for which she was to become famous,
she wrote cigar smokers of the time to ask for a band for her col¬
lection. The greatest prize was a response, with enclosure, from
J. P. Morgan.

Unlike Louis, Margie was a good student, a ptize-winning essay¬
ist, and even had an early "literary" effort (a puzzle) published in
St. Nicholas. After graduating with honors from the private
school she attended in New York City, she went to the Parsons
School of Design. Then, for a time, she worked as a designer of
costumes for Broadway plays, including one that starred Helen
Hayes. To supplement this erratic income, she made and sold silk
lampshades and elegant closet fittings. In retrospect, it seems ob¬
vious that Margie's talents were a major reason that all the publica¬
tions of House of Books were as handsome as they were. Her at¬
tention to detail, down to the precisely right color for a catalogue
cover, are familiar to everyone who knew her.

Since it was bridge that perhaps put Louis on the first step to¬
ward the book business, it was appropriately yet another bridge